We provide a loving, supportive, and educational environment that promotes a lifelong love of learning. Founded in 1983, Carmel Mountain Preschool is a local family-owned and operated private preschool and Summer Camp Program located in Rancho Penasquitos.
Carmel Mountain Preschool is a warm, caring and fun atmosphere where children of Rancho Penasquitos, Carmel Valley, Rancho Santa Fe, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Santaluz, 4S Ranch, and Scripps Ranch can develop a lifetime love of learning.Over three decades later, the preschool continues to produce Carmel Mountain Preschool graduates who go on to succeed both academically and personally.
Carmel Mountain Preschool is a warm, caring and fun atmosphere where children of Rancho Penasquitos, Carmel Valley, Rancho Santa Fe, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Santaluz, 4S Ranch, and Scripps Ranch can develop a lifetime love of learning.Over three decades later, the preschool continues to produce Carmel Mountain Preschool graduates who go on to succeed both academically and personally.
Services
CMP has an eclectic philosophy that includes Reggio Emilia and Montessori influences. We value our teacher's autonomy while keeping whole child learning and intentional reflective teaching at the core of CMP. Activities revolve around children's learning and interests while fostering creativity, imagination, and exploration.
I think it is very important for our CMP families, CMP staff, prospective families, and prospective employees understand why we do what we do. My why is to create a fun, loving and safe environment so that we may each blossom as happy thriving individuals. Before we make a decision for CMP we weigh a lot of different decisions usually leading with, "What is best for the children?", followed by, "What is best for our employees?"
Our son Wesley has been a student at CMP since summer 2018 and he absolutely LOVES it! He was previously at a chain daycare center and what a difference it is between there and CMP! He was picking up bad habits such as not sharing, hitting, and throwing tantrums which was so not like him. He would come home upset and not tell us why.
Carmel Mountain Preschool is located on three lush acres of property, providing plenty of space for the children to explore and learn in various environments. The teachers enjoy creating themed activities for the children to experience on the nine outdoor learning decks and soccer field. The activity may be building a spaceship out of Play-Doh for space week or painting their favorite creature from the sea to learn about aquatic animals.
At Carmel Mountain Preschool one of our highest priorities is ensuring that our teachers and staff are exceptional. We interview each teacher as if they will be teaching our own children and, in some cases, they will be. We go beyond the basic state requirements and look for individuals who embody and support our mission.
Reviews (28)
Julia C.
Nov 10, 2021
Report
Our son has been going to CMP since Summer 2020 - he started with the Twos Program where they have 2 teachers. Although there was a bit of a turn over in his teachers the first part of the year (maternity leave and other reason) - the school made transition smooth and painless for the kids. The staff/teachers are absolutely fantastic - kind, loving, understanding and truly care about each one of the kids. Our son absolutely adored his teachers and his 6C friends - he still talks about 6C class where Ms Cassandra and Ms Emma are - they were his favorite teachers.
The facilities at CMP are amazing
The facilities at CMP are amazing
R. B.
Nov 09, 2021
Report
Do not send your child to this school if they have any type of sensory struggles or if you prefer not to know exactly what's going on. We spent over 2 years trying to help our son love his school because of the extracurricular activities they have and outside time. We wanted him to have fun! The guilt of us keeping him there for as long as we did is really setting in. We both work full time and thought it was the best school we could send him to. Routines are good, but it's overkill here with the amount of transitions these kids have to go through in a full day. With recently comparing
Bengt-Erik E.
Oct 22, 2021
Report
We have been sending our son to Carmel Mountain Preschool for 3 years now and the progress in development we see in our son is just a joy. He learns so much new stuff and words that it sometime raises an eyebrow, a very positive one, such as where did you get that word from, unexpected but very perfect and accurate description.
The learning is tremendous and the development of social skills, day-to-day skills is very noticeable and will be a lifelong benefit. Carmel Mountain Preschool is a true treasure for anyone that will be lucky enough to get a spot. The amount of different and diverse
The learning is tremendous and the development of social skills, day-to-day skills is very noticeable and will be a lifelong benefit. Carmel Mountain Preschool is a true treasure for anyone that will be lucky enough to get a spot. The amount of different and diverse
Jerry H.
