Fr. Fröbel has been called “the Father of Kindergarten” because he founded a kindergarten in Germany in 1840 as the first one all over the world. Before the foundation, however, he invented “teaching tools” with which children and their mothers or care-givers would play together, in inquiring into principles of human education for fostering children's autonomy. He continued to invent “teaching tools” up to his later life in explicating the principles theoretically and practically.? In other words, he invented educational materials, that is, “teaching tools” to use in a kindergarten as a “place” for care-giving before its foundation, and considered that the utilization of the tools at home, in kindergarten or in school would make possible human education that fosters freedom and independence.? Why did he find significance in “play” and invent “teaching tools” that rely on no letter? This study answers the question in considering the systematic relations of his “teaching tools”
and provides examples of utilizing the tools in children and child-rearing support.