Maria Kraus-Boelté (1836–1918) was a pioneer of Fröbel education in the United States, and helped promote kindergarten training as suitable for study at university level.

Born to a prosperous family in Hagenow in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, on November 8, 1836, Maria Boelté was privately educated.

In 1872, she was invited again to come to work in New York City where she established a kindergarten class and training program for mothers.

She got to know her future husband, Professor John Kraus, an assistant at the National Bureau of Education with whom she had previously corresponded.

Some of her work is in the archives of the Association of Childhood Education International: The Cincinnati Kindergarten Association has some of her lesson plans and other papers at the Wayback Machine (archived February 4, 2012).