Montessori vs Reggio Emilia, Waldorf & Forest Schools: A Parent’s Comparison

Choosing the right early-years approach can feel overwhelming. As a parent, you’re not just picking a nursery — you’re choosing the kind of childhood experience your little one will have every day. Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf (Steiner), and Forest Schools are four of the most popular alternatives to mainstream early education, and each offers something unique.

But how do they actually differ? What will your child do in each one? And how do you know which approach suits your family best?

This guide breaks down the philosophies, environments, teacher roles, and teaching styles in a simple, side-by-side way so you can make a confident, informed choice.

Four Philosophies at a Glance

Before diving into details, here’s the big-picture version of what each approach stands for:

Montessori

Founded by Dr Maria Montessori, this method focuses on independence, hands-on learning, and calm, ordered environments. Children choose their own activities and work at their own pace.

Reggio Emilia

Developed in Italy, Reggio is highly creative and collaborative. Children learn through long-term projects, art studios, and documenting their ideas together.

Waldorf (Steiner)

Waldorf education centres on imagination, storytelling, and predictable daily rhythms. It often delays formal academics in favour of creative and practical activities.

Forest School

Entirely outdoors, Forest Schools encourage exploration, resilience, and risk-taking in nature, through programmes that run in all seasons and weather.

Each approach believes children are capable learners — but they nurture that capability in very different ways.

Learning Environment & Daily Life

A major difference between these philosophies is what the child sees and experiences the moment they walk through the door (or into the forest).

Montessori

The environment is calm, beautiful, and carefully arranged. Everything is child-sized and accessible. Materials are real — glass, wood, metal — and each object has a clear purpose. Children move freely, choosing meaningful activities like pouring, building words, or exploring numbers with beads.

Reggio Emilia

Classrooms look more like creative studios. Natural light, open spaces, recycled materials, and displays of children’s work take centre stage. You’ll often find an “atelier” — a dedicated art studio — and collaborative spaces for group projects.

Waldorf

Waldorf rooms feel homelike and cosy, with warm colours, natural materials, and a predictable daily rhythm. Play is imaginative and open-ended — dolls, silks, wooden toys — and teachers often tell stories instead of reading them.

Forest School

There is no classroom. The learning space is the outdoors — fields, forests, mud, ropes, logs, insects, rain, sunshine. Activities focus on exploration, physical skills, problem-solving, and resilience.

The Role of the Teacher (or Guide)

Each approach treats the adult’s role very differently, and this shapes the child’s daily experience.

Montessori

The adult is a “guide” — observing, introducing materials, and stepping back. Children work independently or in small groups. Adults intervene only when needed, encouraging self-direction and mastery.

Reggio Emilia

Teachers work as co-learners. They collaborate with the children, ask thoughtful questions, and document the learning journey with photos, notes, and project boards. The adult is a partner in discovery.

Waldorf

The teacher is a gentle leader, storyteller, and guardian of the group’s rhythm. Children often stay with the same teacher for several years, creating a deep sense of security and continuity.

Forest School

Adults ensure safety while giving children freedom to explore the natural environment. They guide risk-taking, teach outdoor skills, and encourage teamwork, resilience, and physical confidence.

Curriculum, Creativity & Assessment

Each approach has its own way of guiding learning — some more structured, some more flexible.

Montessori

Montessori provides a carefully sequenced hands-on curriculum. Children explore Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Maths, and Cultural Studies through real materials. Assessment happens through observation, not tests, and progress is highly individual.

Reggio Emilia

Reggio uses an emergent curriculum — projects grow from the children’s interests. Creativity is everywhere: clay, paint, wire, photography, construction. Documentation is a core part of the approach: teachers photograph, transcribe conversations, and display the learning process on the walls.

Waldorf

Waldorf’s curriculum is rooted in imagination, storytelling, seasonal rhythm, and sensory-rich play. Formal academics are intentionally delayed. Art, music, and movement (like eurythmy) are woven into daily routines. Assessment is gentle and narrative-based.

