FunShine Express
FunShine Express, founded in 1995 and based in Dickinson, ND, sells research-based early childhood curriculum kits and digital subscriptions for ages 0-5 to childcare centers, preschools, family providers, and Head Start programs in the US and Canada, now operating under the Lillio Learning platform brand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersDickinson, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What FunShine Express does
FunShine Express is a privately held, founder-owned provider of early childhood curriculum products and services for children ages 0-5, headquartered and operating from a single warehouse in Dickinson, North Dakota. Founded in 1995 by current President Beth Ehlis, the company sells a four-year rotating theme-based curriculum organized around research-based, developmentally appropriate practice and aligned to state early learning standards across the US and Canadian provinces, including Head Start performance standards. Its core offerings are monthly preschool kits (ages 3-5) and bi-monthly infant/toddler kits (ages 0-3), each composed of pre-packaged materials, curriculum guides, and children's supplies, supplemented by add-on Starter Packs, Teacher Packs, Discovery Journals, and Sample Kits.
The company has progressively built a digital layer on top of its physical kits. FunShine Digital, launched in 2014, provides online subscription access to a searchable database of thousands of lesson activities for ages 0-5, including Christian Lesson Plans and Summer School-Age offerings. The digital ecosystem has been consolidated and extended under the Lillio Learning brand, which encompasses the curriculum platform, the Lillio Weekly Planner drag-and-drop lesson planning tool, integrated child assessment, Lillio Academy professional development courses, and broader center operations modules including registration, waitlist management, invoicing, and tuition collection. Customer-facing technology is delivered via a self-serve e-commerce website, phone, email, and fax ordering, with content marketing through blog, social media, webinars, conferences, and a $50 referral program.
FunShine Express generates revenue primarily through recurring monthly and bi-monthly subscriptions to physical curriculum kits and digital curriculum access, with prepay discounts of 10-15% for longer commitments, plus one-time purchases of Starter Packs, Sample Kits, and add-on supplies. The customer base is composed of professional childcare centers, preschools, family childcare providers, and Head Start programs in the United States and Canada, served almost entirely on a direct-to-consumer basis through its own storefront. The company has not raised external funding and has not disclosed revenue; it employs 11-50 people and operates without a parent company or institutional investor.
FunShine Express firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FunShine Express
- Legal name
- FunShine Express®, Inc.
- Website
- https://funshineexpress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FunShine Express, founded in 1995 and based in Dickinson, ND, sells research-based early childhood curriculum kits and digital subscriptions for ages 0-5 to childcare centers, preschools, family providers, and Head Start programs in the US and Canada, now operating under the Lillio Learning platform brand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FunShine Express industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Childhood Education Curriculum
- NAICS
- Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Teacher Guides, Lesson Plans & Scope-and-Sequence Resources (EDACAJAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital/Interactive Curriculum Content (Apps, Games, Multimedia Lessons) (EDACAJAK), Early Learning & Preschool Trade (Ages 0–5) (EDAGAIAA), Individualized Learning Plans & Differentiated Instruction Materials (IEP/IFSP-Aligned) (EDACAJAE)
Keywords
Where FunShine Express is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dickinson
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
FunShine Express business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Physical Curriculum Kits: Monthly preschool curriculum kits and bi-monthly infant/toddler kits shipped directly to customers. Kits include pre-packaged materials, curriculum guides, and children's supplies.
- Digital Subscriptions (FunShine Digital/Lillio): Instant online access to curriculum for ages 0-3 and 3-5. Searchable database of thousands of activities by age range, domain, topic.
- Starter Packs: One-time purchases of wall displays, teaching aids, and materials to use throughout the year. Prices: $20 for Infant & Toddler, $30 for Preschool.
