Are you ready for a new kind of preschool and childcare?
You need to check out Little Lab Preschool and Child Care; Fort Collins’ newest preschool and child care! Here’s what makes us unique:
- We use a hands-on Science and Math Based curriculum to get children thinking, problem solving and talking with others about their discoveries. Each child gets their own set of materials.
- We have small class sizes (even before COVID-19)
- We offer full day child care and part day preschool programs for children between the ages of 2 ½ and 6 who are potty trained.
- We accept CCCAP.
- We welcome children with special needs and developmental delays.
- The owners, Ernie and Mary Batson, are a husband/wife team of early childhood experts and the founders and directors of The Learning House Foundation for Early Childhood Development. The Learning House was Fort Collins’ only early childhood Science and Math school and was open for 17 years. The school part closed due to Ernie’s eye health and our next project is a Science and Math You Tube show for 3-5 year olds.
What does a day at Little Lab Preschool look like?
During a normal day, we believe children need time to explore, talk about what they’re experiencing, and play. In our Preschool programs for children 2 1/2 - 6 years of age we will use a hands-on Science and Math curriculum to get children thinking, problem solving, and most of all, talking and writing about their discoveries.
- As kids arrive we take temperatures, wash hands.
- We believe learning is ongoing throughout the day.Whether children are playing with their peers, experimenting, or simply washing their hands, they are learning all the time.
- We believe choices are a great way for children to learn how to manage their own behavior.
- We believe our program will help children learn critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills.
Learning is a risk-taking experience and the children in our care will know their teacher will do everything possible to walk along with them and help them learn the next new thing; whatever that is.
Since the pandemic, life at Little Lab is mostly the same as usual. There are some changes to adapt to the necessity to clean more to keep kids safe. As children arrive we take temperatures and wash hands. We also clean as we did before but more often with emphasis on highly used areas and items. And remember each child gets their own materials for school so there is less chance for kids to get sick with cold too!
Did You Know?
Ernie and Mary have their own YouTube Channel for kids to learn from! Check out the video's here on the
Like what your reading? Here’s information on registration, hours and contact info.
Before children may attend, parents must submit completed registration, health and immunization forms. Children must be potty trained to attend.
Find out more about weekly full day and half day rates as well as registration form, and immunization information here.
Visit our website and schedule a tour.
Little Lab™ Preschool
3533 Riva Ridge Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80526
970.223.3939
During this time with COVID-19 Ernie is doing some great science experiments on the Little Lab Preschool Facebook Page and Mary has a great story for kids too! Visit and enjoy! If you like what you see find out more on their website.
A note about Ernie and Mary Batson:
Ernie is an early childhood specialist with Masters' Degrees in Early Childhood and Special Education. He is a national speaker and likes to talk about getting out of power struggles with young children, sensory integration issues, and classroom management.
Ernie and Mary believe Science and Math are great ways for children to learn about their world, explore, and make discoveries. The Literacy piece is always present as children talk about what they see and do, draw pictures of their discoveries, or “write” about their learning in a journal.Play will also be a big piece of their curriculum because, after all, play is a child’s work.
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