Real learning, creative play, and Reggio Emilia values come alive at Odyssey Nursery
PARTNER CONTENT: At Odyssey Nursery, learning doesn’t come from worksheets or rigid curricula, it grows from the clay between a child’s fingers, the shadows cast by paper and light, the stories told through feathers, fabric, and found objects
Founded by Kids First Group, Odyssey is more than a nursery; it’s the UAE’s first purpose-built early childhood center that authentically embodies the globally acclaimed Reggio Emilia philosophy.
While many nurseries borrow inspiration from Reggio Emilia, Odyssey lives and breathes it.
The nursery’s team of educators receives ongoing mentorship and training from Reggio Emilia experts flown in from Italy.
This ensures that every space, interaction, and material remains deeply rooted in the approach’s core values: creativity, collaboration, and the belief that children are capable, curious protagonists in their own learning.
“In our Atelier of Light, a child doesn’t just make a face; they tell a story,” says Janet Ghanem, Director of Odyssey Nurseries in Dubai.
“A cork becomes a nose, a string becomes a smile, feathers become memory. What you see is not a craft. It’s a feeling, a moment. Art becomes language, that’s Reggio.”
A curriculum that looks like play; but teaches for life
At the heart of Odyssey’s philosophy is the belief that children learn best when they lead their own discoveries.
Inspired by the Reggio concept of the “100 languages of children,” Odyssey offers learning experiences through a wide variety of expressive mediums: from sculpture and movement to storytelling, drama, and collaborative play.
Every day brings new provocations and long-term projects that grow from the children’s interests:
Constructing entire cities or dream homes using blocks, cardboard, and natural materials
Sculpting personal or imaginary stories from clay, using texture and form as a kind of vocabulary
Investigating light and shadow in the Atelier of Light, where mirrors, projectors, and colored filters provoke wonder
Role-playing characters and scenarios that build empathy and narrative thinking
Painting large group murals that represent emotional journeys or shared experiences
Exploring nature as a classroom, collecting objects, making prints, or crafting with leaves and branches
Using music and movement to express mood, energy, and rhythm
In this kind of environment, children develop emotional intelligence, creative problem-solving, storytelling abilities, and a collaborative mindset. They learn to make decisions, reflect on outcomes, and see themselves as active, capable learners.
“We don’t adopt Reggio; we embody it. We begin where real learning begins; with relationships,” says Ghanem.
The power of the “Atelier” and loose parts
A key feature in every Odyssey Nursery is the Atelier; a dedicated studio space filled with materials that spark imagination. This is no ordinary art room. It’s a space of inquiry, experimentation, and storytelling.
Inside, you’ll find baskets of loose parts; recyclables like caps and cardboard, natural items like pebbles and shells, as well as fabrics, wooden blocks, and clay. These open-ended materials don’t dictate an outcome. Instead, they invite children to build, combine, invent, and transform.
From this freedom of choice, rich developmental outcomes emerge:
Collaboration between peers
Critical thinking as they plan and troubleshoot
Creativity that is both expressive and purposeful
Children might build a tower today, a spaceship tomorrow, and a stage for puppet shows the next. And always, the materials respond to their imaginations—not the other way around.
“What happens when you give a group of children a pile of leaves, some paint, and a question?” says one teacher. “You get a world of possibilities.”
Learning as a community act
Odyssey doesn’t just educate children; it creates a learning village. True to Reggio Emilia’s community-driven ethos, parents, teachers, and children are all co-learners in a shared environment.
Families are encouraged to be part of the journey; not just through drop-offs and pick-ups, but through documentation displays, collaborative projects, and ongoing dialogue.
One of the most powerful tools in this relationship is documentation. Photos, transcribed conversations, and visual displays showcase how children think, feel, and evolve over time. These are not “finished products,” but living reflections of the learning process.
“Our environment doesn’t decorate learning; it drives it. We turn families into collaborators; not bystanders,” says Ghanem.
A regional first: Reggio Emilia, authentically delivered
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While many nurseries in the region reference Reggio-inspired methods, Odyssey is among the few offering genuine pedagogical support from Italy.
Reggio Emilia specialists regularly visit Odyssey to train, mentor, and co-create alongside its teaching teams; ensuring the approach isn’t diluted or commercialized but remains faithful and relevant to both the children and the local context.
“Reggio doesn’t just prepare children for school; it prepares them for life,” says Hoda Al Naddaf, Director of Reggio Emilia at Odyssey. “We’re proud to lead this movement in the UAE with integrity, depth, and joy.”
The Reggio Way at Odyssey; a snapshot
Children learn how to think, not what to think
They grow in spaces that provoke wonder, not demand obedience
They speak in a hundred languages; and are understood in everyone
They ask bold questions and build answers with their own hands
They experience collaboration, not competition
They learn with purpose, not pressure
They are seen, heard, and celebrated
At Odyssey Nursery, education is not something done to children; it’s something created with them.
In a future where emotional intelligence, curiosity, and creativity matter more than rote knowledge, Odyssey is building a generation that is not only school-ready, but world-ready.
For further information, see Odyssey Nursery
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