hat the joyous exercise
of his instinctive activity, guided and directed by the judicious,
loving mother, is sufficient to give him control of them; indeed, the
first and second gifts hold to his mental development the same
relation that the mother's milk holds to his physical growth.

But the third gift satisfies the growing desire for independent
activity, for the exercise of his own power of analysis and synthesis,
of taking apart and putting together.[32]

[32] "The idea of separation gained here in concrete form
becomes typical of that condition which must always exist in
any growth--the seed breaks through its coverings, and seems
to divide itself into distinct parts, each having its
function in the growth of the whole plant." (Alice H.
Putnam.)

Simplicity but Adaptability of the Gifts.

Simple as this first building gift appears, it is capable of great
things. It lends itself to a hundred practical lessons and a hundred
charming transformations, but if it is not thoroughly comprehended it
will never be well or effectively used by the kindergartner, and will
be nothing more to her than to uninterested observers, who see in it
nothing more than eight commonplace little blocks in a wooden box.

Froebel says if his educational materials are found useful it cannot
be because of their exterior, which is as plain as possible and
contains nothing new, but that their worth is to be found exclusively
in their application.

How Children are to be reached.

Therefore these simple devices with which we carry on our education
should never seem trifling, for we are compelled in teaching very
young children to put forth all gentle allurements to the gaining of
knowledge.

They are to be reached chiefly by the charms of sense, novelty, and
variety, and consequently, to please such active and imaginative
little critics, our lessons must be fresh, vivid, vigorous, and to the
point.

What is Necessary on Part of Kindergartner.

To accomplish this, we can see that not only is absolute knowledge
necessary, but that a well developed sensibility and imagination are
needed in leading the child from the indefinite to the definite, from
universal to particular, and from concrete to abstract. The worth of
the gifts then, we repeat, lies exclusively in their application; the
rude little forms must be used so that the child's imagination and
sympathy will be reached.

Imagination in Child and K