Over time, however, children who attend Montessori schools overtake students who attend other versions of daycare in terms of academic achievement, social and emotional development, and overall happiness.

Montessori education centers on the child: Traditional education in preschools usually focuses on getting the children to understand and assimilate as much of the curriculum as possible. Montessori, on the other hand, allows the child to arrive at understanding at their own pace.

While Waldorf is similar to Montessori and Reggio Emilia in terms of helping develop children, the educational style focuses more on creative play rather than a prepared environment learning style (Montessori) and a project-based free-form approach to children learning about what they are interested in as a group.

Montessori learning is largely active, individually paced, often self-correcting, and tailored to the needs and interests of each individual child. The ultimate goal of Montessori education is to prepare children with the knowledge and skills to become confident, independent, and courageous life-long learners.