In December 2022, Christine Guan opened The Learning Experience – Wilton to create a high-quality early childhood experience for her sons and other children. A former Kindergarten teacher and Bridgewater Associates veteran, Guan had searched for daycare for her first son, but she struggled to find a facility that met her standards.
“I visited dozens of daycares and preschools, and it was hard for me to find a place where I felt comfortable leaving my son Kai. I was pregnant with my second son, and I was nervous. I thought about quitting my job,” says Guan.
Her experience resonated with many of her coworkers and moms that she knew living in Ridgefield, Wilton, and neighboring towns. “My friends were afraid of returning to work after their maternity leave ended. Some did not,” she says.
Guan partnered with The Learning Experience, a franchisor, to develop a high quality early childhood center serving infants to preschool students Today, she owns The Learning Experience – Wilton and an already established Learning Experience in Newtown with her college sweetheart and husband Indra.
“My husband is from Ridgefield and what impressed me when we moved here was the quality of public schools in this area. I wanted to match that environment in the daycare and preschool setting,” says Guan.
That aspiration dovetails with Guan’s business and education background. She received a Masters in Education from Harvard University and spent multiple years teaching Kindergarten and 1st Grade in public schools. After teaching, she worked at Bridgewater Associates, an asset management firm. The two backgrounds blend together perfectly to make her schools successful.
The Learning Experience places a large emphasis on safety. “We do thorough background checks and only hire teachers that I would feel comfortable leaving my own children with. My husband is a volunteer firefighter in Ridgefield and is also occasionally dispatched to Wilton. We have our pulse on the latest safety trends,” she says.
The addition of Center Director Bunny Kolf has helped the Wilton school get off to a strong start. Kolf led a successful early childhood center in Ridgefield for many years and has worked for The Learning Experience for over 3 years. “Bunny is a trusted and known entity in this area. She is the mom of three grown children and has proven leadership skills,” says Guan.
The Learning Experience – Wilton strives to make early education and daycare joyful, engaging and fun so children are happy to learn, play and grow. To learn more, interested families can e-mail wilton@tlechildcare.com •
