Spirit at Play Early Childhood Program is a Missoula area non-profit preschool for 2.5-6 year old students with an emphasis on the development of social-emotional skills, sustainability, and connection with community. Nature and our beloved town are our extended classrooms, kindness guides our days, we believe in the power of learning through play, and respecting each child’s individual strengths.
Our school is licensed and up-to-code with the State of Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services. The school strives to follow the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) guidelines for early childhood programs. NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence’s Theory, and Reggio Emilia Philosophy are all integrated into our diverse over-arching teaching philosophy. We endeavor to meet the needs of each individual child in ways that allow them to be thriving and contributing members of our school and community.
Please call (406) 728-7001 to inquire about enrollment or set up a tour. You may also feel free to email us at director@spiritatplay.org to learn more. Thank you!
Spirit at Play’s mission is to provide the essential tools of childhood to help cultivate a community of healthy minds, bodies, and spirits.
Our Philosophy
We at Spirit at Play embrace
childhood: Children are
little only once. We plant
licorice in our garden. We come to school in our pajamas. We listen to each
other. We laugh together. We hug tears away.
We believe in the power of
play: We climb
trees. We build sand castles. We get muddy in puddles. Being young is magical! Our imaginations
blossom. We save the world!
Children are treasured for their unique spirits: “I am special. I have my own eyes and hands and body. With them I can do anything! I can build a sand castle or cross the monkey bars or hop like a frog. And I can make my own choices. I am important and have power within myself. I am wonderful just as I am!”
We learn to take care of ourselves and to take care of each other: “Watch, I can zip my coat all by myself! Do you need any help with that? I am really strong!”
We overcome challenges through determination: “I know I can cross the monkey bars if I try like the butterfly.”
We solve problems through communication: “I felt sad when you wouldn’t play with me. How can I take care of you? What do you need to feel better? How do you want to be treated next time?”
We value our families. We invite people we love to share our joy: Tea parties, celebrations, potlucks, singalongs, field trips, plays, conferences, committees, work parties.
We build relationships with our community: Missoula Food Bank donations, Mountain Bus Line patrons, fundraising for Soft Landing Missoula. Visits to Spectrum Museum, Natural History Center, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Public Library, police and fire stations. Participants in Mismo Gymnastics, Soccer Tots, Downtown Dance Collective, clay & ceramic classes, Glacier Ice Rink, and Currents Swimming.
We lessen our footprint on the earth by teaching the value of reducing, reusing and recycling: We support the Clark Fork River Coalition, community garbage cleanups, composting and recycling on site, idle-free parking lots, the Sustainable Business Council, compostable and earth friendly products, and try to decrease our plastic use every day.
We explore our surroundings and cultivate awareness of all within: Field trips to local parks, trails, mountains, and river paths.
“Harm no living thing: Ladybug, Nor butterfly, Nor moth with dusty wing. Nor cricket chirping cheerily, Nor grasshopper so light of leap, Nor dancing gnat, Nor beetle fat, Nor harmless worms that creep.” — Christina Rossetti
