The Role of Music in Inquiry-Based Learning: A Literature Review on Reggio Emilia Approaches

In this literature review, I examined the role of music in inquiry-based learning within early childhood education settings based on the Reggio Emilia approach. Drawing on international studies from the past three decades, the review synthesizes research on early childhood music education in both formal and informal settings. Music emerged as a language of learning—facilitating collaboration, emotional expression, and multimodal exploration. Key findings highlighted the educator’s role in co-constructing musical meaning, the use of documentation to reveal musical thinking, and obstacles to incorporating sound-based inquiry in environments that favor visual approaches. Structural barriers included inadequate teacher training, curricular limitations, and insufficient time for music instruction. I also addressed implications for the field, such as deliberate music integration, advancing interdisciplinary collaboration, and adopting inclusive documentation practices.