Aug 25, 2021
Report
DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD HERE!! These people that run this school are crooks and don't tell you everything that happens with your kids here I am disgusted by what happened a couple weeks ago I had to pull my child out!! look elsewhere to another school I'm only writing this to look out for the parents for there kids this place is not what it seems...
Tammy C.
Jul 09, 2021
Report
This school is awful and I would not recommend any parent enrolling their child at this school. We had an experience where the teacher was incapable of helping our 2 year old transition from home to school. Instead of providing an emotionally safe environment, the teacher ignored and reprimanded my daughter for having age appropriate emotions at drop off on her 4th day of school. I knew she cried the first 3 mornings so I decided to peek through the window at drop off to watch how she was doing on the playground. The teacher apologized for the incident during an afternoon call, but we pulled her
Bethany H.
Feb 24, 2021
Report
We can't say enough about CMP! We have two toddlers that have attended since Summer of 2020. Having an incredible amount of outdoor space and smartly devised safety protocols, our kids have an amazing and fun learning environment to expand their development. Ms. Yukie, Ms. Marcy and Ms. Nicole are the greatest teachers we could ever ask for. Our kids love going to school every day and talk about them on the weekends. It's so wonderful to see how much our kids have learned and grown mentally. If you are looking for the absolute best learning and play environment for your child then look
Miriam J.
Dec 16, 2020
Report
The school is a godsend! They are child centric. everything from their philosophy, to their curriculum, to their resources, and their staff... I can't say enough about this place. They work on the child's ability to cope with emotions and interpersonal skills and independence so they can build self efficacy and confidence. They foster kind behaviors and take care of the child holistically. And of course they have such amazing resources! From the organic garden, to the chicken coop, to the tinkering space, to the art studio, and lots and lots of outdoor space. They honor where the child
Katy J.
Nov 12, 2020
Report
We decided to send our son to Carmel Mountain Preschool almost a year ago and have been incredibly satisfied with our decision ever since. Our son is excited to go to school and see his friends and teachers, which, as a parent of a small child, is very reassuring. We were initially drawn to the school because of its outdoor learning environment (multiple play areas, chicken run, gardens, tinkering area, etc). We have since been equally impressed with the teaching staff; they are incredibly kind, patient, well-qualified, basically everything you could want in a preschool teacher.
While COVID threw
While COVID threw
Jamie F.
Oct 29, 2020
Report
As an update, my daughter is now in her 3rd year at CMP and we still love it. I cannot say enough positive things about the teachers, the curriculum, the adminstration, the parent communication, and the positive impact the school has on my daughter. I was especially impressed with the way the school handled the pandemic. I'm sure the school was challenged significantly as we all were, but they have adapted to the many changes in a way that balances the need to provide a safe and healthy environment with the need to stay open so our kids can learn, grow, and play. The communication from the
Stephanie N.
Aug 08, 2020
Report
I just wanted to encourage you all to please go to the "Not Recommended" reviews. There used to be a pop-up here on yelp warning people that CMP offered incentives for reviews and many 5-star reviews posted during incentive times seem to have been removed by Yelp.
However, recently, two staff members posted 5-star reviews here as well. As that violates Yelp's policies, they were removed by Yelp.
However, recently, two staff members posted 5-star reviews here as well. As that violates Yelp's policies, they were removed by Yelp.
Erman E.
Aug 06, 2020
Report
Finally, I could save myself and my bank account from this company. I called as company because the mindset of this school is $$$$. If you are a parent does not care about money, this facility would be a perfect match for your little munchkin. The way of accepting to preschool is also money-oriented. The management told us we need to send our son to summer school only 2 days per week to guarantee his spot for fall semester in 2019 because there was only availability for 2 days per week. Unfortunately, sending only 2 days deeply hurt my son and he could not adopt himself and cried all the time.
Tram P.
Jul 16, 2020
Report
At this school, all they care about $$$. We were so shocked that the school still withdrew money from our bank account during the pandemic. No school should charge students at this difficult time, except CMP!
They still opened , and still charged tuition fee while the kids stay home with their parents. Why should we paid for them to stay open???? And what do they use our tuition for while they got the PPP loans? That's illegal!
We all agree that CMP is a great environment for kids. We paid $1,000 to secures our son's spot on top of the wait list. My son loves his teachers. But the
They still opened , and still charged tuition fee while the kids stay home with their parents. Why should we paid for them to stay open???? And what do they use our tuition for while they got the PPP loans? That's illegal!
