Thoughtful Resources for Curious Families
Honoring children as capable, curious, and full of possibility
These resources are here to support families as partners in children’s learning. They offer insight into our Reggio-inspired approach, along with practical ideas you can use at home, rooted in respect for children, trust in their capabilities, and a belief that learning happens through relationships, play, and everyday moments.
through open-ended play, nature experiences, and loose-parts exploration.
To offer simple, meaningful ways to support learning at home
ELRC information and community supports.
To connect families with local and state resources
Supporting Curiosity at School and at Home
The time children spend here shapes the way they see the world.
from emergent curriculum to documentation and intentional environments.
To help families understand why we do what we do
We hope these resources feel supportive, accessible, and grounding, wherever you are in your parenting or learning journey.
Explore what it means to be Reggio-inspired in practice, how emergent curriculum takes shape, and why documentation is a meaningful part of children’s learning.
Learning & Development
Practical ideas for open-ended play, nature-based experiences, and loose-parts exploration that invite creativity, independence, and deeper connection.
Reggio at Home
Access helpful links and information, including ELRC resources and community supports, to help families navigate childcare assistance and local services with clarity and confidence.
Family & Community Resources
Resources to Support Learning, Home, and Community
Understanding how children learn and why it matters
Simple ways to nurture curiosity beyond the classroom
Connecting families with support beyond Daisy Willow
Explore
Begin by exploring our Learning & Development resources to better understand Reggio-inspired practice, emergent curriculum, and the role of documentation in meaningful learning.
How It Works
Bring ideas home in simple, doable ways
Use our Reggio at Home resources to experiment with open-ended play, nature-based activities, and loose-parts exploration—using everyday materials and real moments.
Access support beyond the classroom
Find links to ELRC and other community resources designed to support families navigating childcare, funding, and local services.
A thoughtful place to begin
The Daisy Willow Resource Hub
A growing collection of philosophy, practical ideas, and community links designed to support families as partners in children’s learning—at school and at home.
What does Reggio-inspired mean at Daisy Willow?
At Daisy Willow, this looks like:
At Daisy Willow, Reggio-inspired means we believe children are capable, curious, and full of ideas from the very beginning. Learning grows from children’s questions, play, and relationships—rather than a rigid, pre-set curriculum.
Teachers observe closely, listen carefully, and design experiences that invite exploration, creativity, and connection. This approach—often called emergent curriculum—values process over product, collaboration over compliance, and wonder over worksheets.
Relationships and emotional safety at the center
We trust children. We trust relationships. We trust the process.
Documentation that makes learning visible
Thoughtfully designed environments that invite exploration
Teachers acting as guides and collaborators
Learning that emerges from children’s interests
Reggio at Home
Inside this section you’ll find:
Reggio at home is less about activities and more about how we offer materials and time. Using everyday objects, children are invited to explore, compare, combine, and imagine—without a prescribed outcome.
Simple provocations using household items encourage curiosity, problem-solving, and sensory exploration. By slowing down, choosing a thoughtful setting, and observing closely, adults can support meaningful play while allowing children to lead the learning.
Open-ended play ideas for infants and toddlers
Adapted from Reggio Emilia–inspired practices.
Open-ended play ideas for ages 0–3
Simple provocations using everyday objects
Gentle prompts that invite thinking without directing it
Nature & Play
Inside this section you’ll find:
Nature-based invitations rooted in observation
Art and drawing as tools for thinking
Experiences that blend imagination, science, and care for the natural world
Nature offers children endless opportunities to slow down, notice details, and build relationships with the world around them. Through simple experiences—like observing a tree from multiple perspectives—children practice attention, imagination, and care.
These activities invite children to look closely, draw, move through space, and reflect on what they see and feel. The goal is not a perfect product, but a deeper connection to nature and to their own ways of thinking.
Nature-based activities that invite observation and wonder
Adapted from Reggio Emilia–inspired practices.
Family & Community Resources
Support beyond the classroom
We believe families deserve clear, accessible support. This section connects families to trusted community resources, including Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC), which help families find quality child care, explore financial assistance, and access early learning programs.
These resources are here to support you—no matter where you are in your childcare journey.
"My family feels incredibly lucky to have had both of our children cared for by Colleen at Daisy Willow".
Cristin Thompson (mother of two Daisy Willow) alum)
She takes the children outside almost every day, in all kinds of weather, thoughtfully bundling them up and encouraging exploration and play.
Sound riddles
Reggio At Home Resources
Polysensorial carpets of paper
This activity invites children to set the table independently, supporting early math concepts like counting, spatial awareness, and one-to-one correspondence through meaningful, real-life experiences.
This activity invites children to explore listening by focusing on their sense of hearing, and highlights how sounds spark curiosity, imagination, and creative thinking.
With this activity, children ages 0–3 are invited to explore the many possibilities of paper through rich, multi-sensory experiences that use the body as a way of sensing, discovering, and learning.
Numbers at the table
Simple ways to bring curiosity and wonder home
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