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.

In addition to being a more natural and enjoyable way for children to learn, Montessori does a better job helping students develop the social, emotional, and intellectual skills they need for long-term success in school and in life. These skills, often referred to as “executive function skills,” include: Concentration.

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.