Beyond Words: The Hundred Languages of Children
Let's explore Malaguzzi's beautiful poem together and consider how it shapes our Reggio-inspired journey.
The poem begins by celebrating children's amazing capacity for expression:
The child is made of one hundred.
The child has a hundred languages
a hundred hands
a hundred thoughts
a hundred ways of thinking
of playing, of speaking.
We see this every day in our classrooms - children expressing their ideas through block towers, storytelling through movement, sharing discoveries through drawing, and solving problems through play. Each way of expressing is valuable and wonderful.
The poem continues, painting a picture of endless possibility:
A hundred always a hundred
ways of listening
of marveling of loving
a hundred joys
for singing and understanding
a hundred worlds
to discover
a hundred worlds
to invent
a hundred worlds
to dream.
These words remind us how children naturally learn - through wonder, joy, and endless curiosity. Think about the child who:
- Dances their understanding of how leaves fall
- Builds their theory of shadow and light
- Sings their way through counting
- Draws to work out their questions
- Uses movement to share their stories
Malaguzzi then shares a concern we might recognize:
The child has
a hundred languages
(and a hundred hundred hundred more)
but they steal ninety-nine.
He describes how traditional education sometimes limits children:
The school and the culture
separate the head from the body.
They tell the child:
to think without hands
to do without head
to listen and not to speak
to understand without joy
to love and to marvel
only at Easter and Christmas.
We might notice this in practices that:
- Separate play from learning
- Keep bodies still during "work time"
- Value only written expression
- Save joy for special occasions
- Rush past wonder in favor of answers
The poem points out some artificial divisions we often create:
They tell the child:
that work and play
reality and fantasy
science and imagination
sky and earth
reason and dream
are things
that do not belong together.
But in our Reggio-inspired spaces, we know these things naturally flow together. We see it when:
- Scientific exploration becomes joyful play
- Imagination enhances understanding
- Art and math dance together
- Stories and numbers find friendship
- Movement and thinking join hands
The poem ends with a powerful reminder:
And thus they tell the child
that the hundred is not there.
The child says:
No way. The hundred is there.
See our video interpretation of the poem
Living the Hundred Languages Together
In our classrooms, we nurture these languages by:
Creating Welcoming Spaces
- Setting out materials that spark curiosity
- Making time for deep exploration
- Documenting the many ways children share their thinking
- Finding joy in everyday moments
- Celebrating each unique voice
Growing Together
- Learning alongside children
- Sharing stories of discovery
- Wondering out loud
- Trying new ways of expressing
- Building on each other's ideas
Supporting Each Other
- Sharing documentation with families
- Celebrating diverse expressions
- Making space for every voice
- Finding joy in learning together
- Building strong connections
Our Ongoing Journey
As we continue exploring together, we remember:
- Every child brings their own special ways of knowing
- All forms of expression matter
- Learning and joy belong together
- Community makes us stronger
- Wonder and discovery go hand in hand
The hundred languages remind us that learning isn't about finding one right way - it's about discovering the many beautiful ways we can grow, share, and understand together. Like the child in the poem, we know the hundred languages are always there. Our joy is in protecting and celebrating them, creating spaces where every child's voice can sing.