What Is the Reggio Emilia Approach?

By First Cubby Editorial · Updated 2026-07-09

Reggio Emilia is a child-led, project-based early-education philosophy from the Italian city of the same name. Curriculum isn’t set in advance — it emerges from children’s interests through long-term projects. The classroom environment is treated as a “third teacher,” and teachers carefully document children’s thinking to decide what comes next.

Where Reggio Emilia came from

The approach grew out of the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy in the years after World War II, shaped by the educator Loris Malaguzzi and local parents rebuilding their community. Because it’s a philosophy rather than a trademarked or franchised method, most schools outside Italy describe themselves as “Reggio-inspired.”

Core principles

• Emergent curriculum — projects follow children’s real questions and interests, not a fixed syllabus.
• The environment as “third teacher” — beautiful, intentional classrooms (often with an art studio, or atelier) invite exploration.
• The “hundred languages of children” — children express ideas through art, movement, music, and building, not just words.
• Documentation — teachers photograph, transcribe, and display children’s work to make learning visible and plan next steps.
• Collaboration — learning is social; children work together, and parents and community are partners.

What a Reggio-inspired classroom looks like

Light-filled and full of natural materials, plants, and children’s art, with an atelier for hands-on creating. You’ll see small groups deep in a weeks-long project — investigating shadows, or building a model of the neighborhood — rather than a teacher leading the whole class through a set lesson.

Is Reggio Emilia right for your child?

It suits curious, expressive children and families who value creativity and child-led depth over a fixed academic scope. Because “Reggio-inspired” isn’t regulated, quality varies — visit and ask how they document learning. Compare it with Reggio vs. Montessori, what Montessori is, and play-based preschool, then use how to choose a preschool.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Reggio Emilia approach?

Reggio Emilia is a child-led early-education philosophy from the Italian city of the same name. Learning follows children’s interests through long-term projects, the classroom environment is treated as a “third teacher,” and teachers document children’s thinking to guide what comes next.

Where did the Reggio Emilia approach come from?

It grew out of the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy after World War II, shaped by educator Loris Malaguzzi and the community’s parents. It’s a philosophy rather than a trademarked method, so schools describe themselves as “Reggio-inspired.”

What are the “hundred languages of children”?

It’s a core Reggio idea: children express and understand the world in many “languages” — drawing, sculpture, movement, music, dramatic play, and more — not just talking and writing. Classrooms give children many materials to express ideas.

What is the difference between Reggio Emilia and Montessori?

Montessori uses a defined set of self-correcting materials and a structured sequence; Reggio is emergent and project-based with no fixed curriculum, following children’s interests and emphasizing group collaboration and art. See our full comparison.

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