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Choosing a child care centre can feel confusing.
Many centres use terms like “play-based learning”, “child-led learning” and “early learning philosophy”. These words can sound good, but parents often want to know one simple thing:
What does this mean for my child each day?
At My World Child Care, our approach is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. This means we see children as capable, curious and full of ideas. We support them to learn through play, creativity, discovery and strong relationships.
Here is what Reggio Emilia means in a child care setting, and how it can support your child’s learning and development.
The Reggio Emilia approach began in Italy after World War II.
It is based on the idea that children are not empty vessels waiting to be filled with information. Instead, children are active learners. They ask questions. They test ideas. They notice details. They build meaning through play and connection.
In a Reggio Emilia-inspired child care centre, educators do not simply tell children what to learn. They observe children, listen to their ideas and create learning experiences based on their interests.
This helps children feel heard, respected and confident.
Traditional learning often starts with the adult.
The adult chooses the topic, gives instructions and expects children to follow a set task.
Reggio Emilia-inspired learning starts with the child.
Educators look at what children are interested in. They then use those interests to create meaningful learning moments.
For example, if a group of children becomes interested in insects in the garden, educators may extend this interest by:
This type of learning can support early science, language, creativity, problem-solving and social skills. Most importantly, it feels meaningful to the child.
A Reggio Emilia-inspired day does not mean children can do anything they want without guidance.
There is still routine, structure and care.
Children have meal times, rest times, indoor play, outdoor play and group experiences. The difference is in how learning is supported.
Educators pay close attention to children’s interests, questions and interactions. They may notice a child building tall towers, mixing colours, caring for dolls, collecting leaves or asking questions about the weather.
These small moments can become rich learning opportunities.
A child building towers may be learning about balance, height, counting and persistence. A child mixing colours may be exploring early science and creativity. A child caring for dolls may be practising empathy, language and social understanding.
In Reggio Emilia-inspired care, learning is not limited to worksheets or formal lessons. Learning happens through real experiences.
In the Reggio Emilia approach, the environment is often called the “third teacher”.
This means the room itself helps children learn.
A thoughtful environment can encourage curiosity, independence and calm. It should invite children to explore, create and make choices.
This may include:
Open-ended materials are especially important. These are items that can be used in many ways, such as blocks, fabric, boxes, shells, stones, loose parts and art materials.
A plastic toy with one purpose may only be used one way. But a basket of natural materials can become food, treasure, buildings, patterns, animals or part of a story.
This gives children more space to think creatively.
In a Reggio Emilia-inspired centre, educators are not just supervisors.
They are listeners, guides and co-learners.
They watch how children play. They ask thoughtful questions. They help children solve problems. They support children to express their ideas in different ways.
Instead of saying, “This is how you do it,” an educator may ask:
These questions help children build confidence and thinking skills.
Educators also document learning. This may include photos, notes, artwork and reflections. Documentation helps families see not only what their child did, but what they were learning.
Children communicate in many ways.
Some children use lots of words. Others communicate through movement, drawing, building, music, pretend play or facial expressions.
The Reggio Emilia approach values these many forms of expression. This idea is sometimes called the “hundred languages of children”.
It means children should have many ways to share what they think, feel and understand.
For example, a child might show their understanding of a story by drawing a picture. Another child might act it out. Another might build something from the story using blocks.
All of these are valuable forms of learning.
This can be especially helpful for younger children, shy children or children who are still developing their language skills.
Children feel more confident when they know their ideas matter.
In a Reggio Emilia-inspired environment, children are encouraged to make choices, ask questions and explore at their own pace.
They are not rushed to produce a perfect result.
This helps children develop:
These skills are important for school readiness, but they are also important for life.
A child who learns to ask questions, try again and share ideas is building a strong foundation for future learning.
Reggio Emilia and play-based learning are closely connected, but they are not exactly the same.
Play-based learning means children learn through play. This is a core part of early childhood education.
Reggio Emilia goes a step further by focusing deeply on child-led projects, the learning environment, documentation, relationships and children’s many ways of expressing ideas.
In simple terms:
Play-based learning says children learn through play.
Reggio Emilia asks educators to look closely at that play, understand what children are exploring, and extend it into deeper learning.
This is why the educator’s role is so important.
If you are visiting a child care centre that follows or is inspired by Reggio Emilia, look for signs that children’s ideas are valued.
You may notice:
You can also ask the centre:
The answers should feel clear, practical and connected to real daily experiences.
You do not need special toys or expensive resources to support this approach at home.
Simple everyday moments can create rich learning.
You might:
Small moments can lead to big learning.
The goal is not to teach your child everything. The goal is to stay curious with them.
At My World Child Care, we believe children are capable, curious and unique.
Our Reggio Emilia-inspired approach helps children learn through play, relationships, creativity and discovery. We create environments where children feel safe to explore, ask questions and express themselves.
For families looking for child care in Perth, this approach offers more than daily care. It gives children a place to build confidence, independence and a love of learning.
Whether your child is painting, building, reading, playing outdoors or asking questions about the world, they are learning every day.
Looking for Reggio Emilia-inspired child care in Perth?
We would love to show you how child-led learning works at My World Child Care.
Book a tour at your nearest My World Child Care centre and see how our educators support children to feel safe, confident and ready to learn.