Forest School

Forest School follows a loose, child-led approach. There is no formal curriculum — nature sets the stage. Children climb, dig, build shelters, learn knots, use tools under supervision, and solve problems together. Reflection circles and observation replace traditional assessment.

Pros, Cons & Best Fit for Your Child

No system is “best” for every child — it depends on your child’s personality, your values, and the environment you want for them. Here’s a clear, honest breakdown:

Montessori

Pros:

• Strong independence and confidence
  
• Calm, focused environment
  
• Clear structure with hands-on materials
  
• Excellent for early literacy and numeracy foundations
  

Cons:

• Can feel too structured for very high-energy children
  
• Quality varies widely between nurseries
  

Best for: Children who enjoy order, hands-on activities, and working at their own pace.

Reggio Emilia

Pros:

• Highly creative and collaborative
  
• Focus on self-expression and communication
  
• Beautiful environments with strong artistic influence
  

Cons:

• More group-based — less suited to children who prefer quiet, solo work
  
• Quality depends heavily on teacher training
  

Best for: Social, imaginative children who thrive in creative environments.

Waldorf (Steiner)

Pros:

• Very nurturing, gentle approach
  
• Strong daily rhythm reduces anxiety
  
• Deep focus on storytelling, imagination, and play
  

Cons:

• Delays academics, which some families may not prefer
  
• Technology and media use are discouraged
  

Best for: Children who benefit from warmth, predictability, and imaginative play.

Forest School

Pros:

• Builds resilience, physical skills, and confidence
  
• Ideal for children who love the outdoors
  
• Encourages risk-taking and problem-solving
  

Cons:

• Weather-dependent; may not suit every child
  
• Learning is not academic-focused
  

Best for: Energetic, adventurous children who thrive outdoors.

How to Choose the Right Approach

The “right” philosophy is the one that feels right for your child. Some children crave calm and quiet; others come alive in creative chaos. Some need predictable rhythm; others need space to run, climb, and explore.

Before deciding, ask yourself:

• What kind of environment helps my child feel safe?
  
• Do they prefer structure, creativity, or movement?
  
• What values matter most to our family?
  
• Do we want early literacy and numeracy, or a later start?
  
• How much outdoor time does my child enjoy?
  

Visiting settings in person makes all the difference — the feeling you get from the staff, the children, the atmosphere, and the environment will guide you better than any brochure.

The Blended Curriculum At Les Petites Etoiles

If you’re looking for a balance of structure, independence, creativity, EYFS alignment, and genuine respect for each child, we’d love to welcome you to Les Petites Étoiles.

At our nurseries in London, we don’t ask you to choose between Montessori and the EYFS. Instead, we blend them. Your child benefits from the calm, carefully prepared Montessori environment and focused “work cycle”, while also enjoying the rich, play-based, in-the-moment learning championed by the EYFS.

They might spend part of the morning concentrating on Montessori materials, then move naturally into imaginative role play, large-scale sensory experiences, outdoor exploration, songs and small-group times that build language, social skills and confidence.

Behind the scenes, our educators are trained in both Montessori and up-to-date EYFS practice, including high-quality phonics and mastery-style early maths. That way, children develop deep concentration, independence and self-regulation, and are well prepared for a smooth transition into Reception Year.

At Les Petites Étoiles, this blended approach also means we draw on the best of other child-centred philosophies in a practical, grounded way. From Reggio Emilia, we borrow a strong emphasis on creativity, collaboration and documenting children’s ideas; from Forest School principles, we value outdoor exploration, resilience and meaningful contact with nature.

All of this sits on a Montessori foundation of independence, concentration and respect, within a fully EYFS-aligned curriculum that ensures children progress in communication and language, early literacy and numeracy, physical development and personal, social and emotional skills. The result is a rich, balanced experience where children are free to be curious, active and imaginative, while also building the habits and foundations they need for school and for life.

If you’d like to see what a truly blended Montessori–EYFS approach looks like in real life, we’d be delighted to show you around Les Petites Étoiles.

👉 Book a visit and see our blended EYFS and Montessori approach in action.