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Reggio Emilia Approach
An educational philosophy that views children as capable, curious, and full of potential—learning best through relationships, exploration, and expressive languages in a carefully prepared environment.
The Reggio Emilia Approach originated in post-war northern Italy, in a town called Reggio Emilia, through the collaborative efforts of parents and educator Loris Malaguzzi. It is not a method to be duplicated, but a place-born philosophy—emerging from a specific cultural and historical context. At its heart are core principles: the image of the child as strong and resourceful, learning through relationships and projects, knowledge as co-constructed, and environments as integral to teaching and learning. These principles can inspire practice in many settings, but the approach itself cannot be replicated outside of Reggio; instead, educators are invited to interpret and live the values within their own contexts.
Learning unfolds through projects, relationships, and documentation—where educators observe and make children’s thinking visible. Environments are seen as the “third teacher,” filled with beauty, intention, and materials that invite exploration. The approach honors the hundred languages of children—movement, drawing, sculpture, storytelling, dance, silence, and more—as vital forms of meaning-making.
Reggio-inspired practice is always contextual and reflective. It evolves in dialogue with families, community, and the values of the people who bring it to life.
Why It Matters
The Reggio Emilia Approach transforms education from transmission to relationship. It invites adults to slow down, listen deeply, and co-learn alongside children. It honors creativity, agency, and the emotional life of learning. For families and educators, it offers a way of being with children that is rooted in respect, reflection, and the shared joy of discovery.
Core Principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach
- Image of the child – Children are strong, capable, and full of potential.
- Relationships – Learning is rooted in connection with peers, educators, families, and community.
- Environment as the third teacher – Spaces are intentional, beautiful, and designed to provoke exploration.
- Hundred languages of children – Expression takes many forms: art, movement, words, silence, and beyond.
- Documentation – Learning is made visible through traces, photos, transcripts, and artifacts of children’s thinking.
- Project-based learning – Knowledge develops through long-term, in-depth investigations.
- Co-construction of knowledge – Educators and children learn together, in dialogue and collaboration.
- Democratic values – Education is seen as a right, grounded in participation, equity, and respect.
- Contextual practice – The approach adapts and evolves within each unique culture and community.
References & Further Reading
- Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Experience in Transformation
- Rinaldi, C. In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia: Listening, Researching, and Learning
- Project Zero & Reggio Children, Making Learning Visible
- Cadwell, L. Bringing Learning to Life: The Reggio Approach to Early Childhood Education
- Reggio Children (official site): www.reggiochildren.it
- North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA): www.reggioalliance.org
Glossary
Reggio Emilia Approach – A philosophy of early childhood education based on relationships, inquiry, and expressive learning, originating in Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Hundred Languages of Children – The many ways children express, explore, and communicate their thinking—beyond words alone.
Co-construction – Learning that is built together through shared dialogue, exploration, and reflection between children and adults.
Documentation – The practice of observing, recording, and revisiting children’s learning to make thinking visible and support deeper reflection. @documentation
Environment as Third Teacher – The idea that the physical space itself shapes learning, offering cues, inspiration, and a sense of belonging. 
The Environment as Third Teacher
Articles and Resources on This Site
Children worked with clay as a bird gathered pine needles outside. Nests, worms, houses, and burrows emerged—gestures of shelter, repetition, and persistence carried in material.
Fiona meets clay for the first time. Through gesture and touch, she enters a sensory dialogue, revealing the depth of nonverbal learning and relational presence.
What becomes possible when schools center thinking as a shared, visible process—interpreted, remembered, and shaped in relationship?
Documentation as a tool for making group learning visible, co-constructed, and meaningful.
A journey into the philosophical heart of the Reggio Emilia Approach, exploring listening, research, and democratic education through Carlina Rinaldi’s nuanced and visionary pedagogical view.
A relational, child-centered philosophy of early education from Italy, the Reggio Emilia Approach honors curiosity, creativity, and community through project work, documentation, and a deeply respectful image of the child.
Explores how loose parts—natural or found materials—invite open-ended play, creativity, and exploration. Celebrates children's innate capacity to invent, construct, and express meaning through self-directed interaction.
A comparative overview of three influential early childhood models. Highlights their philosophies, practices, and cultural origins, inviting reflection on what each offers to educators and families today.
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