Day two in Reggio Emilia focusses on nature and community.
On Thursday 14 May, The Princess of Wales continued her visit to Reggio Emilia, focussing on the role of nature, community, and relationships in supporting early childhood.
At the Salvador Allende Scuola dell’Infanzia, Her Royal Highness observed how nature-based learning is embedded within the Reggio Emilia Approach.
The Princess spent time with children learning outdoors and met educators whose commitment to nature shapes the design and ethos of the school. The visit highlighted the importance of attuned, attentive caregivers, as well as the environment as “the third teacher.”
Her Royal Highness joined children for their morning assembly, during which they discussed and agreed what activities they would do that day, reflecting how participation, listening, and shared decision-making are introduced from an early age. She went on to draw, paint, play music and explore the gardens with the children.
The Princess accompanied an atelierista through the school grounds, who explained how the outdoor environment is incorporated into the school’s early years approach. The Princess also met parents and grandparents who volunteer there, underlining the strong role of family and community involvement.
The Princess then explored how the wider community of Reggio Emilia supports early childhood through a visit to REMIDA. Established in 1996, REMIDA is a project dedicated to sustainability, creativity, and the reuse of industrial surplus materials, which are recovered and reimagined as tools for investigation and learning for children.
The Princess met business leaders, who support the centre by donating surplus materials for use in pre-schools or providing logistical support for the collection and storage of these materials. Together, they discussed the positive impact that comes when communities place value on the first five years of life, and how everyday materials can become tools for expression, problem-solving, and collaborative learning. As she explored REMIDA’s collection, The Princess saw how community participation sustains the creativity and inquiry central to the Reggio Emilia Approach.
The day concluded at a rural agriturismo, where The Princess invited people she had met during her visit and their families to share food, stories and time together. The gathering also provided an opportunity to thank the community for its hospitality and to recognise the shared commitment that sustains Reggio Emilia’s culture of care.
