AppleTree & Gilden Woods

What AppleTree & Gilden Woods does

AppleTree & Gilden Woods is a privately held early childhood education and childcare provider operating 24 owned centers across Michigan under the legal entity AppleTree & Gilden Woods, Inc., a subsidiary of Learning Care Group (US) No. 2 Inc. The company delivers daycare, preschool, and before/after-school care for children aged 6 weeks to 12 years through age-staged curriculum programs (Infants, Toddlers, Twos, Early Preschool, Preschool, Pre-K, Junior Kindergarten, Before & After School), supported by the proprietary SproutAbout family communication app that streams live classroom video, photos, and daily updates to parents. Enrichment add-ons include the Spotlight Series (Phonics, Spanish, Kindergarten prep), Grow Fit wellness programs, Wondercamp 15-week summer camp, School Break Camps, and third-party offerings such as Kindermusik and Soccer.

The company's revenue model is predominantly recurring tuition billed weekly or monthly, with three streams: standard full-time and part-time enrollment, Flex Care pre-paid drop-in cards sold in five-day increments valid for one year, and B2B employer-sponsored solutions including an exclusive on-site center at Wolverine Worldwide's corporate headquarters. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer through owned Michigan locations, supplemented by an employer channel and a dedicated GSRP pathway that funnels state-funded Pre-K enrollment from eligible Michigan 4-year-olds. Marketing is run primarily through the company website with online tour scheduling, local SEO, and the post-sale SproutAbout app for ongoing engagement.

The operating model is asset-heavy and labor-intensive: 501-1,000 employees staff the centers, with NAEYC accreditation pathways, certified directors with 12-30+ years of tenure, and proprietary curriculum and brand assets (registered trademarks across all sub-brands) collectively forming the differentiation stack. Strategic positioning emphasizes kindergarten readiness (over 90% Pre-K mastery on the Bracken assessment) and flexible scheduling, with the company explicitly pursuing acquisition growth through its parent's School Acquisitions program.

Name

AppleTree & Gilden Woods

Legal name

AppleTree & Gilden Woods, Inc.

Website

https://gildenwoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

AppleTree & Gilden Woods operates 24 owned daycare and preschool centers across Michigan serving children 6 weeks to 12 years, a subsidiary of Learning Care Group. Revenue comes primarily from recurring tuition, Flex Care drop-in cards, employer-sponsored solutions including an on-site Wolverine Worldwide center, and Michigan's GSRP-funded Pre-K.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Childcare and Early Childhood Education Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (6244), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Preschool Programs within Childcare Centers (EDACABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Extended Day Programs at Preschools & Childcare Centers (EDACAHAB), Drop-In / Flexible Infant & Toddler Care (EDACAGAG), Part-Time / Drop-In Preschools (EDACABAN)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Childcare services
• Preschool programs
• Daycare centers
• Kindergarten readiness

Headquarters

HQ city

Michigan City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Childcare Tuition: Recurring tuition revenue from full-time, part-time, and drop-in childcare services. Weekly billing for some schools, monthly billing for others. Tuition varies by program and schedule.
2. Flex Care Cards: Pre-paid drop-in care cards sold in five-day increments, valid for one full year. No registration fees at time of purchase.
3. Employer Solutions: Custom workplace childcare solutions for employers, supporting workforce needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AppleTree & Gilden Woods operates 24 daycare and preschool centers across Michigan providing full-time, part-time, drop-in, and before/after-school care for children 6 weeks to 12 years old. Core offerings include age-based curriculum programs (Infants, Toddlers, Twos, Early Preschool, Preschool, Pre-K, Junior Kindergarten) plus seasonal programs such as Wondercamp summer camp, School Break Camps, and the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) state-funded Pre-K. The company also supports employer-sponsored workplace childcare solutions and provides the proprietary SproutAbout family communication app with live classroom video streaming.

Product overview

AppleTree & Gilden Woods is a daycare, preschool, and early learning center brand operating 24+ locations across Michigan, providing care for children 6 weeks to 12 years. The core offering consists of age-based curriculum programs (Infants, Toddlers, Twos, Early Preschool, Preschool, Pre-K, Junior Kindergarten, Before & After School) delivered in a safe, secure environment. The portfolio includes proprietary technology products like SproutAbout (family communication app with live streaming video), seasonal programs (Wondercamp summer camp, School Break Camps), and flexible care options (Flex Care drop-in care, part-time schedules). Enrichment add-ons include Spotlight Series (Phonics, Spanish, Kindergarten prep), Grow Fit wellness programs, and third-party offerings like Kindermusik and Soccer. Several Michigan schools participate in the state-funded Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) for free Pre-K education. The company is part of the Learning Care Group family of brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SproutAbout: Exclusive family communications app offering live streaming video of classrooms, real-time photos, videos, and care updates.
• Wondercamp
• Wonderment Workshop
• Flex Care
• Spotlight Series
• Grow Fit Series
• GSRP (Great Start Readiness Program)

