3 – 4 years · STUDIO GUIDE
Meraviglia — Wonder
At Piccolini’s Place St Helena, Meraviglia makes space for questions, imagination and shared discoveries.
Questions worth exploring together.
Growing curiosity can lead to longer conversations and more connected investigations. Children can explore early literacy and numeracy through meaningful experiences while practising independence, collaboration and flexible thinking.
THE MEANING BEHIND THE NAME
Why Meraviglia?
Meraviglia means wonder. The name celebrates the moment a child notices something unexpected and asks why. The magnifying-glass symbol reflects close observation and a willingness to look again.
Growing and learning in Meraviglia
Questions and theories
Wondering aloud and considering different explanations creates opportunities for reasoning. Changing an idea after discovering something new is part of learning.
Meaningful literacy and numeracy
Stories, symbols, marks, patterns, quantities and comparisons can become useful tools within an investigation, rather than isolated exercises.
Working with others
Sharing a plan, listening to another idea and finding a way forward can help children build communication and confidence in a group.
A Reggio Emilia-inspired perspective
Reggio-inspired projects can develop from a question that matters to children. Adults help sustain the inquiry through listening and thoughtful prompts. Representing and revisiting ideas allows children to reflect, rather than simply move from one activity to the next.
What an inquiry could look like
Children wonder how to make a bridge for a toy. They might compare lengths, test a structure, draw a plan and explain why it changed. This is an illustrative inquiry, not a claim about a particular studio project.
Illustrative learning example, not a fixed activity schedule or a promise of individual outcomes.
Growing in partnership with families
Your child’s interests, culture and experiences help us understand what matters to them. Conversations about what you notice at home can connect learning across home and the studio.
Every child develops differently. The listed age range is an existing studio guide, not a developmental deadline. Room transitions and individual arrangements should be discussed with the team.
Rest, comfort and individual rhythms
Children are not forced to sleep. We respond to each child’s age, needs and tiredness cues, with calm rest or quiet play for children who do not need a sleep.
We work with families on familiar routines while keeping safe sleep practices and supervision central. Respecting children’s voices sits alongside our responsibility to provide safe, responsive care.
See the Piccolini’s approach for yourself.
Explore the learning environments and talk about your child’s interests.