Froebel's Gifts and Open Ended Learning

Recently I have found out about Froebel's Gifts and bought them.  My son is using them in our homeschool.  We are using the manuals that were written in the late 1800's and also opening the door for other creative projects with the gifts. I have been a origami enthusiast for a long time and I think that has helped me to see the usefulness of thinking outside the box, to teach geometrical and spatial intelligence.  Froebel's followers used origami too and but lessons are considered the Occupations of Froebel and are not part of the 10 Gift's

I have some architectural lessons from Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum and these work very well  to create a unit on designing of sustainable communities or whatever open ended lesson plan you want to use them for.  

The 10 Gifts Arrive