Total Child Preschool and Childcare

What Total Child Preschool and Childcare does

Total Child Preschool and Childcare is a nonprofit, non-sectarian early childhood education provider operating from a single facility at 516 Church Street in Evanston, Illinois, housed within the First United Methodist Church of Evanston. Founded in 1952, the school serves children ages 2 through 6 through four age-tiered full-day programs (Two-Year-Olds, Three-Year-Olds, Four-Year-Olds, and Junior Kindergarten), all operating Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, for 48 weeks per year. The curriculum is Reggio Emilia-inspired, play-based, and child-led, with proprietary enrichment layers including the Ease Keys social-emotional program (grounded in neuroscience and somatic research), Northwestern University theater collaboration, monthly visits from Evanston Public Library's Mr. Brian, and intergenerational programming with The Mather senior living facility.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through recurring weekly tuition ($432-$450 per week depending on age tier) and a one-time non-refundable $50 application fee per child. Tuition is all-inclusive, covering enrichment classes, materials, family events, field trips, vision and hearing screenings, two snacks, and a hot lunch daily. A 5% sibling discount and financial aid are offered, and families enroll directly via the school's website. Go-to-market is community-driven, relying on Facebook and Instagram presence, an extensive calendar of family events, and word-of-mouth referrals rather than paid acquisition.

The organization employs 12 staff across five classrooms, is led by Director Lisa Kampwirth (Master's in Early Childhood Education from Erikson Institute, 30+ years in the field) and Assistant Director Jessica Grace, and operates without external investors, M&A activity, or capital raises. It is a community-embedded, mission-driven operator whose competitive position rests on tenure (70+ years), credentialed teaching staff, and curated local partnerships rather than scale or technology.

Name

Total Child Preschool and Childcare

Legal name

Total Child

Website

https://totalchild.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Total Child is a nonprofit, non-sectarian preschool and childcare center in Evanston, Illinois, founded in 1952, serving children ages 2 to 6 through four age-tiered full-day programs built on a Reggio Emilia-inspired, play-based curriculum, with revenue generated from weekly tuition and application fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education and Childcare

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

General Preschools (Play-Based) (EDACABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Full-Day Nursery Programs (EDACACAD), Preschool Programs within Childcare Centers (EDACABAL)

Keywords

• Preschool education
• Childcare services
• Early childhood education
• Junior kindergarten
• Reggio Emilia curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Weekly Tuition: Full-day preschool and junior kindergarten programs billed weekly. Programs operate 48 weeks per year, Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 5:30pm. Tuition includes enrichment classes, materials, family events, field trips, vision and hearing screenings, and two snacks and hot lunch daily.
2. Application Fee: Non-refundable $50 application fee charged per child at time of enrollment application submission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Total Child provides full-day, year-round preschool, childcare, and junior kindergarten programs for children ages 2 to 5 (turning 2-5 by school-year cutoffs), delivered Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM for 48 weeks per year at a single Evanston, Illinois site. Programs are Reggio Emilia-inspired and play-based, with all-inclusive tuition covering enrichment activities (music, library visits, Northwestern theater collaboration, intergenerational visits), field trips, vision and hearing screenings, two snacks, and a hot lunch daily.

