Summer is here — whether your program runs year-round, you're in the middle of summer camps, or you're taking a moment before fall planning kicks in. Here's what's new in brightwheel this month. 💜
💳 In-person payments
🍝 Menus fully revamped
📚 Curriculum Preview 2026/27
⭐️ Help your staff get their CDA
🎉 Open House with CEO Dave Vasen
[Coming soon] Accept family payments on the spot
In-person payments are coming to brightwheel. Accept card payments right from your phone or tablet using Tap to Pay — no card reader needed, no extra hardware. Take a look at how it works so you're ready when it rolls out.
Not yet using brightwheel Billing? Discover Billing
Brightwheel's menus just got an upgrade
Menus got a full revamp. You can now upload an existing paper menu, and brightwheel builds a reusable template for you — no retyping required. Or you can create a new menu template from scratch.
Understand your CACFP claim checks
Claim checks scan your attendance, student, and meal records before you submit — flagging potential issues so you can fix them before they affect your reimbursement.
See what's new in Experience Curriculum for the new school year
The 2026/27 curriculum is ready to browse. See what's new across age groups and get a head start on fall planning now.
Send families a developmental snapshot
Experience Assessments documents each child's progress — shareable with families. Works with Experience Curriculum or any curriculum your program is already using.
Help your staff get their CDA this summer.
120 hours. State-accepted. On their schedule.
✅ Meet state annual training hours while earning their CDA
✅ 120-hour roadmap personalized by state and credential track
✅ Unlimited course access, as low as $1–2 per course
Summer is a great time for staff to knock out required hours — and right now, annual subscriptions are 30% off through June 30.
💻 Brightwheel Open House with CEO Dave Vasen
Join us live on June 25 (9 AM PT | 12 PM ET) to get a first look at in-person payments, CRM, brightwheel AI, enrollment forecasting, and more. Live attendees earn a certificate of attendance, and 5 will win an Experience Curriculum Play Kit. Can't attend? Register, and we'll send you the recording. Register now
☀️ Summer activities for your program
Hands-on outdoor play, science exploration, sensory activities — ideas you can run right in your program this summer. Read the guide
🎉 Free Independence Day Celebration Kit
A gift from Experience Curriculum: party-planning materials for a 4th of July celebration — printable invitations, games, and more. Print as many as you need and bring the whole community together. Download the kit
✅ Not using brightwheel Billing?
Check out our Back-to-school billing readiness checklist to help you get your billing organized ahead of new enrollment. Get the checklist
Have ideas for what we can include in future newsletters?
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