How-to Guide: Reggio-Inspired Documentation
Documentation: New Horizons Preschool, Australia
Documentation is one of the most powerful — and sometimes most overwhelming — aspects of the Reggio Emilia approach. Teachers often wonder: What exactly should I capture? What belongs on a panel? How do I make documentation meaningful without spending hours creating displays?
Here’s the good news: Reggio-inspired documentation doesn’t have to be complicated. At its core, it’s about making learning visible through observation, reflection, and storytelling. When we step back and notice children’s words, questions, and creations, documentation becomes a way to honor their thinking while guiding our teaching.
In this guide, we’ll break documentation down step by step. You’ll discover what Reggio-inspired documentation is, what to include on a documentation board, and how tools like Learning Stories can strengthen relationships with families and shape curriculum. This article offers a starting point — and in our Reggio-Inspired Educator Course, we take these ideas further with real classroom examples and practical tools. Let us be your guide, and show you just how simple and impactful documentation can be.
Documentation: New Horizons Preschool, Australia
What Is Reggio-Inspired Documentation?
In Reggio-inspired classrooms, documentation is the ongoing process of collecting evidence of children’s learning. Teachers observe, listen, and record children’s questions, interactions, and discoveries using different media:
Photos
Videos
Voice recordings
Anecdotal notes
Transcribed conversations
Children’s drawings and artwork
Reggio-inspired documentation focuses on the process, not just the product. It highlights how children learn, experiment, and collaborate — giving equal weight to their words, creations, and reflections.
Why Documentation Matters in the Reggio Emilia Approach
Documentation is at the heart of the Reggio Emilia approach for three key reasons:
Makes Learning Visible – Children see their progress and understand that their ideas matter.
Guides Curriculum – Teachers use documentation to reflect, adjust, and extend projects based on children’s interests.
Builds Home–School Connections – Parents gain insight into their child’s thinking and are invited into the learning process.
Documentation: New Horizons Preschool, Australia
What to Include on a Documentation Board
A Reggio-Inspired documentation panel or board is more than a display; it’s a storytelling tool. Consider including:
Photos of children working, exploring, and collaborating
Quotes from children to highlight their voices
Artwork and writing samples connected to the project
Teachers’ reflections that explain shifts in thinking or next steps
Research questions that frame the project
Professional references (quotes or excerpts from textbooks and articles)
These elements help answer the central question of the project and illustrate the journey of discovery.
Documentation: New Horizons Preschool, Australia
Examples of Reggio-Inspired Documentation
Reggio-inspired classrooms use a variety of formats for documentation:
Documentation Boards – Visual panels that combine images, quotes, and reflections.
Digital Portfolios – Online platforms where families can follow their child’s progress.
Learning Stories – Narrative-style documentation that captures individual children’s learning moments.
Learning Stories: A Powerful Form of Documentation
Another widely used tool in Reggio-inspired practice is the Learning Story.
Originating in New Zealand’s Te Whāriki curriculum (developed by Margaret Carr and Wendy Lee), Learning Stories are narrative observations of children that:
Highlight specific learning moments
Connect to individual learning goals
Involve families as participants in the documentation process
Teachers often write these stories daily, weaving together anecdotes, photos, and reflections to create a rich picture of each child’s development. Learning Stories are powerful because they celebrate learning in real time and help families feel connected to the classroom journey.
Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to write a Learning Story and enjoy the examples below to read through and download.
Examples of Learning Stories
FAQs About Reggio-Inspired Documentation
Q: How do I start documentation in a Reggio-inspired classroom?
Begin with small steps: take photos, jot down children’s words, and start building a panel that answers a guiding research question. Over time, refine your displays to include teacher reflections and connections to theory.
Q: Do I need expensive tools for Reggio-inspired documentation?
Not at all! Documentation can be as simple as a camera, sticky notes, and a bulletin board. Some schools expand into digital platforms, but the heart of documentation is observation and reflection, not materials.
Q: How is Reggio-inspired documentation different from assessment?
Traditional assessments often measure outcomes. Reggio-inspired documentation, instead, values the process of learning — making children’s thinking and problem-solving visible along the way.
Final Thoughts
Documentation in the Reggio Emilia approach is about so much more than decoration. It’s about observation, reflection, and honoring children’s voices. When you embrace Reggio-inspired documentation, you make learning visible, involve families, and shape a curriculum that grows from children’s own ideas.
If you’d like to dive deeper, our Reggio-Inspired Educator Course explores documentation in practice — with step-by-step tools and real classroom examples you can use right away.
About the Authors:
Megan Haynes and Priscilla Patti are two highly experienced and qualified early childhood educators who are passionate about teaching in a Reggio-inspired way. They firmly believe in its transformative power in early childhood education. The authors share firsthand accounts of their experiences utilizing the Reggio Emilia Approach in Fort Collins, Colorado.