- Sample Kits: One-time purchase sample kits for evaluation purposes. Full sample kits $30, Teacher Pack samples $15 each.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Preschool Sample Kit Ages 3-5 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Preschool Sample Teacher Pack Ages 3-5 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Infant & Toddler Sample Kit Ages 0-3 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Infant & Toddler Sample Teacher Pack Ages 0-3 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Infant & Toddler Starter Pack Ages 0-3 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Preschool Starter Pack Ages 3-5 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Infant & Toddler Full Curriculum Kit Ages 0-3 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Preschool Full Curriculum Kit Ages 3-5 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
FunShine Express product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FunShine Express delivers research-based, play-based early childhood curriculum for ages 0-5 in two age segments (Infant & Toddler ages 0-3 and Preschool ages 3-5). Customers receive physical kits shipped monthly or bi-monthly containing pre-planned lesson guides and children's supplies, and/or subscribe to FunShine Digital for instant online access to searchable lesson plans. Curriculum is organized on a four-year rotating theme cycle and aligned with US state and Canadian provincial early learning standards, and is delivered alongside the broader Lillio Learning digital platform for assessment, family engagement, and classroom management.
Product overview
FunShine Express offers a comprehensive early childhood curriculum portfolio for ages 0-5 through three main delivery formats: physical curriculum kits shipped monthly or bi-monthly, FunShine Digital online subscriptions, or a combination of both. The core products include the Infant & Toddler Curriculum Kit (two-month kits for ages 0-3) and Preschool Curriculum Kit (monthly kits for ages 3-5), each available as Full Kit (with Starter Pack, Teacher Pack, and Children's Supplies), Teacher Pack Only, or Starter Pack. FunShine Digital provides instant online access to searchable lesson plans and activities. The digital ecosystem is branded as Lillio Learning, which encompasses the curriculum platform, Lillio Weekly Planner for lesson planning, Lillio Academy for professional development courses, and integrated assessment and family engagement tools. The company has operated since 1995 and maintains a four-year theme rotation cycle.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Infant & Toddler Curriculum Kit Subscription-based two-month curriculum kits for ages 0-3 featuring research-based, play-based activities and ready-made materials, including Starter Pack, Teacher Pack, and Children's Supplies. Designed for childcare centers, preschools, and family childcare providers serving infant and toddler classrooms.
- Preschool Curriculum Kit Subscription-based monthly curriculum kits for ages 3-5 with research-based activities and ready-made materials designed to spark curiosity and build school readiness foundations. Includes Teacher Pack and Children's Supplies and is intended for preschool classrooms.
- FunShine Digital Online curriculum subscription giving instant access to searchable lesson plans and activities for ages 0-5, including Daily Lesson Plans, Christian Lesson Plans, and Summer School-Age activities. Functions as the digital counterpart to the physical curriculum kits and is available globally without shipping.
- Starter Packs One-time purchase wall displays and classroom materials designed for year-long use, including Number/Color/Shape Display, Weather Display, Calendar Grid, Alphabet Cards, Developmental Continuum Poster, and Quick Start Guide. Available in Infant & Toddler ($20) and Preschool ($30) versions.
- Teacher Packs One-time or subscription-bundled Teacher Pack containing the Curriculum Guide with Daily Lesson Plans, Word Wall and Alphabet Cards, Children's Books, Counting Cards and Math Games, Learning Center Materials, Family Newsletter, and Activity Calendar for preschool educators.
- Sample Kits One-time purchase sample curriculum kits for Infant & Toddler (ages 0-3) and Preschool (ages 3-5), including Teacher Pack samples, priced at $15-$30, with $15-$30 coupons redeemable against first regular orders. Used for evaluation by prospective centers and providers.
- Lillio Learning Platform All-in-one early childhood education digital platform combining curriculum, assessment, family engagement, classroom management, registration, waitlist management, invoicing, and tuition collection. Powered by FunShine Express and used by thousands of centers beyond curriculum.
- Lillio Academy Professional development course platform offering courses such as 'Inclusive Education Practices', 'Technology in the Classroom', and 'Unpacking Inquiry Based Learning' for educator training.
- Discovery Journals Preschool journals for emergent writing exploration, including prompts related to daily activities, pre-writing tips, and opportunities for scribbling, name writing, making lines, and self-expression.