We all agree that CMP is a great environment for kids. We paid $1,000 to secures our son's spot on top of the wait list. My son loves his teachers. But the
Brett H.
Jun 26, 2020
Report
Potential CMP parents, caution of all the positive reviews! They're essentially bought during a contest each year, asking families to flood review sites to boost their rating with the chance of winning free tuition for 6-months. See attached photo.
60-day withdrawal not waived during COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally multiple schools we've talked to have never heard of a 60-day withdrawal in their 30 years of experience in this industry. It used to be 2-weeks, then 30-days and now the ludicrous 60-days. You'll notice a theme here, driven by the bottom line and maximizing profits
60-day withdrawal not waived during COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally multiple schools we've talked to have never heard of a 60-day withdrawal in their 30 years of experience in this industry. It used to be 2-weeks, then 30-days and now the ludicrous 60-days. You'll notice a theme here, driven by the bottom line and maximizing profits
Wendy F.
Jun 12, 2020
Report
My child was so fortunate to have this safe haven because I had to work during this pandemic. They took incredible care and precautions keep her safe. I am so thankful. They have such a sweet and loving staff. It has made a world of difference to me and my family. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Carlye W.
Jun 03, 2020
Report
We chose CMP for the educational curriculum, outdoor engagement, and positive referrals. Our experiences in the classroom had met our expectations of what an early childhood development experience should be. It's expected that a year to year increase of 3%-4% in tuition can occur, in any educational institution. Since our first year we saw tuition increase over 40% in 3 years. Familiar faces of loved teachers started to disappear with no explanation. Changes to campus under the guise of "upgrades". We did what a parent should do and wrote a letter asking for a meeting. We thought
Eowyn N.
May 12, 2020
Report
Preface - Both my kids attended this school with one that graduated recently. We have been parents of a CMP child since 2016. We LOVE the teachers and cannot say enough about them. CMP teachers are the true heroes of this school.Not the facilities, or administration, or the owners. I waited 4 long years to post this review so I am drawing from my entire experience. You will understand later why I waited so long to post a review.
To start, it will be hard to find a parent that posts a bad review about this school in fear of accusations of slander, libel, or gossip. They censor what is being said
To start, it will be hard to find a parent that posts a bad review about this school in fear of accusations of slander, libel, or gossip. They censor what is being said
M. K.
Dec 19, 2019
Report
We love CMP!!
Our son has been going here for 2 years now, he is so much more outgoing and brave.
The school is beautiful, it's built on a hill, and has many different areas for kids to learn, including a mud lab, a nature lab, art studio and even chickens.
When we drop off our son at school we know he is in great hands and he will be coming home with a fun story about his day.
Could not recommend it more!
Our son has been going here for 2 years now, he is so much more outgoing and brave.
The school is beautiful, it's built on a hill, and has many different areas for kids to learn, including a mud lab, a nature lab, art studio and even chickens.
When we drop off our son at school we know he is in great hands and he will be coming home with a fun story about his day.
Could not recommend it more!
Tyler H.
Dec 19, 2019
Report
Luda Skiy
Feb 04, 2019
Report
I visited several schools for my three year old before I finally found Carmel Mountain Preschool and instantly fell in love with it. My number one priority was finding a school that does a lot of outdoor education. CMP is definitely great at it with their amazing nature lab, art studio and tinkering classes. My son absolutely loves it and I’m amazed by the quality of projects teachers put together with our kids. There are non stop activities. They even bake in class, have field trip visits and celebrate all the major holidays by including parents in the celebration. I highly recommend this school
Jenna Coleman
Jan 21, 2019
Report
CMP has been an amazing place for my daughter! She started in June at the age of 18 months and I was a nervous wreck. The teachers have been so patient and my daughter has really thrived in the environment. She is so social and verbal and really looks forward to going to school in the mornings. She loves her new friends and teachers and it's so fun to see her learning and growing.
