Movement Arts Club

Yes! We are located just west of downtown Missoula, near the intersection of Russell and Broadway. Our preschool runs 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9am to 3pm.

At Roots, we believe that purposeful play is the best foundation for lifelong learning. Our curriculum is carefully designed to teach a balanced blend of hard skills (physical techniques and safety) and soft skills (social-emotional and cognitive growth). Here’s what that looks like: Hard Skills: Physical Foundations & Safety • Gymnastics Shapes & Positions: Tucks, pikes, straddles, lunges, pencil, starfish, and bear holds. • Foundational Tumbling: Forward rolls, backward rolls, cartwheels, and donkey kicks. • Trampoline Fundamentals: Tuck jumps, seat drops, doggy drops, and peanut rolls, all within a strict safety-first framework. Soft Skills: Social, Emotional & Cognitive Growth • Social Awareness & Character: Learning to recognize how actions affect others, practicing sincere apologies, and building habits of sharing, kindness, and cooperation. • Practical Life Skills: Discussions about nutrition (processed vs. unprocessed foods) and practicing manners during shared snack and lunch times. • Creative & Cognitive Development: Exploring rhythm and repetition through percussion instruments, engaging in storytelling through creative movement, and building focus and listening skills. While your child experiences the joy of play, our instructors are guiding them through this progressive curriculum. The result is a confident, coordinated, and kind individual—proof that at Roots, they learn through play.

Our daily rhythm is designed to provide the comfort of a predictable routine while sprinkling in moments of delightful surprise to keep every day fresh and engaging. While the core framework of gymnastics rotations, snack, and lunch times remains consistent, our creative instructors often introduce new elements to spark excitement and foster adaptability. Here is a snapshot of a typical day: • 9:00 AM – Morning Circle: We begin by greeting each other, followed by guided stretches and gymnastics shapes to warm up our minds and bodies. • 9:15 AM – Gymnastics Rotations: Structured skill-building sessions across our various stations, including floor exercises and trampoline fundamentals. • 10:15 AM – Book Time: A calming transition upstairs for story time, encouraging listening and imagination. • 10:40 AM – Free Play: A dedicated period for child-led exploration and social play. • 11:10 AM – Snack Time: A consistent refueling break to practice manners and share conversations. • 11:40 AM – Music Time: Engaging with rhythm, percussion instruments, and movement to music. • 12:30 PM – Lunch: A shared meal to continue social learning and nutrition discussions. • 1:15 PM – Free Play: Another opportunity for unstructured, creative play. • 2:45 PM – Team Building: We conclude the day downstairs with collaborative activities, like building forts, to reinforce cooperation and problem-solving. This balanced structure ensures children feel secure in their day while staying curious and excited about what comes next.

Movement Arts Club does not include a formal nap period. Our days are designed to be engaging and movement-rich, which works best for children who are ready to stay active and involved throughout the session. If your child still needs a daily nap, we recommend our half-day option, which allows them to participate without becoming overtired. Please note that half-day enrollment is available for 3-year-olds only and is subject to availability.

Children must be between the ages of 3–5 and fully potty trained at the time of enrollment. Enrollment is a semester-by-semester commitment, which allows children the consistency and time needed to settle in, build routines, and fully benefit from the program.

We’ve seen that children in this developmental stage benefit from balance rather than full-time repetition. Coming to MAC 2–3 days a week helps them stay enthusiastic and present, instead of fatigued or overstimulated. When they’re here, they’re fully engaged, and that makes a meaningful difference in how much they gain from the experience.

