How Children’s Lighthouse’s Exceptional Curriculum Helps the Brand Stand Out as a Childcare Franchise

In the crowded field of child care, Children's Lighthouse has carved out a unique space for itself, offering innovative programs that cater to the holistic development of children. With a commitment to lifelong learning and a focus on consistency, Children’s Lighthouse is making waves as one of the best daycare franchise opportunities. A significant part of this success can be attributed to Dr. Kristi Smith, the director of education and training whose vision and expertise have helped shape the distinctive educational offerings at Children’s Lighthouse.

A Visionary Leader in Early Education

After earning her doctorate in educational leadership and facing personal challenges, Dr. Smith sought new opportunities to make a difference. “I wanted to do something more with my doctorate, something different,” she said, “and so I just started looking on Indeed and found the ad for the director of education and training at Children's Lighthouse Franchise Company position, and it was in my backyard ... It was a perfect fit.”

Dr. Smith’s experience and passion have been instrumental in developing the preschool franchise’s proprietary curriculum, which is designed to meet the evolving needs of children and families.

The Lighthouse Pathways Approach to Learning

“What we learned over the past few years is there are some things that children need now more than ever, and one of them is consistency,” Dr. Smith said. This insight led to the creation of the Lighthouse Pathways® approach to learning, which provides a seamless educational experience from infancy through preschool and beyond.

“We created programs that bridge home and school, preparing children for lifelong learning and success,” Dr. Smith said. Each classroom, from the infant stages through school-age children, has a carefully designed approach to ensure every child receives the right balance of individualized and group learning opportunities.

Children’s Lighthouse’s educational programs are tightly woven into the three research-influenced curriculums, each of which is designed to build upon the previous one and ensure that children have continuous and comprehensive learning opportunities on their journey to becoming life-long learners.

Lighthouse BRIGHT®: Nurturing Infants and Toddlers

Lighthouse BRIGHT® is the first curriculum on the Children’s Lighthouse path, designed for infants and toddlers as they begin their educational journey. 

Infant Programs

In the earliest stages, the Infant 1, Infant 2 and Infant 3 programs cater to these young learners, focusing on sensory exploration, communication development and nurturing care. The goal is to foster early cognitive and physical development through activities that promote discovery and engagement with their surroundings. Children are introduced to a stimulating environment that encourages early learning milestones.

Toddler Program

As children grow, they enter the Toddler program, which continues to build on the skills learned in infancy. This stage emphasizes early socialization, communication and the development of motor skills. Structured play and hands-on activities are introduced to spark curiosity and encourage toddlers to engage with their peers in a positive, collaborative environment.

At this stage, children begin expanding their learning areas, setting a foundation for more structured activities as they move through the early years.

“Lighthouse BRIGHT® helps children transition smoothly from infant to toddler stages,” said Dr. Smith. “We start with four Learning Areas and gradually increase to six as toddlers grow … We ensure that they have a balanced, nurturing environment where they can thrive developmentally. This program lays the groundwork for their future learning, and we take great care in supporting their growth every step of the way.”

Lighthouse CARES®: Holistic Preschool Learning

As children advance into the Lighthouse CARES® curriculum, designed for preschoolers aged two to five, the focus shifts toward a more holistic learning experience that helps them develop higher-thinking skills. This curriculum is based on skill development in ten learning domains and features nine Learning Centers. It prepares children academically while fostering social-emotional development and a love for learning and exploration. The balance between large group learning activities, small group lessons, and individualized discovery is central to this approach.

Preschool Programs

The PS2 and PS3 programs focus on preparing children for preschool, with an emphasis on both academic and social development. Children are introduced to basic concepts in literacy, mathematics and science through engaging activities that promote critical thinking. These preschool programs also emphasize emotional and social learning, helping children develop the skills they need to interact with others and navigate early educational environments.

In the Pre-K program, children build on their earlier learning experiences, focusing on kindergarten readiness. The curriculum is structured to ensure that children are prepared for the next step in their educational journey, with a balance of group and individualized learning.

For older preschoolers, the APK (Advanced Pre-K) program provides a more challenging curriculum that pushes children to further develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The program serves as an ideal bridge to kindergarten, giving children the opportunity to work on more advanced concepts in preparation for school.

“We focus on both academic preparation and social skills,” said Dr. Smith. “For example, in our ‘The Learning Wall’ large group time, children participate in many skill-based activities while learning how to be a part of a community, while our small group ‘Learning Lesson Session’ helps them build essential skills in learning domains such as emergent literacy writing and emergent literacy reading. Our ‘Centers That Shine’ time encourages children to explore activities based on their interests and creative abilities while developing skills in learning domains such as mathematics, science, social studies and fine arts.”

xSTREAM Quest®: Innovative Before- and After-School Curriculum

The third curriculum on the path is xSTREAM Quest®, which Children’s Lighthouse offers during after-school for school-age children from kindergarten to age 12. Recognizing that school-aged children need a different environment after a long day of structured learning, Dr. Smith and her team designed this curriculum to be as engaging and different from traditional classroom time as possible.

“These children don't want to get on a preschool bus after school and go to child care. And the last thing they want to do is come to us and feel like they have to have another school-day environment,” said Dr. Smith. “They need something completely different.”

The xSTREAM Quest® curriculum features a Questing Studio (classroom) with 16 monthly Challenges catering to different learning styles and interests in six Learning Labs focused on science, technology, reading, engineering, art and math. The program is designed to engage children and help them develop higher-order thinking skills.

“One of the things I know about school-age children is that there are different types of children with different interests in our programs,” said Dr. Smith. “We have some who like to be alone and some who like to work in a group. Some have a more scientific mindset, some are more of an athletic mindset and some might be of a more creative mindset — and so these Challenges are designed to meet the needs of all learners. We try to make some of the Challenges quick and easy, and some of them more in-depth to extend learning.”

The xSTREAM Quest® curriculum provides a sense of progress, momentum and achievement by encouraging “Questers” to work towards goals and earn badges as they explore and create based on their own gifts and talents. This approach has definitely earned Children’s Lighthouse its share of enthusiastic after-school students.

“We hear stories about children not wanting to go home because they enjoy it so much,” Dr. Smith said.

A Commitment to Excellence

Under Dr. Smith’s leadership, Children’s Lighthouse Franchise Company has also achieved accreditation from Cognia™, an organization that accredits systems and processes to ensure the highest quality of education. 

“That’s the difference between daycare and Children’s Lighthouse,” said Dr. Martin-Smith. “Cognia doesn’t accredit daycares or child care facilities; they only accredit schools — they accredit educational systems and processes to make sure that indicators are met as far as providing the best quality education for children possible.” 

With Dr. Smith at the helm, Children’s Lighthouse continues to set the standard in educational early learning. Her innovative approach, combined with a deep understanding of the needs of children and their families, ensures that Children’s Lighthouse remains a leader in the industry as it provides children with the tools they need for lifelong learning and future success.

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/childrens-lighthouse.