Product overview

Total Child Preschool and Childcare offers a single unified program portfolio centered on full-day play-based, Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood education. The core offerings consist of age-differentiated programs for Two-Year-Olds, Three-Year-Olds, Four-Year-Olds, and Junior Kindergarten, all operating full-day (7:30 AM to 5:30 PM) year-round (48 weeks). Enrichment Activities (music classes, library time, theater collaboration with Northwestern, intergenerational visits, field trips) and Summer Program are included as integrated components within the tuition. The company operates as a non-sectarian preschool housed in the First United Methodist Church of Evanston, with all-inclusive tuition covering materials, family events, field trips, snacks, and hot lunch.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Two-Year-Old Program Full-day preschool program for children who turn 2 by September 1, operating 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, focused on social skills development, language growth, and independence through play-based learning. Open to families in the Evanston, Illinois area.
• Three-Year-Old Program Full-day preschool program for children who turn 3 by September 30, operating 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, emphasizing social skills, language development, and independence in a structured yet playful environment. Toilet training is expected for enrollment. Open to families in the Evanston, Illinois area.
• Four-Year-Old Program Full-day preschool program for children who turn 4 by November 30, operating 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, providing academic readiness alongside social growth with a focus on early literacy and math concepts. Open to families in the Evanston, Illinois area.
• Junior Kindergarten Program Full-day Junior Kindergarten program for children who turn 5 by December 31, operating 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, offering advanced language and communication skills, social-emotional development, and strong academic foundations to prepare children for elementary school. Open to families in the Evanston, Illinois area.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• First United Methodist Church of EvanstoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFUMC provides Total Child with the use of the building as part of its mission of outreach to the community. This partnership enables Total Child to operate in a dedicated facility. There is no religious component to any of Total Child's programs, making this a community partnership rather than a religious affiliation.
• Evanston Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership with the award-winning Mr. Brian from the library. He visits 2- and 3-year-olds at the school monthly, while older students walk to the library for their session. This provides regular literacy enrichment and community connection.
• Northwestern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll classes collaborate with Northwestern to explore theater for young children. Through sensory, interactive drama, students imagine, write, and act in performances. The experience culminates with a special performance at the all-school picnic in spring. The school also asks on applications if parents are employees or students at Northwestern.
• The MatherminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior living facility one block from Total Child. Students visit to create crafts, read, write, sing songs, and form intergenerational friendships with residents. Provides community engagement and intergenerational learning opportunities.
• Evanston Community Fridges and PantriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTotal Child supports the community by donating excess lunch food with help from parent volunteers. This community service teaches children about giving back.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• The Goddard School: Franchise system of year-round, full-day private early childhood education programs for children 6 weeks to 6 years, emphasizing play-based learning and degreed teachers. Closely mirrors Total Child's pedagogical positioning at a multi-site franchise scale.
• Primrose Schools: National franchise system of accredited private early childhood education schools for infants through pre-K and after-school care. Comparable in delivering play-based, full-day preschool with a proprietary curriculum and degreed teachers, but distributed via a franchise model rather than a single community site.
• The Learning Experience: National franchise of early childhood education centers for children 6 weeks to 6 years offering full-day and year-round care with a proprietary curriculum. Comparable product offering (full-day preschool) at a multi-site franchise scale.

Regional players

• Evanston Community Nursery School: Local Evanston cooperative nursery school offering play-based early childhood education. Direct local competitor serving overlapping Evanston families with a similar play-based, parent-engaged model, though typically on a half-day/part-time schedule.
• Mary Meyer School: Evanston-based early childhood education school (preschool and kindergarten) with a play-based, child-centered curriculum. Direct hyperlocal competitor in the same Evanston market with comparable age range and pedagogical philosophy.
• Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School: Evanston private school offering early childhood through 8th grade programming, including preschool. Comparable as a community-rooted Evanston early childhood program, though faith-affiliated and operating on a different calendar structure.

Broad incumbents

• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: The largest U.S. provider of employer-sponsored childcare and early education, operating center-based programs for infants through kindergarten. Comparable as a full-day early childhood education provider, though at vastly greater scale and with a corporate/employer-sponsored model rather than a single community preschool.
• KinderCare Learning Companies: National for-profit operator of early childhood education centers serving children 6 weeks to 12 years across the U.S. Overlap is in full-day preschool and pre-K programming for working families; differs in scale, public-company status, and standardized curriculum.
• Chesterbrook Academy: Operates preschool and elementary schools for infants through 8th grade with year-round, full-day programming. Overlaps with Total Child in full-day preschool, junior kindergarten preparation, and enrichment-focused curriculum.

Emerging players

• Guidepost Montessori: Network of Montessori-inspired early childhood and elementary programs with year-round, full-day schedules. Comparable as a private, full-day early childhood education provider with a defined alternative pedagogy (Montessori vs. Reggio Emilia).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/totalchildpreschoolevanston/?hl=en&__coig_challenged=1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/total-child-preschool-and-childcare

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Total Child Preschool and Childcare