Pitter patter of little feet greeted us when we entered the glass doors to the Nido. The word “Nido” refers to bird nest in Italian. Nido is the infant/toddler program for children 3 months to 3 years and their families in Reggio Emilia, Italy.
It was a short train ride to a Nido in Guastalla from our home base in Reggio Emilia. Guastalla is also in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy in a rural area of about 15,000 people. Guastalla is a charming rural village where strangers greeted us as we walked about 15 minutes from the train to the school. We saw more people riding bicycles than cars.
We were in Guastalla to visit a Reggio school called Iride which stands for Iris (from eye). Tanya, the pedagogista at Iride shared with us how her children chose the name of the school.
The original school was destroyed in 2015 by an earthquake. When they rebuilt Iride, the team chose poplar trees grown on the land as their inspiration for the shapes seen throughout the building. All the wood in the natural environment came from Italy.
Atelier for light, another atelier for colors, and a third atelier devoted to nature are in the Iride Nido. Fine arts are an important component in the curriculum…even for babies in Reggio Emilia.
Feeling so grateful for this experience Reggio Lingua created for us while snacking on erbazzone (delicacy from Reggio with Spinach) on train ride back to town, and so happy for the poppies (papaveri) blooming in springtime in Emilia-Romagna.
Here are some pictures of the Nido in Guastalla.
Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia. Check out my Reggio Lingua bag full of goodies for Nido staff in Guastalla. Bringing treats for teachers! It is my love language.
Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia
Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia. Infant classrooms are on the right. You can see through the window the high chairs around the half moon-shaped table. Toddler classrooms are on the opposite side of the building.
Benvenuti! Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia
Check out this exploration area for children in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Even the hallways are beautiful in the Iride Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Prepared for any kind of weather at the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Atelier for color in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia
Atelier for color in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia
Atelier for color in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia
Toddlers were creating this when I visited them. The three children were engaged in their painting and they barely looked up from their art. In the flow and they were smiling and talking with each other and their atelierista.
Toddler classrooms in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Skylights throughout the school bring natural light in.
Toddler classrooms in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Toddler classrooms in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Toddler classrooms in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Toddler classrooms in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Control of light and dark in the Toddler nap room in the Iride Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Child size sinks and toilets in bathroom in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Toddler classrooms in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Atelier in the Nido in Emilia-Romagna, Italia.
Yay, a laundry room on location! Look how excited I am for the laundry room!
If you thought the laundry room is awesome…wait until you see the cucina! Magic happens here everyday when people lovingly prepare meals for the children and educators.
Breakfast and lunch are made from scratch with fresh local ingredients. When I was there, children had delicious vegetable lasagna and two fresh, cooked veggie side dishes for lunch (pranzo). Children eat on real ceramic Italian plates with flatware on linen tablecloths just like in their homes.
Kindest and most generous people caring for children. She wanted me to have some of the dolce she made the babies. Mangia bene!