We are a licensed home-based program offering nature and play-centered education for ages 3 – 6 (preschool and kindergarten), directed and taught by Lauren Elliott (M.Ed). We are currently a dual language (Spanish and English) program.
Interested in enrolling your child for ’26 – ’27 School year? Express your interest here: https://forms.gle/VVwX9WJ7bdNJfaSb7.
At the Mountain’s Edge, we seek to provide high quality early education that responds to these times of social and climate crisis. We are especially interested in supporting children in seeing themselves as part of a larger ecosystem of humans, plants, animals, waters, and land. We want them to learn the wide range of skills they need to care for themselves (physically, spiritually, emotionally) and to care for others, human and more-than-human others.
We emphasize relational learning: we support children in learning how to be in relationships of mutual love and care with the natural world, with each other, and with all humans. Our learning happens in community, where we learn with and from one another and the natural world. Learn more about our approach.
Our curriculum includes nature exploration, child-directed play, and meaningful work (such as bread-making, planting, and harvesting). We emphasize an anti-bias education, which you can learn more about here. Get a glimpse into a day at The Mountain’s Edge.
We are located in Easthampton, MA, at the mountain’s edge on the ancestral and unceded land of the Nonotuck or Norwottuck people. Please see our land acknowledgement.
Testimonial
Lauren is one of the most thoughtful, responsive, and intuitive caregivers I’ve come across. She genuinely loves toddlers and all of their big feelings, and in turn my toddler absolutely adores her and thrived during his year with her. I can’t recommend her and her gorgeous toddler-centered space enough!
Danielle W
Midwife
The Mountain's Edge: An Education for these Times 