Two young girls holding up parts of a sunflower plant and smiling.
Origins Education Preschool is a nature-based early learning program located in Missoula, Montana. The first of its kind in the city, Origins serves approximately 44 children ages one through six. Through the year-round program, children spend a significant portion of each day outdoors in all weather. Origins’ approach to early childhood education is play-based and child-led, integrating eco-literacy, mindfulness, and hands-on academic exploration. Learning unfolds through relationship-building, movement, curiosity, and direct connection to the natural world.
Natural Start spoke with Origins Education Preschool’s founder, Genevieve King, to learn more.
Origins is helping lead nature-based early learning in Missoula — how does this leadership show up in your daily work?
Leadership at Origins shows up quietly and consistently. It is reflected in our commitment to outdoor learning even on cold, rainy, or muddy days; in prioritizing teacher well-being; and in maintaining low ratios that allow for deep connection with children.
We also view leadership as modeling a different way of “doing school.” Many families come to Origins seeking an alternative to traditional early childhood education, and our role is to demonstrate that learning can be rigorous, joyful, and meaningful without being standardized or rushed. We collaborate with other educators, participate in conversations about nature-based pedagogy, and contribute to a growing shift in how early childhood education is understood in our community.
Most importantly, leadership shows up in our relationships with children. We trust them. We listen deeply. And we design environments that allow them to build confidence, resilience, and a sense of responsibility toward the world they are growing into.
How has your sister company, Origins Curriculum, earning the 2023 International Greening Education Solutions Provider Award shaped the preschool's curriculum and daily teaching?
Origins Education Preschool uses Origins Curriculum, an award-winning, nature-based, and play-based curriculum designed to support whole-child development. Origins Curriculum is available to schools and programs serving preschool through fifth grade and is used by classroom educators and homeschool families seeking hands-on academics infused with mindfulness and environmental stewardship.
Receiving the International Greening Education Solutions Provider Award was an affirmation of work we have been committed to for years. The award validated our integrated approach to early learning, which is one that weaves together nature-based education, sustainability, mindfulness, and academics in a developmentally appropriate way.
After winning, we continued to deepen our intentionality. We became even more mindful about documenting children’s learning, refining curriculum design, and articulating our pedagogy to a broader audience. Winning the award also reinforced our responsibility to model what environmentally conscious education can look like when it is grounded in relationships rather than rigid outcomes.
On a daily level, the award serves as a reminder that small, consistent choices matter – how we speak about the land, how we honor seasonal cycles, and how we slow down enough to follow children’s questions. It strengthened our confidence in trusting emergent curriculum and reaffirmed that meaningful learning does not need to be rushed to be impactful.
How do you integrate mindfulness and eco-literacy into daily routines with young children?
At Origins, mindfulness and eco-literacy are woven into the rhythm of each day rather than taught as separate subjects. We begin with simple grounding practices like breathing, noticing our bodies, or listening to sounds in nature. These moments help children build emotional awareness, self-regulation, and presence.
Eco-literacy emerges through direct experiences such as tending gardens, observing insects, noticing weather patterns, and caring for living things. Children develop respect for the Earth through relationship, not instruction. When mindfulness and nature are experienced together, children naturally cultivate empathy, patience, and a deep sense of belonging within the larger ecosystem.
How does being a rated program in Montana’s Best Beginnings STARS to Quality system enhance the experience for children and families at Origins?
Participating in Montana’s Best Beginnings STARS to Quality system provides a supportive framework for consistency, accountability, and reflection. For families, it offers reassurance that our program meets high standards for health, safety, and professional practice while still honoring our nature-based philosophy.
For our teaching team, STARS encourages ongoing professional development and intentional curriculum planning. It supports a culture of reflection – asking not only what we do, but also why. Lastly, being a rated program helps ensure quality is woven into every aspect of our school, from classroom environments to family communication.