carmel mountain preschool

Dec 2019 UPDATE:
we now have 2 girls at CMP and everything has been amazing! This will be my oldest daughter's final year at CMP. CMP has always exceeded expectations and we love all the staff and teachers there. They are great!

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December 2017 UPDATE:

Our daughter is in her second year at CMP and we love it! She started at 18 months and it has been such a wonderful environment for her to grow and learn. Over the summer, she transitioned to a new class. As with most toddlers, she was not excited about the new transition. However, her new teachers and other CMP staff made sure she felt loved and knew exactly how to help her with the transition!

The CMP grounds are amazing! Children have access to three different playgrounds, an art studio, organic garden and music garden. CMP does an amazing job of engaging families by offering family picnics, afternoon concerts for the whole family and holiday events, to name a few. Her class has a Shutterfly account so we can see updates throughout the day, including tons of wonderful photos! All of the staff are so kind and caring and love and embrace all of the children at CMP. We feel so comforted throughout the day knowing that our daughter is in such a warm and engaging environment. Our daughter has already learned so much at CMP and we are so happy that we will continue to be a part of this Community for the next 3 years!
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Our daughter started at Carmel Mountain Preschool this fall when she turned 18 months (the minimum age). My wife had attended CMP in the 1980's when she was little, so she loved having our daughter share the same excellent facility that she had learned, played, and gained social skills at in the years before elementary school. Some of the original staff are still around making CMP great! 30 years later and they have now expanded their school footprint with multiple buildings, playgrounds, fields, and even solar panels! The class our daughter is in is taught by two loving, sweet and amazing women. We get e-mail updates regularly with photos and the school regularly hosts family interactive activities (concerts, picnics, school performances) so there is definitely a real effort by CMP to keep the parents involved. We will very likely have our daughter at CMP for all 4 years till she starts elementary school. Thanks Carmel Mountain Preschool for being a safe and amazing place for our daughter!

The enjoyment and progress in development we see in our son is almost too hard do describe in words, but one thing for sure is that Carmel Mountain Preschool is a true treasure for anyone that will be lucky enough to get a spot. The amount of different and diverse learning your child can get from CMP is incomparable to any other preschool around. You cannot find any place where you have this outdoor possibilities as well as facilities for learning and play. Everyday you see new things in your child, new words, new behavior making it fun to see the progress your child do in social behavior and knowledge, all by having fun with great staff teaching and taking care of your child. Highly recommended for any parent, take a few hours to visit the place during open house to make your own opinion, which I'm sure will be all positive.

Carmel Mountain Preschool is such a fun and enriching environment for our daughters. I attended CMP in 1989 and 1990 so when it came time to find a preschool for our oldest, we knew we wanted her to go to CMP! Our oldest daughter is in her 4th year at CMP and our youngest daughter just started in August in the toddler classroom. We can honestly say that every teacher the girls have had has been so kind, caring and fun! With each year, it is so amazing to see how much the kids learn and grow because of the support and encouragement they receive from the CMP teachers. Each teacher brings her own unique activities, lessons and personality to the classroom. We also cherish the photos that the teachers share of the kids at school. It helps us connect with them when we are busy at work.

The CMP grounds are amazing and there is really no comparison in San Diego. The toddler playground is so inviting and the recent upgrades give toddlers the opportunity to explore and create their own play environment. Our oldest daughter has also loved being able to move up to different playgrounds every year. She loves exploring the new equipment but also enjoys the free play in the mud kitchens! The art studio, nature lab, tinker lab, organic garden, and music garden are so wonderful. Family and friends are always amazed at the outdoor activities available to the kids. Both girls look forward to the days they get to explore these special places.

CMP does an amazing job of engaging families by offering family picnics, family yoga and hip hop, afternoon concerts and holiday events, to name a few. All of the staff are so kind and caring. They love and embrace all of the children at CMP. We feel so comforted throughout the day knowing that our daughters are in such a warm and engaging environment. We are so happy that we will continue to be a part of this Community for the next 4 years!

This is the 3rd year we have been at this school. My older child, who is now in Kindergarten in the Poway school system, started at age 2.5. My younger son, age 4, is attending CMP right now. Our family has loved it from the very beginning. Each staff member knows who I am, my husband, grandfather and even my parents and brother from out of town. They really do take the time out to make sure that they interact with the families and get to know your child and your family. Both my kids love going to school and look forward to all the activities they get to do: from tinkering, to the nature lab, to music. The school really not only teaches you a lot academically for children, but life skills as well. We def recommend this school to anyone! Best investment into your childs future :)

We are so happy with Carmel Mountain Preschool. It’s unlike other preschools we’ve experienced. They have created an indoor/outdoor learning environment where the kids can explore, learn and play. It’s a wonderful place where you wish you could be a kid again and spend your days painting in the art studio or building toys at tinker hollow or getting your hands dirty in the Glenn and learning about nature in the science lab. Our daughter loves her teacher who has created a loving and encouraging classroom. At the end of the day when we pick her up, she tells us all about the great things she got to build, create and experience that day. We couldn’t be happier seeing our daughter thrive at CMP.

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 to any parent who wants their child to be recognized for their individual gifts!

Quite simply, this is a phenomenal program. The quality of the teachers, administration and educational opportunities is second to none. In our 3rd consecutive year here, our kids love coming to school and frequently don't want to leave! We can't wait to continue watching our children thrive and grow into free-thinking and independent kids!

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 development. They provide exposure to art, music, tinkering activities that develop fine motor skills and plenty of physical outdoor fun playtime.

My son has absolutely fallen in love with every one of his teachers! They truly love and take care of him as if he were one of their own. It is a relief to go to work with my mind at ease knowing that my son is being well taken care of.

CMP has been, and continues to be, a high quality choice for preschool. My cousins, who are now in their 30s attended, my nephew who is in his 20s attended and our now 4 year old has been a student there since he was 18 months old and we couldn't be happier.


When we were searching for preschool options for our son we knew CMP had to be on the list, but when we toured we fell in love with the campus, curriculum and staff. The campus feels tranquil, there is an outdoor music garden, art studio and tinkering space, a garden where the kids grow and eat fruits and vegetables, the playground equipment is well maintained, and the classrooms are kept fresh. They also do several family events during the year both in the classroom and up on their field. Some of our favorites are when Hullabaloo comes or Rhythm Child - my son really loves drumming! I also appreciate that they will often have a parent night with a talk from someone they have brought in to train the staff. We attended a conscious discipline last year and it was really helpful for our parenting, but to also learn what techniques the teachers are learning.


My son started going there at 18 months and only had about 10 words. Within 2 weeks he was up to 25 words and we have continued to see big jumps in his comprehension. I remember when we toured they emphasized that this was a true preschool setting and not just daycare. I was skeptical, but I have to say it really is true. He seems to have grasped things at a much earlier age than his older brother did who was in a true daycare setting until he was 3.


All of the teachers are awesome, very loving and caring. It really feels like a big family. My son looks forward to going to school every day and even asked if his teachers could come to his birthday party.

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 teachers, and their preschool. 💕