4 Types of Supplies in a Reggio Emilia Classroom
In the Reggio Emilia approach, the environment is often referred to as a ‘third teacher’. This concept means the physical space itself facilitates learning, encouraging the children to explore, interact and communicate. This, in turn, fosters a deep sense of wonder and enables children to follow their deepest curiosities. With thoughtfully chosen Reggio Emilia classroom supplies, teachers can shape a learning space that invites children to explore and engage in meaningful collaborations and conversations.
Below, we explore the essential materials that define these classrooms and what parents can look for when choosing a private preschool in Singapore.
1. Natural and Recycled Materials
One of the hallmarks of a Reggio Emilia classroom is the use of natural and sustainable supplies. Wooden blocks, smooth stones, shells, branches, twigs, dried leaves, fabric scraps, and recycled cardboard provide endless opportunities for exploration. Unlike uniform, mass-produced toys, these objects vary in size and form, inviting children to compare, sort, and imagine new possibilities. They also engage the senses; for example, a child can feel the cool, polished weight of a stone or the rough, textured edges of tree bark. This rich sensory experience encourages questions and conversations, deepening their connection to the natural world.
2. Loose Parts for Creative Play
In the Reggio Emilia philosophy, ‘loose parts’ are open-ended learning materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart. These include everyday objects, like buttons, beads, corks, wire, colourful glass gems, and small wooden blocks. They come with no specific instruction manual, allowing children to experiment freely with design, engineering, counting, sorting, and imaginative storytelling.
3. Art and Sensory Materials
The Reggio Emilia approach recognises that children have ‘a hundred languages’, or multiple ways of expressing themselves. To honour these forms of expression, a Reggio Emilia environment should have an art area, or ‘atelier’, that is stocked with an extensive range of art supplies. Imagine a diverse array of art and sensory materials like watercolours, charcoal, clay, and pastels. In a child-led classroom environment, children are free to use these resources to express their thoughts, feelings, ideas and perspectives, tell sophisticated stories, and even develop crucial fine motor skills.
4. Documentation Tools
Documentation in a Reggio Emilia classroom is both a teaching strategy and a learning tool. When teachers capture children’s ideas through photos, videos, journals, or transcripts of conversations, the process makes thinking visible. For example, children might reflect on their recorded conversations and expand their theories during group discussions. At the same time, parents gain a window into their child’s learning journey, seeing not only the final outcomes but also the evolving ideas and problem-solving skills behind them.
Conclusion: Investing in Your Child’s Potential
From natural materials to documentation tools, Reggio Emilia classroom supplies are carefully chosen to turn everyday experiences into opportunities for discovery. These resources create a well-rounded learning environment where imagination and reflection guide learning.
At Odyssey The Global Preschool, every campus is Reggio Emilia-inspired, offering internationally recognised programmes such as the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) to prepare children for future learning. Families seeking a nature-rich experience can also explore our forest preschool at Dempsey, where the forest is the classroom. We aim to give your child a strong foundation—one where they are seen as competent, creative, and capable learners.
Book a tour with us today.