Products and services

• AppleTree & Gilden Woods Early Care and Preschool Core daycare, preschool, and early learning service for children 6 weeks to 12 years delivered at 24+ physical centers across Michigan, with safe environments for social, academic, and emotional development.
• Infant Care Program Early learning program for infants starting at 6 weeks with milestone-based curriculum and dedicated caregivers.
• Toddler Program Early learning program for toddlers designed for highly mobile learners, supporting developmental progress in an engaging environment.
• Twos Program Early learning program for two-year-olds focused on making learning fun while building foundational skills for energetic learners.
• Early Preschool Program Early learning program helping children gain skills and become independent on their way to preschool.
• Preschool Program Preschool program with kindergarten readiness as the core focus, preparing children academically and socially for the transition to formal schooling.
• Pre-K Program Pre-kindergarten program designed as an important stepping stone to elementary school, with over 90% of graduates showing mastery of kindergarten skills.
• Junior Kindergarten Program Transitional program for young 5- and older 4-year-olds who may benefit from additional skill development or missed the kindergarten age cutoff.
• Before & After School Program Extended care program providing morning and afternoon support for elementary school students, including transportation to and from local schools.
• Flex Care Drop-In Child Care Flexible drop-in child care program allowing families to purchase prepaid cards for five days of care, valid for one full year, with no registration fees at time of purchase or utilization.
• Wondercamp Summer Camp Summer camp program for toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children up to age 12, featuring themed Wonder Weeks with activities, field trips, arts and crafts, and healthy meals.
• School Break Camps Winter and spring break care programs featuring themed activities including Wonders of the Season (Light, Travel themes) and spring break camp experiences with field trips and group activities.
• Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) Michigan's free, state-funded Pre-K program for eligible 4-year-olds, ranked #1 in the U.S., offered at participating locations to support kindergarten readiness.
• Employer Solutions Workplace Childcare Workplace childcare solutions for employers, including on-site centers such as the exclusive AppleTree at Wolverine Worldwide facility serving only employees and their children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of children show mastery of kindergarten skills after Pre-K program

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Wolverine WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppleTree at Wolverine Worldwide is an exclusive on-site childcare center located inside the Wolverine Worldwide corporate headquarters in Rockford, MI. This location serves only Wolverine Worldwide employees and their children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. The center offers full-time, part-time, and drop-in care, with programs for Infants, Toddlers, Twos, Early Preschool, and Preschool, plus enrichment programs including Yoga, Spanish, and Soccer.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• KinderCare Learning Companies: One of the largest U.S. providers of early childhood education and before/after-school care, operating more than 1,500 centers nationwide. Comparable core offering (infant care through before/after school) and similar diversified revenue model.
• Learning Care Group: Parent company of AppleTree & Gilden Woods; operates multiple early childhood education brands (La Petite Academy, Childtime, Tutor Time) nationwide. Comparable because it shares curriculum, technology (SproutAbout), and back-office systems with AppleTree, but operates at much broader national scale.
• Cadence Education: Large private operator of more than 200 early childhood education centers across the U.S. Comparable in scale and business model (tuition-based center care with employer partnerships), though broader geographically than AppleTree's Michigan-only footprint.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Large publicly traded provider of center-based early education and employer-sponsored childcare. Directly comparable business model (tuition + employer solutions) and overlapping employer-sponsored childcare capabilities that AppleTree demonstrates with Wolverine Worldwide.

Direct peers

• La Petite Academy: Sister brand within Learning Care Group offering the same curriculum, technology stack (SproutAbout), and age range (6 weeks to 12 years). Directly comparable because AppleTree & Gilden Woods shares LCG's operating playbook, curriculum libraries, and corporate support functions.
• Goddard School: Franchised early childhood education provider with strong curriculum focus and proprietary programs. Comparable as a private-pay, premium preschool operator targeting similar working families, with comparable NAEYC-aligned quality positioning.
• Tutor Time Child Care/Learning Centers: Sister brand within Learning Care Group sharing curriculum and the SproutAbout technology platform. Directly comparable operating model, age range, and tuition structure to AppleTree & Gilden Woods.
• Childtime Learning Centers: Another sister brand under Learning Care Group with overlapping programs (infants through Pre-K, before/after school) and shared proprietary assets. Comparable because the operating model, curriculum, and pricing structure are essentially the same as AppleTree's.
• Primrose Schools: Franchised provider of early childhood education and care with a proprietary Balanced Learning curriculum. Comparable as a tuition-driven, multi-state preschool operator with a strong franchise brand and similar kindergarten readiness outcomes messaging.

Regional players

• Evergreen Academy (Spring Education Group): Spring Education Group brand operating preschool and elementary programs in select regions. Comparable as a tuition-based, multi-site early childhood operator; relevant regional comparison for Michigan-market dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AppleTreeKids
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gilden-woods-early-care-and-preschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AppleTree & Gilden Woods