Childtime

What Childtime does

Childtime is a private US childcare and early childhood education brand operating 200+ licensed schools across 10+ states under the Learning Care Group umbrella (legal entity: Learning Care Group (US) No. 2 Inc.). The company serves children from 6 weeks through 12 years of age, offering a tiered curriculum portfolio including Infant Care, Toddler, Twos, Early Preschool, Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, Junior Kindergarten, Private Kindergarten, Before & After School care, Drop-In Care, School Break Camps, Summer Camp (Wondercamp), and enrichment electives (Spanish, Soccer, Yoga, Music, Dance, Phonics, Handwriting & Advanced Math, Fitness). Programs are anchored by proprietary curricula including Learn from the Start (infant milestones) and a personalized Learning Pathway system supporting transitional kindergarten readiness.

The technology stack consists of two proprietary applications: SproutAbout, an exclusive family communications platform providing live streaming video of classrooms, real-time updates, photos, and direct messaging between teachers and parents; and myPath, a teacher-facing application providing 1,000+ strategies and behavioral guidance resources. The Grow Fit wellness initiative supplements core programming with healthy meal provision and nutrition education. Multiple locations hold NAEYC, NECPA, Texas Rising Stars, Michigan 5-Star Quality Rated, and Quality First accreditations, and participate in state-funded Pre-K programs (Michigan GSRP, Arizona DES, New York UPK).

Childtime generates revenue primarily through recurring tuition billed weekly or monthly at the school level, supplemented by one-time registration fees and recurring enrichment elective charges. Pricing is quote-based and varies by location and program. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer via the corporate website, phone inquiries (877.624.2602), online tour scheduling, and on-site enrollment. The company also operates an Employer Solutions channel through its parent Learning Care Group, partnering with employers for employee childcare benefits. State and federal subsidy programs (USDA CACFP, Child Care Aware of America, military family assistance) provide additional access points for price-sensitive segments. Reported outcomes include 90%+ kindergarten readiness mastery among Pre-K completers based on the Bracken School Readiness Assessment.

Name

Childtime

Legal name

Learning Care Group (US) No. 2 Inc.

Website

https://childtime.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Childtime is a private US childcare and early education brand operating 200+ licensed schools across 10+ states under Learning Care Group, serving children aged 6 weeks to 12 years through proprietary curricula and the SproutAbout family communication platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Childcare Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (624410), Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (6244)

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

General Preschools (Play-Based) (EDACABAA), Part-Day Childcare Centers (EDACAAAB), Extended Day Programs at Preschools & Childcare Centers (EDACAHAB), Drop-In / Flexible Infant & Toddler Care (EDACAGAG)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Licensed daycare services
• Preschool programs
• Before and after school care
• Kindergarten readiness curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Novi

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices23 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Childcare Fees: Recurring tuition revenue from full-time, part-time, and drop-in childcare programs. Programs include Infant Care, Toddler, Twos, Early Preschool, Preschool, Pre-K, Junior Kindergarten, Private Kindergarten, Before & After School Care, Summer Camp (Wondercamp), and Drop-In Care. Billing varies by school (weekly or monthly).
2. Registration Fees: One-time registration fees required for enrollment, separate from tuition charges.
3. Enrichment Electives: Additional fee programs including Dance, Fitness, Handwriting & Advanced Math, Music, Phonics, Soccer, Spanish, Yoga, and Gymnastics offered beyond regular curriculum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Childtime operates licensed daycare, child care, and preschool centers serving children ages 6 weeks to 12 years through Infant Care, Toddler, Twos, Early Preschool, Preschool, Pre-K, Junior Kindergarten, Private Kindergarten, Before & After School, Drop-In Care, School Break Camps, and Summer Camp (Wondercamp) programs. Programs are delivered at more than 200 owned-and-operated school locations across the United States under the Learning Care Group umbrella, with proprietary curricula (Learn from the Start, Learning Pathway, Transitional Kindergarten Plus) and the SproutAbout family communication app supporting parent engagement. Tuition is billed weekly or monthly depending on location, with one-time registration fees and optional enrichment electives (Spanish, Soccer, Yoga, Dance, Music, Phonics, Handwriting & Advanced Math, Fitness).

