In this guide
The short answer
Montessori and Reggio Emilia are both child centred early years philosophies born in Italy, and both treat young children as capable, self directed learners rather than empty vessels to be filled. The difference lies in structure. Montessori, developed by Dr Maria Montessori from 1907, works through a carefully prepared environment and a defined set of hands on, self correcting materials that children choose from and progress through in sequence. Reggio Emilia, developed after the Second World War under the educator Loris Malaguzzi, works through an emergent, project based curriculum that follows the children's own interests, with creativity and the arts treated as central ways of thinking.
Put simply, Montessori offers more structure and a clearer sequence, while Reggio Emilia offers more openness and emerges from the children themselves. Neither is superior in the abstract, and a strong school in either tradition will look calm, purposeful and joyful. As with any curriculum decision, the quality of the individual setting and its teachers matters more than the label on the door. For the wider context of early years choices, our Montessori curriculum guide covers the method in depth and the curriculum hub sets out the full range of programmes international schools offer.
At a glance comparison
| Montessori | Reggio Emilia | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Rome, 1907. Founded by Dr Maria Montessori. | Reggio Emilia, Italy, after 1945. Led by Loris Malaguzzi. |
| Curriculum | Structured sequence of prepared activities | Emergent and project based, follows children's interests |
| Materials | Specific, self correcting Montessori materials | Open ended materials, strong emphasis on the arts |
| Teacher's role | Guide who observes and presents materials | Co learner who questions, documents and collaborates |
| The environment | The prepared environment, ordered and accessible | The environment as a third teacher, often with an art studio |
| Age grouping | Mixed age classes across a three year span | Typically grouped by age, project based across the group |
| Age range | Infancy to 6, extending to primary and beyond | Mainly preschool and early years |
| Status | Recognised teacher training credentials exist | An approach; schools describe themselves as Reggio inspired |
Montessori explained
Maria Montessori, one of Italy's first female physicians, opened her first Casa dei Bambini in Rome in 1907 and built her method on close scientific observation of how children actually learn. The result is a highly intentional classroom. Children move freely within a prepared environment, choosing from a sequence of self correcting materials that isolate one concept at a time, from the practical life activities of pouring and buttoning to the sensorial, mathematical and language materials that follow. A long uninterrupted work cycle lets a child concentrate deeply on a chosen task.
Classes are usually mixed age across a roughly three year span, so younger children learn from older ones and older children consolidate by teaching. The teacher, often called a guide, observes carefully and presents each material when the child is ready rather than directing the group as a whole. Montessori extends well beyond preschool, with established primary and in some places secondary programmes, and recognised training credentials exist for teachers, although the Montessori name itself is not trademarked, so the depth of training behind a school's badge is always worth checking.
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Reggio Emilia explained
The Reggio Emilia approach grew out of the town of the same name in northern Italy in the years after the Second World War, when parents and the educator Loris Malaguzzi built a new kind of preschool around the belief that young children have, in Malaguzzi's phrase, a hundred languages through which they think and express themselves. The curriculum is emergent, meaning it is not set in advance but develops from the children's questions and interests, often unfolding as long collaborative projects that can run for weeks.
Several features define a Reggio setting. The environment is treated as a third teacher, designed with natural light, plants and beautiful materials, and many schools include an atelier, or art studio, supported by a specialist. Documentation is central: teachers record children's words, drawings and constructions to make their thinking visible and to plan what comes next. The teacher acts as a co learner, posing questions rather than supplying answers, and relationships with family and community are woven into daily life. Reggio Emilia is an inspiration rather than a certified method, so no school is formally accredited as Reggio, and practice varies more between settings than it does in Montessori.
Which suits which child
Montessori tends to suit a child who is reassured by order and routine, who likes to master a task through repetition, and who thrives on a sense of independence and self direction within clear boundaries. The structure and the self correcting materials give such a child a visible path of progress and a great deal of autonomy in how they walk it. Children who find too much open endedness unsettling often settle quickly into the Montessori rhythm.
Reggio Emilia tends to suit a child who flourishes through exploration, conversation and creative expression, who enjoys working alongside others on a shared idea, and who responds to having their own questions taken seriously. The emphasis on the arts and on collaborative projects gives an imaginative, sociable child room to lead. Many children would be happy in either, which is why visiting both and watching how the children and teachers actually interact is worth more than any comparison table. For the decisions that come after the early years, our curriculum comparison hub covers the primary and secondary choices ahead.
How schools offer each
In the international school market, pure single philosophy settings exist alongside a large number of schools that blend ideas, taking the prepared materials and independence of Montessori together with the project work and documentation of Reggio Emilia. A school describing itself as Reggio inspired is making an honest statement, since Reggio is an approach rather than a franchise, while a Montessori school may or may not employ teachers with formal Montessori training. Neither signals quality on its own.
When you visit, look past the label. Watch whether the children are genuinely absorbed, how the adults speak to them, and whether the environment is cared for and purposeful. Ask how the setting supports a child who will later move into a mainstream primary curriculum, since most expat families transition out of these early years approaches at some point. To explore settings city by city, use the school finder and read the practical relocation context in our free guides library.
FAQ
What is the main difference between Reggio Emilia and Montessori? Montessori uses a structured, prepared environment with specific self correcting materials that children choose from in a defined sequence. Reggio Emilia uses an emergent, project based curriculum that follows the children's interests, with the teacher as co learner and the arts treated as central.
Is Montessori or Reggio Emilia better for my child? Neither is better in the abstract. Montessori tends to suit children who thrive on order, independence and a clear sequence of tasks. Reggio Emilia tends to suit children who flourish through open ended exploration, collaboration and creative expression. The individual school matters more than the philosophy on paper.
Is Reggio Emilia a certified method like Montessori? No. Montessori teachers can hold recognised training credentials, although the name is not trademarked. Reggio Emilia is an approach rather than a certified method, so schools describe themselves as Reggio inspired and practice varies more between settings.
What age range do they cover? Both are rooted in early childhood, broadly from infancy to around age six. Montessori extends further into primary and in some cases secondary, while Reggio Emilia is most strongly associated with the preschool and early years stage.