Both my kids went to montessori-style preschools. If I had to attribute development of curiosity and creativity to something, I'd attribute it almost entirely to inherent personality rather than education: my two kids could not be more different from one another; one kid is passive and absent-minded and likes to immerse in fantasy worlds, and the other is an go-getter information sponge that likes to act grown up.

They're in regular primary school now and adapted just fine.