THE MAGIC BUS:

The Magic Bus, a mobile pre-school classroom, was introduced by the Vail Valley Foundation roughly 10 years ago. Funded by the Vail Valley Foundation and operated by the Youth Foundation, the goal of the Magic Bus program is to reach out to children who get limited, if any, preschool experience and help them gain skills needed to hit the ground running in kindergarten. In discussions with local educators, we learned that many children are not ready for this critical transition, which puts them behind their peers. Studies show that children who are excited and ready to learn will have a greater rate of success, and there is a growing need to “prime the pump” and instill some basic skills they will need when they enter the school system. For that reason, the Magic Bus program visits low-income neighborhoods throughout the Vail Valley serving over 300 children on an annual basis.

The Magic Bus program is now a fleet of mobile classrooms, each designed to accommodate presentations as well as interactive experiences and featuring work areas, a flat screen panel and DVD/VCR player, sound system, books and more – all creatively packaged to appeal to a child’s sense of wonder. Each vehicle accommodates 6-12 preschool-age (3-5) students and up to four adults at a time. 

The vehicles have been generously donated by Beaver Creek Resort Company, and along with our corporate partner Vail Resorts and our many individual donors, we are making a difference in the lives of young children throughout the Vail Valley. Please call or email the Vail Valley Foundation at 970.777.2015 for more information.