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Last updated 16/10/2025

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This page is a list of Early Froebelian Manuals, ie books providing information about Froebel's gifts and occupations in general and the paperfolding occupations in particular.

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1854

'Ein zusammenhängendes Ganzes von Spielen und Beschäftigungen für die erste Kindheit' by Baroness von Marenholz - Bulow, is said to contain a summary of Froebel's gifts and occupations, making it the earliest of the Froebelian manuals. I have not seen a copy of this work.

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1855

'Woman's Educational Mission: Being an Explanation of Frederich Froebel's System of Infant Gardens', by Baroness von Marenholtz, translated into English by Elizabeth, Countess Krockow von Wickerode, was published by Darton and Co in London in 1855. It is possibly a translation of 'Ein zusammenhängendes ...' (see above). It contains brief mentions of 'Folding Paper' (ie Falten), 'Stringing Paper' (ie Verschnuren), 'Plaiting Paper' (ie Flechten) and 'Cutting Paper' (ie Ausschneiden und Aufkleben).

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'A Practical Guide to the English Kinder Garten' by Joh and Bertha Ronge was published by Hodson and Son in London, also in 1855. It contains brief sections on 'Paper Folding' (ie Falten) and 'Cutting Paper' (ie Ausschneiden und Aufkleben).

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1856

Part 1 of 'Bilderswerkstatt als Arbeitsubung fur die Jugend in Schule und Haus' by Jan Daniel Georgens, was published in Glogau (then in Germany now in Poland) in 1856. It explains the folding of some basic mathematical forms (ie Erkenntnisformen) from the square, plus the geometry that can be learned from them, and information about Das Ausschneiden (ie Ausschneiden und Aufkleben).

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1857

Part 2 of 'Bilderswerkstatt als Arbeitsubung fur die Jugend in Schule und Haus' by Jan Daniel Georgens and Jean Marie von Gayette was published in Glogau in 1857. It also contains a section about Das Ausschneiden (ie Ausschneiden und Aufkleben).

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1859

'Manuel pratique des jardins d'enfants de Frédéric Froebel' was 'compose sur les documents Allemands' by J F Jacobs and published by F Claassen in Brussells and L Hachette and Cie in Paris in 1859. It contains chapters on Le Pliage (ie Falten), L'Entrelacement (ie Verschnuren) and Le Decoupage (ie Ausschneiden und Aufkleben). The Chapter on 'Le Pliage' contains information about the folding of some basic mathematical forms (ie Erkenntnisformen), 'des formes artistiques' (ie Schonheitsformen) and 'des formes d'objets usuels' (ie Lebensformen).

This work was translated into Dutch and Italian, summarised in Spanish, and also formed the basis of Herman Goldammer's 'Der Kindergarten' (see below).

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1860

'Praktisch Handboek om Kinderen van 2 tot 8 Jaar' by J F Jacobs was published in Brussels and Amsterdam in 1860. It is a translation of 'Manuel pratique des jardins d'enfants de Frédéric Froebel' into Dutch. The paperfolding material in this translation appears to be identical to the material in the original book.

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While not a manual in its own right, a series of articles titled 'Jardines de Infancia' by Mariano Carderera in 'Anales de Primera Ensenanza. Periodico de las escuelas y de los maestros' (Annals of Primary Education: Periodical for Schools and Teachers) published in Madrid in 1960 summarised the material about paperfolding found in 'Manuel Pratique des Jardin D'Enfants de Frédéric Froebel'.

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1861

'Das Paradies der Kindheit' (The Paradise of Childhood) by Lina Morgenstern was published in Leipzig in 1861. It contains sections on 'Das Papierfalten' (Falten), 'Das Ausschneiden' (Ausschneiden und Aufkleben) and 'Das Schnuren ungetheilter Papierstreifen' (Verschnuren).

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1862

'Das Frobel'sche Faltblatt' (Frobel's Folding Sheet) by August Koehler was published by Hermann Bohlau in Weimar in 1862. The work is a guide to the use of a series of very simple paperfolds intended to be used to teach geometrical ideas in the elementary class (ie the two years above kindergarten). The work extends the range of Froebel's original Folds of Knowledge by showing how the square can be folded into other geometrical shapes, in particular using folds of 22.5, 30, and 60 degrees.

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1863

'Moral Culture of Infancy and Kindergarten Guide' by Mrs Horace Mann (Mary Tyler Peabody) and Elizabeth P Peabody was published by T O H P Burnham in Boston in 1863. It contains information on the use of paperfolding to facilitate the cutting of symmetrical shapes and as a way of teaching mathematical ideas. There is a brief mention of other toys made out of folded paper.

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'De Kleine Papierwerkers' was a series of four books written by Elise Van Calcar and published by K H Schadd in Amsterdam in 1863. 3 of the 4 volumes provide information about paperfolding. Volume 1: Wat men van een stukje papier al maken kan: Het vouwen (What one can make from a piece of paper Folding). Volume 2: Wat men uit strookjes papier al vlechten kan (What one can braid from strips of paper). Volume 4: Het Knippen en plakken (Cutting and Pasting).

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1869

'Der Kindergarten', edited by Hermann Goldammer, based largely on 'Manuel pratique des jardins d'enfants de Frédéric Froebel' by J F Jacobs (see above) was published by Habel in Berlin in 1869. It contains chapters on Das Falten, Aufschneiden und Aufkleben (as Ausflechen und Ausnahen), Das Flechten and Das Verschnuren.

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'Paradise of Childhood' by Edward Wiebe was published by Milton, Bradley and Company in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1869. It is largely based on Hermann Goldammer's 'Der Kindergarten' (see above).

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1871

'Manuale Practico dei Giradini D'Infanzia di Federico Frobel' is a translation into Italian of 'Manuel pratique des jardins d'enfants de Frédéric Froebel' by J F Jacobs (see above).

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1873

'Die Praxis Des Kindergartens' by August Koehler was published in three parts by Herman Bohlau in Weimar. Inter alia, Part 2, which was published in 1873, contains information about Dem Faltblatt (ie Falten), Dem Ab- und Auschneideblatt (ie Ausschneiden und Aufkleben), Dem Flechten (including Free Weaving), Den Schnurstreifen (Folding from strips). All the forms explained in this work which are developed from Koehler's Groundform are almost certainly original designs by the author, and this is also most probably true of the designs developed from the 2x1 rectangle and the triangle. The author also claims that some of the Free Weaving designs, specifically the Woven basket and the Woven Ship are his own designs, and that he has also invented some of the braided designs shown on Plate XXXI and the Paper Rosette variations shown on Plate XXXIII.

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'Der Kindergarten: Theoretisch-Praktisches Handbuch' by A S Fischer was published by Alfred Holder in Vienna in 1873. It contains ...

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'Bilder aus dem Kindergarten fur Mutter und Erzhieherrinen' by Ernst Barth was published in Leipzig in 1873. There are three passages dealing with paperfolding which contain photographic folding instructions. The first of these is simply some basic mathematical shapes, the second and third show how to fold some basic forms of life.

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'Exercices et Travaux pour les Enfants Selon la Méthode et les Procédés de Pestalozzi et de Froebel' by Fanny and Charles Delon was published by Librairie Hachette in Paris in 1873. It contains ...

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1874

A third edition of 'Der Kindergarten' by Hermann Goldammer, which contains significantly more information about Folds of Life and Folds of Beauty, was published by Carl Babel in Berlin in 1874.

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