Small Wonders Daycare Preschool

What Small Wonders Daycare Preschool does

Small Wonders Daycare Preschool is a privately held, founder-owned early childhood education provider operating three physical locations across Plymouth and Argos in Marshall County, Indiana. The business was started by owner and president Debra Friar over 25 years ago as an in-home childcare operation and has grown into a multi-site licensed provider holding five home licenses and two center licenses, supported by approximately 30 staff and serving more than 200 children. Its offering spans the full age continuum from infancy through adolescence: an Infants and Toddlers program (6 weeks to 24 months), an Early Preschool program (24 months to 3.5 years) introducing pre-academic skills, a Pre-K program (3.5 to 5 years) tracked through Indiana's ISTAR-KR kindergarten readiness assessment, an After-School Care program (ages 5 to 13), and a Camp for school-age children. Small Wonders is an Indiana Paths to QUALITY Level IV and Level III rated provider and a state-recognized On My Way Pre-K site at all locations, with embedded referral partnerships through United Way (211 hotline), Brightpoint, and FamilyWize reaching low-income and underserved families. Revenue is generated through recurring tuition fees with no publicly disclosed pricing, and enrollment is conducted via direct phone contact and website inquiry forms rather than paid marketing channels.

Name

Small Wonders Daycare Preschool

Legal name

Small Wonders

Website

https://smallwondersearlychildhood.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Small Wonders Daycare Preschool is a privately held Indiana early childhood education provider operating three licensed locations in Plymouth and Argos, serving 200+ children from infancy through age 13 via tuition-funded infant care, preschool, pre-K, after-school, and camp programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education and Childcare Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Preschool Programs within Childcare Centers (EDACABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Extended Day Programs at Preschools & Childcare Centers (EDACAHAB), Full-Time Home Daycare (Year-Round) (EDACAEAA)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Childcare services
• Preschool programs
• After-school care
• Daycare center

Headquarters

HQ city

Plymouth, Indiana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Childcare and Early Education Tuition: Revenue is generated through tuition fees for childcare and early education programs serving children from infancy through age 13. Programs include infant/toddler care, early preschool, pre-K, after-school care, and summer camp.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Small Wonders Daycare Preschool provides licensed early childhood education and childcare services for children from 6 weeks to 13 years old across three Indiana locations. Its core offerings include infant/toddler care, early preschool, pre-K, after-school care, school-break camp, and the state On My Way Pre-K program, delivered through age-segregated classrooms with dedicated playgrounds and a developmentally appropriate curriculum.

Product overview

Small Wonders is a system of high-quality early childhood education programs consisting of six distinct offerings: Infants & Toddlers Program (6 weeks to 24 months), Early Preschool (24 months to 3.5 years), Pre-K Program (3.5 to 5 years), After-School Care (ages 5-13), Camp for School-Age Children (ages 5-13 during breaks), and On My Way Pre-K (state pre-K program). The programs provide developmentally appropriate learning activities through art, music, science, pre-math, pre-reading, and social skills development, with accredited all-inclusive care across three locations in Indiana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Infants & Toddlers Program Early childhood care program for children ages 6 weeks to 24 months that delivers an age-appropriate curriculum supporting developmental milestones, with a dedicated playground separate from older children.
• Early Preschool Program Program for children ages 24 months to 3.5 years that introduces colors, shapes, counting, fine and gross motor control, and language development through expressive activities, supported by yearly developmental conferences with parents.
• Pre-K Program Curriculum for children ages 3.5 to 5 years that prepares them for kindergarten, tracked through ISTAR-KR preschool assessments and supported by pre-K conferences held at least twice a year.
• After-School Care Licensed after-school care program for children ages 5 to 13 offering homework help, academic support, structured activities, socialization, and a safe supervised environment.
• Camp for School-Age Children Day camp program for children ages 5 to 13 offered during school breaks, featuring daily activities, field trips to local attractions, hands-on projects, and nutritious snacks in a safe, supportive environment.
• On My Way Pre-K Program State-recognized On My Way Pre-K program available at all locations that helps 4-year-old children from low-income households receive high-quality pre-K education preparing them for kindergarten.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 200+ children in the surrounding community
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• On My Way Pre-KcoreOthersState of Indiana program administered by the Family and Social Services Administration that helps 4-year-old children from low-income households receive high-quality pre-K education. Small Wonders is a recognized provider at all locations, helping eligible families access state-assisted early education.
• BrightpointcoreOthersCommunity organization focused on eliminating poverty that offers child care assistance programs to help low-income families access quality child care for children under age 13. Parents must be employed, students, or receiving job training to qualify.
• United WayminorOthersUnited Way provides resources regarding social, health, and government services for residents in 19 northern Indiana counties. Families can call 211, 24/7 to speak with counselors or access online directories for childcare information and referrals.
• FamilyWizeminorOthersFamilyWize partners with over 60,000 pharmacies nationwide to help families get discounts on prescriptions, promoting family health and wellness. Small Wonders promotes this resource to enrolled families.
• Paths to QUALITYcoreOthersIndiana's rating system for early childhood care and education programs. Small Wonders holds Level IV and Level III ratings, demonstrating commitment to quality standards recognized by the state.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Goddard School: Goddard School is a franchise of private preschool campuses serving infants through pre-K with play-based, accredited curriculum. Highly comparable product offering, age range, and franchise-driven local operation model to Small Wonders.
• Kids 'R' Kids: Kids 'R' Kids is a franchised early learning system for infants through school-age with accredited curriculum and proprietary programs. Similar multi-age, center-based private-pay preschool model with comparable licensing footprint.
• The Learning Experience: The Learning Experience operates ~300 franchised centers for infants through kindergarten, with a proprietary curriculum and enrichment programs. Comparable multi-age center model with private-pay positioning similar to Small Wonders.
• Chesterbrook Academy Schools: Chesterbrook Academy operates private preschool and elementary campuses offering infant care through pre-K with accredited programs. Comparable center-based, multi-age private preschool positioning to Small Wonders.
• Childcare Network: Childcare Network operates ~200 community-based centers across the U.S. serving infants through school-age, with a similar mix of tuition-funded and subsidy-supported enrollment. Closely comparable in operating model and customer base to Small Wonders.
• Primrose Schools: Primrose is a franchise system of private early childhood education schools (typically ages 6 weeks through pre-K, with after-school programs). Comparable as a center-based, multi-age operator using proprietary curriculum and an accredited/quality-rated model.

Broad incumbents

• KinderCare Learning Companies: KinderCare operates more than 1,500 community-based early learning centers nationwide serving infants through school-age children. Directly comparable multi-age, center-based model, but at national scale and with corporate curriculum and back-office systems.
• Learning Care Group: Learning Care Group operates more than 1,000 schools under brands including Childtime, La Petite Academy, and Tutor Time, serving infants through school-age. Comparable multi-age center model, but at national corporate scale and with broader brand portfolio.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Bright Horizons is the largest U.S. operator of employer-sponsored and community early childhood education centers. Comparable as a multi-site, multi-age licensed childcare provider, though at vastly greater scale and with corporate back-office infrastructure.
• YMCA Child Care: Many local YMCAs operate licensed before/after-school, preschool, and summer camp programs comparable to Small Wonders' after-school and camp offerings. Overlaps in age range, subsidy acceptance, and community-based positioning, but operates as part of a much broader nonprofit portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/small-wonders-daycare-preschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Small Wonders Daycare Preschool