Acquisitions - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Children's Choice Learning Centers [Member]	Jul. 22, 2013 Children's Choice Learning Centers [Member]	Jul. 22, 2013 Children's Choice Learning Centers [Member] United States Center	Sep. 30, 2013 Children's Choice Learning Centers [Member] United States	Sep. 30, 2013 Kidsunlimited Group Limited [Member]	Apr. 10, 2013 Kidsunlimited Group Limited [Member]	Apr. 10, 2013 Kidsunlimited Group Limited [Member] United Kingdom Nursery	Sep. 30, 2013 Kidsunlimited Group Limited [Member] United Kingdom	Sep. 30, 2013 Huntyard Limited [Member]	May 31, 2012 Huntyard Limited [Member]	May 31, 2012 Huntyard Limited [Member] United Kingdom Center	Sep. 30, 2012 Huntyard Limited [Member] United Kingdom	Jun. 30, 2012 Huntyard Limited [Member] United Kingdom	Sep. 30, 2013 Huntyard Limited [Member] Minimum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Huntyard Limited [Member] Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member] Business
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of centers acquired								49				64				27
Cash consideration								$ 54,200,000				$ 69,000,000				$ 110,800,000					$ 7,000,000
Business Acquisition Cost									1,700,000				1,800,000				500,000	500,000
Goodwill	1,097,447,000		1,097,447,000		997,344,000	38,800,000	38,818,000			53,600,000	53,604,000			49,600,000	49,573,000						5,200,000
Amortization of Intangible assets	7,699,000	7,116,000	22,049,000	20,298,000		12,800,000				17,900,000				6,000,000
Amortization period of Intangible assets						10 years				8 years									5 years	7 years
Percentage of share purchase agreement												100.00%
Deferred tax liability										4,100,000				1,500,000
Number of businesses acquired																					2
Cash through acquisition																					2,600,000
Intangible assets including customer relationship							12,800,000				17,901,000				6,004,000						2,900,000
Working capital in relation to acquisition																					1,500,000
Increase in goodwill														3,900,000
Contribution of revenues by acquired business	$ 308,663,000	$ 267,927,000	$ 899,599,000	$ 797,512,000										$ 74,700,000