A Short History of Kindergarten
- Feb 6
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 11
German Roots
German Fredrich Fröbel (1782-1852) founded the first kindergarten in 1838. He created this ‘play’ environment as an experimental social experience for children about to enter school. Up till then, more emphasis on childhood education was based on rote learning and strict behavior. Fröbel’s approach was to let the children be nurtured and nourished ‘like plants in a garden.’ (Wikipedia)
The pedagogical environment in kindergarten allowed children to develop their self-expression and self-directed learning. This approach was facilitated by play, songs, stories and other activities. Around 1873 musical instrument teaching was also introduced into the national kindergarten movement in Germany.
Kindergarten Spreads to the United States
The first kindergarten in the USA was founded in Watertown, Wisconsin in 1856 by Margaretha Meyer-Schurz and was conducted in German. Elizabeth Peabody founded the rst English language kindergarten in 1860. The rst free-of-charge kindergarten was founded by philanthropist Conrad Poppenhusen in 1870, and the rst publicly nanced kindergarten in the US was founded in Saint Louis in 1873 by Susan Blow. By 1880 there were more than 400 kindergartens in 30 states and kindergarten teacher training schools existed in every major US city.
Preschool Child Care in Germany Today
Since 2013, every child in Germany had the legal right to childcare. There are several types of child care available: °Kinderkrippe (creche) is for children up to three years of age. It is not free and costs vary by region. °Kindergarten is for children between the ages of 3 and 6. It is not part of the regular school system, and it is not mandatory. Kindergarten can be free, church-subsidized or privately funded and costs vary by region. °Kitas (Kindertagesstätte), or child daycare centers provide after-school and sometimes preschool activities for children after the school day ends. It goes up to the age of 11 or 12. Fees are required and this form of day care is very popular due to the number of women who work. °Schulhort is an after-school daycare for primary school pupils.
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