Reggio Emilia nurseries explained

A Reggio Emilia inspired nursery follows an approach to early education that began in the Italian city of Reggio Emilia after the Second World War. It sees young children as capable, curious researchers. Learning grows from their interests into long projects explored through art, building, conversation and play, and adults record children’s thinking so it can be shared and revisited. In England, Reggio-inspired nurseries also follow the Early Years Foundation Stage.

What it looks like

• Projects that follow children’s questions: shadows, a puddle, a building site across the road, explored over days or weeks.
• Many ways to express ideas, often called “the hundred languages of children”: drawing, painting, clay, light, music, movement, building and talk.
• An atelier, or art studio, and sometimes a specialist artist working with children.
• A carefully designed environment: natural light, natural materials, mirrors, plants and open-ended resources. The room is sometimes described as “the third teacher”.
• Documentation on the walls: photos, children’s words and work showing how a project developed.

The ideas behind it

• Children are competent and full of potential, not empty vessels.
• Learning is social: children build understanding together, with adults as co-researchers.
• Listening to children, and taking their ideas seriously, is central.
• Families are partners and are invited to see and add to children’s work.

Reggio and the EYFS

Because it is a philosophy rather than a method, there is no Reggio “certificate”. Nurseries describe themselves as Reggio-inspired and interpret it in their own way. They still meet the EYFS learning and welfare requirements, the legal ratios, and Ofsted inspection.

What to ask on a visit

• How do you decide what projects to follow?
• Can I see examples of documentation, and how will I see my child’s?
• How do younger children, such as babies and toddlers, take part?
• How do staff learn about the approach?
• How do you balance projects with routines, outdoor play and the EYFS areas?

A project in practice

Imagine a group of children who notice their shadows on the playground one sunny morning. Staff listen to their questions, such as why the shadow moves and whether it can be caught, and write them down. Over the next weeks children draw round shadows in chalk, make shadow puppets, experiment with torches in a dark den, and paint what they think a shadow looks like at night. Photos and children’s own words are displayed so everyone can see how their ideas changed. Parents might be invited to bring in a torch or share a story. Another group, meanwhile, could be following a completely different interest.

Babies and toddlers

With the youngest children, a Reggio-inspired approach often looks like rich sensory exploration: light tables, mirrors, natural objects and fabrics, with adults closely observing what each baby is drawn to and offering more of it.

Costs and funding

Reggio-inspired nurseries charge in the same ways as other nurseries and many offer funded hours. Compare fees with our childcare cost calculator.

Is it right for your child?

Reggio-inspired settings suit children who love making, talking and exploring ideas, and parents who want to be involved in their child’s learning. Because practice varies so much, the visit matters more than the label. Look at what children are actually doing and how adults talk with them.

Compare the latest Ofsted report, fees and funded hours as with any nursery, and take our visit checklist. The glossary entry gives a short definition.