When we play, we learn.
For more than 50 years, Kaplan Early Learning Company has been a champion for play. From our research-based curricula to enriching classroom environments and innovative technology solutions, Kaplan’s products and services inspire a lifelong love of learning in children and educators. We are architects of learning good and defenders of the imagination. We live for inseparable bonds and open minds. We encourage the eager and inspire the inspirers. Together, we transform lives through play.
We deliver possibility.
At Kaplan, we believe that play is serious business. From our office environments that foster open communication and creative collaboration, to our distribution center where learning and play are handled with care daily, Kaplan operates within the unique structure that is a family-owned business with an international impact. Despite delivering learning experiences to educators, children, and families around the globe, Kaplan has a small-town feel where every voice is included, ideas are nurtured, and we work tirelessly to champion play.
Kaplan is committed to creating equitable experiences for all—we have a lot of work to do, and we’re just getting started. Discover what steps Kaplan is taking towards creating lasting change on our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page.
Our Core Values
Core Belief: When we play, we learn
Our Mission: To champion play as a transformative learning experience.
Our Vision: Inspire a lifelong passion for learning in all of us.
Let’s Get to Work on Play
We are dedicated to building meaningful relationships with our local communities. Through educational opportunities, volunteering, corporate sponsorships, community outreach, and more, Kaplan makes giving back a priority.
Kaplan is a proud partner of diverse local and national organizations, and employees are also encouraged to participate in the Corporate Volunteer Program—a collaborative partnership with the Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools—as well as special events like Ronald McDonald House’s Sport a Shirt, Share a Night campaign or our annual Kaplan Community Playdate.
From supporting Universal Pre-K and early literacy through partnerships with Family Services and Forsyth County Public Libraries, to fighting childhood hunger alongside H.O.P.E of Winston-Salem and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina, our community partnerships are more than photo opportunities. They’re a chance to allow all Kaplan employees and their families to authentically engage with their local community in ways they may have never imagined, and an opportunity to change children’s lives through the work we do on and off Kaplan’s campus.
A Rich History of Play
In 1951, Leon and Renee Kaplan opened their first toy store in downtown Greensboro, NC. The store, Tiny Town, later moved to West Fifth Street in Winston-Salem, NC, where they continued to offer unique toys and gifts that promoted learning through play. In 1968, Leon founded Kaplan School Supply, which embodied his vision of providing developmentally appropriate resources that help foster the growth of the whole child: cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. Kaplan School Supply eventually became Kaplan Early Learning Company, which quickly developed into a leading international provider in the field of early care and education.
Today, Kaplan Early Learning Company continues to embody Leon and Renee’s vision by providing quality early childhood resources to school systems, childcare centers, and federally supported programs. The company's corporate headquarters is located in Lewisville, NC, and the site houses office space, a warehouse, a state-of-the-art distribution center, and the Kaplan Outlet Store. Thanks to the dedication, loyalty, and hard work of Kaplan employees, the company has tripled in size since 1990 and continues to be a leading international provider of products that enhance children's learning.
