Opens in a new tab

FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a The Learning Experience Franchise

The Learning Experience (TLE) is one of the largest childcare and early education franchises in the United States, caring for children from six weeks to six years old. Its centers run a proprietary curriculum, L.E.A.P.® (Learning Experience Academic Program), which builds early learning around hands-on activities and a cast of more than 90 branded characters designed to keep young children engaged.

The model is based on purpose-built centers of roughly 10,000 square feet with outdoor playgrounds, operated on a protected territory. TLE is known for an unusual real estate approach: the franchisor sources sites, partners with developers to build and equip each center, then hands the operator a turnkey location. The network has grown to more than 450 centers open, with several hundred more under development nationwide.

Founded in 2001 by the Weissman family and franchising since the early 2000s, TLE is headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida. In 2025 a majority stake was acquired by private equity firm Harvest Partners, the latest institutional owner backing the brand’s national expansion.

Latest Resales

  • There are currently no The Learning Experience resales available
Register your interest

Why buy a The Learning Experience Franchise?

The Learning Experience sits in early childhood education, a category supported by dual-income households and steady demand for quality care. The brand pairs that backdrop with national recognition, a proprietary curriculum and one of the more developed support infrastructures in the sector, which can make an established center an appealing platform for an owner who wants a recognised name rather than an independent daycare.

To buy a The Learning Experience franchise is to enter a system built for multi-unit growth: around 45% of franchisees go on to own two or more centers, and the turnkey real estate and operations model lets owners scale without managing buildouts themselves. The proprietary L.E.A.P.® curriculum and business-intelligence tools give operators a differentiated product and a way to track performance across locations.

The Learning Experience Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1980

    • Franchising Since

      2003

    • New Startup Cost

      $780,799 – $5,608,799

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $60,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $25,000

    • Royalty Fee

      7%

      of monthly Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      1%

      of Gross Revenue; up to 2.5%

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      417

    • New Units Opened *

      54

    • Units Transferred *

      29

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $2,163,703

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

The Learning Experience – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Incoming owners are onboarded through TLE's initial training program, with 65 hours of classroom training and 156 hours of on-the-job training, plus ongoing support once a center is operating. The franchisor supplies the proprietary L.E.A.P.® curriculum and its 90-plus brand characters, ongoing marketing resources, leadership and P&L financial coaching, a dedicated operations team, and business-intelligence technology for tracking performance and communicating with families. Resale buyers should confirm with TLE what transfer training and curriculum-system access carry over to a new owner, plus the certification status of inherited staff.

  2. Ideal Owner

    TLE suits hands-on local operators and managing owners comfortable running a staff-led business: recruiting and retaining teachers, overseeing enrollment and parent relationships, and maintaining licensing and quality standards. It also appeals to growth-minded investors targeting multi-unit ownership, since the model is built for scaling. Prior education experience is not required given the training provided, but strong people management, community engagement and operational discipline matter more than a classroom background.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    TLE is consistently ranked the #1 childcare franchise on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 and a leading early-education brand by Franchise Business Review, which named it among its Top Franchises and Top Franchises for Women for 2026, with a 4-star franchisee satisfaction rating. The brand has also appeared on Forbes' Best Franchises in America and the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies. For resale buyers, brand recognition should be weighed alongside the specific center's local reviews, enrollment and community reputation.

  4. Industry / Market

    Demand for US childcare and early education has expanded steadily, supported by dual-income households, population growth and research linking early learning to long-term outcomes. Industry forecasts point to revenue growth of around 5% a year over the next five years for the childcare sector. The category is relatively resilient because care is a working-family necessity rather than discretionary spending, though local demand depends on neighborhood demographics, birth rates and competition, all of which matter when assessing an individual center's catchment.

Learn more about
how to own a The Learning Experience franchise resale

Please fill out the form below and a Franchise Flippers expert will be in touch with you shortly.

The Franchise Brand Index

This page is part of Franchise Flippers’ independent franchise Index, designed as an educational resource to help potential buyers explore the franchise resale market and compare brands.

Trademark & Affiliation Disclaimer

This website is an independent, informational resource. All trademarks, logos, and brand names displayed are the property of their respective owners and are used solely for identification and educational purposes. Their use does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or sponsorship from the respective trademark holders.