Gift Six: Classic Building Blocks

Froebel’s Gift 6 again divides the three-inch cube into more varieties of rectangular prisms, including 18 oblong blocks, 12 flat square blocks (caps), and 6 narrow columns.

Gift 6 continues from the form of the three inch cube introduced in Gift 5. As Gift 4 introduced new proportions to Gift 3’s cubes, so does Gift 6 introduce new proportions to the three inch cube. This is a return to concepts of size and modularity introduced in Gift 4. The arrival of the classic construction components of the cap and the column brings a real architectural feel to this Gift. In fact, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Larkin Building can be represented by using the contents of Gift 6 (as shown in the photo to the right). As with Gift 5, this Gift is best used with children 5 years old and older.

PRESENTATION
The presentation is exactly the same as with Gift 3.

FORMS OF LIFE
Again using the blocks to represent things from his/her life, the new sizes and shapes will be eagerly put to use by the child.

FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE
Continue a discussion of fractions. Area and volume can be also be reasoned. Scale, proportion and modularity can be discovered by having the child make as many different squares as possible.

FORMS OF BEAUTY
Use the blocks to awaken a sense of beauty by forming symmetrical designs which embody the principles of symmetry, proportion, balance, strength of center, rhythm and simplicity.