How ODC Network Is Helping Shape the Future of Early Childhood Education in Michigan

Over the past several years, ODC’s Early Childhood team has quietly become one of the most influential voices in Michigan on what nature-based early childhood education looks like and how it gets implemented. That work has moved from classrooms in West Michigan to state policy documents and regional teacher certification sessions—and it’s changing what’s possible for children and families.

The ODC Early Childhood Philosophy

ODC’s Early Childhood Network operates five nature-based campuses in the Holland and Zeeland area, serving children from birth through age five. What began as a single preschool has grown into a network enrolling more than 450 children annually, guided by a consistent philosophy: We believe children are capable, curious learners who grow through exploration, play, and meaningful relationships.

Every ODC campus is built around daily outdoor learning—in all seasons, in all weather. Children navigate real terrain, interact with living things, take age-appropriate risks, and build the curiosity, resilience, and problem-solving skills that carry them through school and life. Programs range from full-time care models to part-time preschool, and include partnerships with employers like Gentex Corporation, whose on-site campus at their Zeeland headquarters serves children from six weeks through kindergarten entry—a first-of-its-kind collaboration in West Michigan.

Building the Systems That Expand Access

The value of nature-based early childhood education is well-documented. The challenge has always been access. That’s where ODC’s state-level work comes in.

Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is the state’s publicly funded PreK for four-year-olds, available at no cost to families. ODC delivers GSRP through a fully nature-based model in partnership with Ottawa Area ISD, meaning children who might not otherwise have access to this kind of program can participate in high-quality outdoor learning without financial barriers.

That success opened a larger door. The State of Michigan invited ODC to author guidance on integrating nature-based education into the GSRP framework. That guidance is now embedded in Michigan’s GSRP Implementation Manual, shaping how nature-based PreK is delivered across the state.

In 2025, Michigan updated its childcare licensing rules to formally recognize and support nature-based programming environments—a significant structural change that creates clearer pathways for other providers to operate under a nature-based model. John Vincent, ODC’s Chief of Early Childhood Education, and Kelsey Zuiderveen, Site Director of Dragonflies Discovery Preschool, were among those selected to help develop the state’s Technical Assistance Document on nature-based licensing. ODC then also led a statewide training for licensing consultants to ensure consistent implementation. Together with Ottawa Area ISD, their work helped translate what ODC has learned through years of practice into standards that other programs can use to expand nature-based programming.