Quantifiable outcome
- Saves at least one hour of prep time per day per teacher
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use FunShine Express
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
FunShine Express technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
FunShine Express partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- LilliocoreLillio is FunShine Express's digital platform partner for online curriculum delivery, classroom management, family engagement, and child care software. The companies have integrated FunShine Express curriculum into the Lillio platform for digital access, lesson planning, and assessment tracking.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
FunShine Express competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Learning Without Tears: Learning Without Tears provides early childhood and Pre-K handwriting and readiness curriculum, with kit and digital delivery, overlapping with FunShine's preschool and Head Start customer base.
- brightwheel: brightwheel is a leading all-in-one childcare management platform that has been adding lesson planning and curriculum features, competing with Lillio Learning for the same center-based ECE software wallet.
- Procare Solutions: Procare provides childcare management software (registration, billing, family engagement) and has expanded into curriculum and lesson planning, directly competing with Lillio Learning's broader ECE platform play.
Direct peers
- Kaplan Early Learning Company: Kaplan sells early childhood curriculum, classroom materials, and school-age resources to centers, preschools, and family providers, overlapping with FunShine Express on both physical kits and standards-aligned digital content.
- Frog Street Press: Frog Street offers thematic early childhood curriculum kits (Frog Street Pre-K, Frog Street Toddler) sold to childcare centers and preschools, directly competing with FunShine's age-banded, standards-aligned kit subscription model.
- HighScope Educational Research Foundation: HighScope publishes research-based preschool curriculum and training programs used by Head Start and center-based providers, competing in the same standards-aligned, professionally developed ECE curriculum category as FunShine Express.
- Mother Goose Time: Mother Goose Time ships monthly preschool curriculum kits with pre-packaged materials to childcare centers and family providers, a near-identical business model to FunShine Express's physical kit subscription.
- Teaching Strategies (The Creative Curriculum): Teaching Strategies is the leading US provider of early childhood curriculum (The Creative Curriculum) and assessment, serving preschools, Head Start, and childcare centers in the same customer segments and use cases as FunShine Express, with a comparable kit/digital delivery model.
Broad incumbents
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Early Childhood): HMH's early childhood curriculum (e.g., Big Day for Pre-K) is sold to districts and centers; it competes in the standards-aligned ECE curriculum category as part of a much larger K-12 publishing business.
- Scholastic Early Childhood: Scholastic's early childhood division offers Pre-K curriculum, books, and digital resources to centers and preschools as part of a much broader K-12 publishing portfolio, with overlapping ECE curriculum buyers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FunShine Express social profiles
Digital presenceFunShine Express financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FunShine Express leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
FunShine Express subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
FunShine Express funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FunShine Express M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FunShine Express
What does FunShine Express do?
FunShine Express delivers research-based, play-based early childhood curriculum for ages 0-5 in two age segments (Infant & Toddler ages 0-3 and Preschool ages 3-5). Customers receive physical kits shipped monthly or bi-monthly containing pre-planned lesson guides and children's supplies, and/or subscribe to FunShine Digital for instant online access to searchable lesson plans. Curriculum is organized on a four-year rotating theme cycle and aligned with US state and Canadian provincial early learning standards, and is delivered alongside the broader Lillio Learning digital platform for assessment, family engagement, and classroom management.
Is FunShine Express a public or private company?
FunShine Express is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FunShine Express founded?
FunShine Express was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FunShine Express based?
FunShine Express is headquartered in Dickinson, United States, in the North America region.
How does FunShine Express make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Physical Curriculum Kits are the primary driver. The others are digital Subscriptions (FunShine Digital/Lillio), starter Packs and sample Kits.
Who are FunShine Express's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Learning Without Tears, brightwheel and Procare Solutions. Direct peers are Kaplan Early Learning Company, Frog Street Press, HighScope Educational Research Foundation, Mother Goose Time and Teaching Strategies (The Creative Curriculum). Broad incumbents are Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Early Childhood) and Scholastic Early Childhood.
Does FunShine Express have an API?
No public API is recorded for FunShine Express.
What industry is FunShine Express in?
FunShine Express's product category is Early Childhood Education Curriculum. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAJAF, Teacher Guides, Lesson Plans & Scope-and-Sequence Resources, with a secondary code of EDACAJAK, Digital/Interactive Curriculum Content (Apps, Games, Multimedia Lessons). Its NAICS code is 61 and its SIC code is 8200.