Early Childhood Education
Quality early childhood education for ages 6 weeks through 6 years.
Who is Mountain Trails Early Childhood Education Center?
At Mountain Trails Early Childhood Education Center (Mountain Trails), our mission is to provide exceptional early childhood education driven by a team of passionate and highly qualified educators. Located within Carlson Elementary School in Idaho Springs, Colorado, Mountain Trails will serve as both a fully licensed early childhood education center and a community resource hub. We're not just operating a center—we're elevating early childhood education throughout Clear Creek County by supporting aspiring and current early childhood educators and providers, including home based care.
Why Early Childhood Education Matters
Early childhood education (ECE) is vital in Colorado for several reasons that impact children, families, and the state's economy. The state is a significant child care desert, meaning there are not enough licensed spots for the children who need them. This shortage hinders workforce participation for parents, particularly mothers, and costs Colorado billions of dollars in lost wages and productivity.
High-quality ECE programs are a powerful tool for preparing children for school by fostering cognitive and social-emotional skills. They are also crucial for closing achievement gaps for children from low-income families and those facing other barriers. To combat these issues, Colorado has a number of initiatives in place, including the Universal Preschool (UPK) program and efforts to build a strong ECE workforce. Organizations and training programs are essential to help recruit and retain the skilled and passionate educators needed to meet the demand and ensure every child has a strong start.
What Makes Mountain Trails Different?
Mountain-Inspired Learning
Creative outdoor education experiences that leverage our stunning Clear Creek environment for hands-on learning and exploration.
Family-Centered Approach
Year-round programming designed around working families' real schedules, with extended hours and holiday care options.
Individual Attention
Small class sizes and skilled educators who focus on each student's unique developmental needs across social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth.
Affordable Excellence
High-quality programming at accessible prices, making exceptional early childhood education available to all families.
Childcare
Education and care go
hand-in-hand at Mountain Trails
Children attend at 6 weeks in the care program and can seamlessly continue onto the preschool program at age 3. Once they reach 5 years, they will be ready to move on to kindergarten at Carlson Elementary, which is in the same building, until 6th grade.
Mountain Trails offers sliding-scale tuition for childcare and preschool.