<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-03-023895
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030919
<FILING-DATE>20030922
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CHILDTIME LEARNING CENTERS INC
<CIK>0001003648
<ASSIGNED-SIC>8351
<IRS-NUMBER>383261854
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MI
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0402
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>21333 HAGGERTY ROAD
<STREET2>SUITE 300
<CITY>NOVI
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>48375
<PHONE>248-697-9000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WINKELHAUS KATHRYN L
<CIK>0001263402
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-27656
<FILM-NUMBER>03904369
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>5040 OAK TREE CT
<CITY>ANN ARBOR
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>48108
<PHONE>7349441457
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd18894.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-19</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001003648</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CHILDTIME LEARNING CENTERS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CTIM</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001263402</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WINKELHAUS KATHRYN L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5040 OAK TREE CT.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ANN ARBOR</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>48108</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>VP &amp; COO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Right to Purchase</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>2.47</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>40000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>2.47</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-09-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-09-29</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>40000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>40000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option - Right to Purchase</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>2.47</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>160000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>2.47</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-09-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-09-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>160000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>160000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Reporting Person is permitted to acquire up to 40,000 shares of Issuer's Common Stock pursuant to this Right to Purchase.  If Reporting Person purchases less than 40,000 shares pursuant to this Right to Purchase, the number of shares subject to the Option granted to Reporting Person on the Transaction Date, will be reduced proportionately (see note 2 below).</footnote><footnote id="F2">The Option vests at a rate of 32,000 shares per year, for five years, on each anniversary of the Transaction Date,commencing September 19, 2004.  In addition, the vesting of the shares subject to the Option is further subject to Reporting Person purchasing 40,000 shares from Issuer, pursuant to the Right to Purchase granted on the Transaction Date at $2.47 per share within 10 days after the Transaction Date.  If Reporting Person purchases fewer shares pursuant to such Right to Purchase, the number of shares subject to the Option will be reduced proportionately, with a number of shares equal to four times the amount of the reduction being forfeited.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Kathryn L. Winkelhaus</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-22</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
