our_story
The History of Treetop Friends
How a passion for early childhood education grew into a curriculum loved by teachers and children across Texas.
Our Story: Created in the Classroom,
Not a Boardroom
In 2009, Brandi Watterson opened her first preschool in The Woodlands, Texas — not as a curriculum designer, but as a mom who couldn't find quality childcare for her own children.
"From day one, every decision was filtered through one question: 'Would this be good enough for my kids?'"
As her schools grew, Brandi's team tested curriculum after curriculum — and kept running into the same problems. Some programs were packed with crafts and activities but lacked the structure children need to be truly kindergarten-ready. Others buried teachers in worksheets and overwhelming prep work, leading to burnout and unused materials collecting dust on shelves.
There had to be a better way.
In 2020, after more than a decade of hands-on classroom experience across multiple childcare centers, Brandi and her team of early childhood specialists created Treetop Friends — a modern, research-based curriculum designed for how children actually learn and how teachers actually teach.
What started as a mom's mission has become a movement. Today, Treetop Friends is a Texas Rising Star Approved Curriculum trusted by schools across the country.
We didn't design this in a corporate office. We built it in the same classrooms where we teach every day — and you can feel the difference.
Be Part of the Story
Join the growing family of schools and educators bringing Treetop Friends into their classrooms.