55. The Hundred Languages of Children

Alexis Ralphs Jul 28, 2020 • 7 min read

How many languages does your child speak?

Just one? Maybe two?

Educators in Reggio Emilia, Italy, believe that they have one hundred.

Not spoken languages, of course, but ways of expressing themselves.
Dance, art and music, sculpture, construction and song. Your child can speak in many ways.

It's tempting to measure our children's capabilities by what they can produce on paper, but do we miss if we do this?

What materials could you offer, what projects and experiences could you begin, what could you learn about your own child's boundless potential if you stepped away from the lined paper and the pencil?

 

← Previous post : Next post →

Alexis

I'm Alexis, father of four and founder of One Hundred Toys. I taught in London primary schools for thirteen years, specialising in the early years. Now I write about all things play here on the blog. Read more

Keep Learning

• Reggio Emilia Approach

  12. Process art

  Getting the craft box out to make decorations and cards with our children sounds like a cosy, Pinterest-friendly activity but...
  Alexis Ralphs Jul 28, 2020
  • Free
  • Independent play
• Reggio Emilia Approach

  63. Provocations and invitations to play

  Henry comes into the living room to find a line of cars, buses and taxis perched on the second shelf...
  Alexis Ralphs Jul 28, 2020
  • Independent play
  • Provocations
• Reggio Emilia Approach

  65. Project-based Learning

  What do you do when your pre-schooler develops an all-consuming passion, like volcanoes, ponies or whip spiders? Buy them a...
  Alexis Ralphs Jul 28, 2020
  • Learn through play
  • Preschoolers
• Reggio Emilia Approach

  71. The Environment as the Third Teacher

  The space your child plays in can ask questions. Your child is engaged in a dialogue with the room and...
  Alexis Ralphs Jul 28, 2020
  • Fewer better toys