At Roots, our instructors are much more than coaches; they are experienced educators dedicated to child development. Our program is led by professionals with decades of experience working with children and families, supported by ongoing training in safety, early childhood education, and positive, child-centered instruction. Experience & Philosophy Our lead instructor, Julia Roberts, brings over 30 years of experience working with children and families. Previously the owner and artistic director of Mission Valley Dance, Julia also founded Family Matters, a grant-funded family resource center focused on parent-child interactive literacy and play-based learning. Her passion lies in creating environments where children feel safe to play, explore, and create—whether through movement, art, or storytelling. Methods & Modalities Informed by Julia’s background in family support and creative education, our Movement Arts Model™ approach includes: • Play-Based Learning: We incorporate guided play activities—such as messy play, tumbling, and healthy snack preparation—that encourage curiosity, motor skill development, and social interaction. • Positive Reinforcement: We believe in consistently and genuinely acknowledging children’s efforts. Our instructors actively recognize kindness, celebrate accomplishments (big and small), and praise bravery; helping to build confidence, resilience, and a positive self-image. • Developmental Appropriateness: Activities are designed to match the physical, social, and emotional stages of each age group. • Interactive & Creative Engagement: We blend structured skill-building with imaginative elements like storytelling, music, and collaborative projects to keep children engaged and excited. Safety & Certification All our instructors are CPR and First Aid certified and participate in ongoing training in child safety, positive behavior guidance, and developmental best practices. We believe learning happens through relationship and joy—and our team is here to guide each child with skill, care, and creativity.

Our approach is rooted in respect, clarity, and positive guidance. We believe that clear, consistent boundaries help children feel safe and supported, allowing them to learn, take risks, and grow socially. Our goal is always to teach, not just to correct, by helping children understand the impact of their actions and guiding them toward positive solutions. Key Principles of Our Approach: • Clear, Consistent Expectations: From the start, we establish simple, age-appropriate guidelines about how we treat each other, ourselves, our instructors, and our facility. We reinforce these expectations with gentle, consistent repetition, providing the predictability children need to thrive. • Teaching Through Natural Consequences: When challenges arise, we focus on natural, logical consequences that lead toward learning and resolution. For example, if a toy is used unsafely, it may be put away temporarily—not as a punishment, but as a direct, understandable result that teaches responsibility and safety. • Positive Reinforcement as the Foundation: We proactively celebrate kindness, bravery, effort, and accomplishments—big and small. By consistently acknowledging positive choices, we build children’s intrinsic motivation and self-esteem, making corrective guidance less about behavior management and more about continuing to grow. • Solution-Oriented Communication: We use clear, calm language to help children name their feelings, understand how their actions affect others, and practice problem-solving skills like apologizing, sharing, or trying a different approach. Our instructors are trained to guide behavior with patience and empathy, ensuring every interaction is an opportunity to build emotional intelligence and respect within our community.

This is an important question, and we approach it with care and honesty. Our program is intentionally designed to be a supportive, active, and engaging environment that celebrates different ways of learning and moving. Many children who are neurodivergent, sensory-seeking, or shy have thrived in our setting, benefiting from the high-energy, movement-centric structure and our focus on positive reinforcement. However, we believe it is crucial to be transparent about the kind of support we can provide. While our staff is highly experienced in early childhood development and skilled in creating inclusive, positive classroom communities, we do not have specialized training to support significant behavioral, medical, or cognitive needs. Our primary focus must remain on maintaining a physically and emotionally safe environment for all children in the group. A Good Fit Typically Includes Children Who: • Can stay with the group and follow basic safety instructions. • Are not prone to aggresive/violent behavior toward themselves or others. • Can engage in a busy, active, and sometimes loud environment without becoming overwhelmed to the point of distress. A Good Fit May Be Challenging If a Child: • Consistently elopes (runs away from the group), as this creates an immediate safety risk. • Exhibits physically aggressive behaviors that could endanger themselves or others. • Requires consistent, one-on-one attention that would prevent our coaches from supervising the full group safely. Our Recommendation: The best way to determine if MAC is a good fit for your child is through a conversation. We strongly encourage you to contact us directly before registering. We can discuss your child’s unique strengths and needs in detail, provide a clear picture of our daily routine, and determine together if our environment would be a supportive and successful place for them. Our ultimate goal is to ensure a positive, safe, and enriching experience for every child in our care, and we appreciate your partnership in making that possible.