Product overview

Childtime is a childcare and early education company offering a comprehensive suite of programs spanning infant care through school-age services. The portfolio includes core daycare and preschool programs (Infant Care, Toddler, Twos, Early Preschool, Preschool, Pre-K, Junior Kindergarten, Private Kindergarten), flexible care options (Before & After School, Drop-In Care, Part-Time Daycare), and seasonal programs (School Break Camps, Summer Camp/Wondercamp). Supporting offerings include Electives enrichment (Spanish, Soccer, Yoga, Music, Dance, Phonics, Handwriting & Advanced Math, Fitness) and the Grow Fit wellness initiative. Technology platforms include SproutAbout® for family communication with live streaming video and real-time updates, and myPath for teacher resources. The company also offers the Transitional Kindergarten Plus program for California families. Childtime operates under the Learning Care Group umbrella and is part of a family of school brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SproutAbout: Exclusive family communications app providing live streaming video of classrooms, real-time updates, photos, and messaging

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of children who complete Pre-K program show mastery of kindergarten readiness skills (Bracken School Readiness Assessment, 4th Edition, Pearson Education, 2025)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered support and core.

• Child Care Aware of AmericasupportOthersPartnership accepting families participating in Child Care Aware of America assistance programs, providing tuition discounts and subsidized childcare access.
• USDA Child Care Subsidy ProgramssupportOthersAccepts USDA child care subsidies enabling low-income families to access quality early childhood education through government-funded assistance.
• Local School DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with local school districts for transportation (bussing to/from elementary schools), Universal Pre-K (UPK) program participation, and school-age before/after care programs. Districts include Liverpool Central School District, Baldwinsville School District, Rockwood School District, Fox C-6 District, Utica Community Schools, and Chippewa Valley Schools.
• Michigan Department of EducationcoreOthersState partnership providing Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) free Pre-K education to eligible four-year-olds at Michigan locations. State-funded program requiring compliance with state educational standards.
• Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES)coreOthersArizona state partnership accepting DES child care assistance, enabling families with DES vouchers to access subsidized childcare at Arizona locations.
• Military Family Support ProgramssupportOthersDedicated military family support including flexible scheduling for deployments, specialized programs for families at military installations (Kings Bay, etc.), and discounted tuition through assistance programs.
• Texas Workforce CommissioncoreOthersParticipation in Texas Rising Stars quality rating system and Texas Workforce Commission Child Care Services program enabling state-subsidized childcare access.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tutor Time Child Care & Learning Centers: Sister brand under Learning Care Group with shared curriculum, technology platforms, and operational model. Comparable age-range coverage and family engagement approach with overlapping target customer segments.
• La Petite Academy: Sister brand under Learning Care Group offering similar infant-through-school-age programming, proprietary curriculum, and center-based operations. Most directly comparable in business model and service portfolio within the LCG family.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Publicly traded operator of large-scale early education and employer-sponsored care centers. Comparable in multi-site scale, corporate partnerships (Employer Solutions), and full-age-range programming from infant through school-age.
• KinderCare Learning Centers: Largest private competitor in US center-based early childhood education with comparable scale, age-range coverage, and proprietary curriculum. Operates owned-and-operated centers with similar employer solutions and family communication technology investments.
• The Goddard School: Premium franchise-based early childhood education system with proprietary play-based curriculum. Competes for similar working-family and education-seeking segments with comparable age range and accreditation focus.
• Everbrook Academy: Sister brand under Learning Care Group targeting premium segment with 21st Century Skills curriculum. Comparable in operating model and proprietary family engagement technology, with higher-end positioning than Childtime.
• Stratford School: Private academic preschool and elementary operator with strong curriculum focus. Comparable in emphasizing kindergarten readiness outcomes, proprietary curriculum, and serving education-seeking families willing to pay premium tuition.
• Primrose Schools: Nationally recognized early education franchise operator with proprietary Balanced Learning curriculum. Comparable premium positioning, multi-age programming, and franchise-driven geographic reach.
• The Children's Courtyard: Sister brand under Learning Care Group with shared service portfolio, curriculum, and operating infrastructure. Directly comparable business model serving similar customer segments in overlapping geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Cadence Education: Large multi-brand operator of early childhood education centers including Kids 'R' Learning Academies. Comparable in multi-site scale, multi-brand portfolio strategy, and employer solutions B2B offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Childtime
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/childtime-learning-centers

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Childtime