The school itself is beautiful with so much for the kids to do - the art studio, the glen, playgrounds, monthly yoga and dance classes, holiday activities and spirit weeks, chickens to feed and organic snacks provided
The school itself is beautiful with so much for the kids to do - the art studio, the glen, playgrounds, monthly yoga and dance classes, holiday activities and spirit weeks, chickens to feed and organic snacks provided
Robin Ford
Dec 01, 2018
Report
I couldn’t be more delighted with Carmel Mountain Preschool! As both an elementary school teacher and a mom, I have high standards. CMP has met or exceeded every one of them. Each day, when I drop my daughters off at preschool, I know I am leaving them in the care of loving, knowledgeable staff who will value and respect them as individuals. The students have incredible opportunities: the outdoor art studio, the nature lab, Tinker Hollow, extensive playgrounds, fun family events, and so much more! Both of my daughters are learning so much, but most importantly, they love their friends, their
Luiz Arroyo
Nov 20, 2018
Report
My wife and I both love Carmel Mountain Preschool. The staff here (both the teachers and the administration) are wonderful, and the facilities are top notch! They have an array of fun activites for the kids everyday, and some really great playgrounds that my daughter enjoys very much. My daughter is happy and always had fun stories for us when we pick her up at the end of the day. And most importantly, I feel like CMP is giving my daughter a great education.
I will not hesitate to also send my younger son here once he is old enough to attend. I couldn't be happier so far with my experience with
I will not hesitate to also send my younger son here once he is old enough to attend. I couldn't be happier so far with my experience with
Sara Bader
Nov 06, 2018
Report
My daughter has been attending Carmel Mountain Preschool for 3 years now and we (and she) have been so happy there. The teachers are phenomenal - I feel like they really know my daughters individual personality and tweak things to what will suit her best. Their outdoor spaces and activities such as nature lab, art studio and tinkering add such value on top of their great play-based curriculum. I can't recommend the CMP enough!
Lisa Rosenthal
Oct 21, 2018
Report
My family is one of the original Carmel Mountain Preschool families 35 years ago. While the school has grown and expanded it has never lost the feel of being like extended family. My sister and I both attended and now my son is a second generation enrollee.
CMP makes sure that the transition is comfortable for the parents as well as the child.The entire staff is skilled at comforting parents while gracefully guiding them in letting go and allowing the child to become independent.
It is not just daycare. Carmel Mountain Preschool focuses on each child’s physical, social, emotional and academic
CMP makes sure that the transition is comfortable for the parents as well as the child.The entire staff is skilled at comforting parents while gracefully guiding them in letting go and allowing the child to become independent.
It is not just daycare. Carmel Mountain Preschool focuses on each child’s physical, social, emotional and academic
Brooke Matheson
Aug 06, 2018
Report
Carmel Mountain Preschool is truly a special place. We have seen our daughter’s confidence grow over the two years she has been at CMP. She is learning to love school as a place where she can be herself, develop her curiosity and learn empathy. Ms. Michele is an exceptional teacher who has taught her strategies for expressing her emotions and asking for what she needs. She has also helped our daughter tap into a love of art and enabled her to express her creativity as she freely explores the classroom art supplies and the quaint hands-on art studio. We would highly recommend Carmel Mountain Preschool
Ryan Wood
Dec 10, 2016
Report
We love this preschool ! Our 3y/o has grown tremendously in the short time she has been here. There is a wonderful balance with helping the children grow emotionally , socially and intellectually. We appreciate that the teachers really focus on fostering the children's independence. Also the staff does a great job of communicating with the parents. My wife and I are confident that this is the best place our daughter can be right now. We highly recommend CMP!
Elena Tellechea
Oct 13, 2016
Report
We considered putting our son into a public school T-K program this year to save money but after weighing the educational benefits we are so happy we kept him at CMP for kindergarten prep. The curriculum offered at CMP is unlike any other and teachers do an excellent job at balancing classroom time with other equally important and stimulating activities. The variety of small camps offered during their summer session are also impressive ranging from dance and baking to arts and crafts and engineering small race cars. CMP produces well rounded students who love to learn. I am truly grateful for the
Matthew Piazza
Jan 15, 2016
Report
I looked long and hard for a preschool to enroll my son in. I ultimately chose Carmel Mountain Preschool because of the curriculum and wonderful environment that my son can thrive in while he's there. The staff are friendly, informative, and work extremely well with their kids. The grounds are clean and safe, and the children have many different environs with which they occupy throughout the course of the day -- from the classroom, to the playground, to the awesome greenhouse/garden! I highly recommend CMP as a great way to further your child's development in preparation for kindergarten.
