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20 Best Daycare Franchises [Cost, Fees]

Do you want to start a daycare franchise but you lack ideas? If YES, here are 20 best profitable daycare franchise opportunities for sale and their cost. It is an established fact now that many children spend more time in daycare facilities than they do with their parents.

One major factor that has helped to push the popularity of daycare centers is the fact that an increasing number of households have both parents working full time, leaving no time for the kids, and thus making daycare or childcare facilities their only option.

Daycare facilities provide care, nurturing and companionship, as well as cognitive and intellectually stimulating activities for the children under their care so that they would grow up into well rounded individuals. This is one of the advantages children/daycare facilities have over home care.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, daycare businesses will have some of the fastest employment growth of all industries through 2022, and it has been reported that child daycare businesses have grown nearly 9% over the last 12 months.

If you are looking for an entrepreneurial opportunity in the childcare/daycare industry in the United States, then you should consider these very profitable childcare/daycare franchises.

20 Best Daycare Franchise Opportunities for Sale and the Cost

1. KidsPark

KidsPark is a professionally staffed, state-licensed drop-in, hourly child care facility for infants and preschoolers. The mission of KidsPark is to provide infant and preschool children with a safe, nurturing, developmentally appropriate education and play environment, while providing their families with a professional, low-cost hourly childcare. The facility takes in children who are anywhere from 17 months to 5 years old.

  • Initial Investment – $185,000 to $340,000
  • Net-worth Requirement – $500,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $45,000 to $65,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $22,500
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 5%
  1. Montessori Kids Universe

Montessori Kids Universe offers a Nido Curriculum specifically designed for babies from 6 to 12 months. It focuses on fostering basic trust in the child.

The youngest members of the Montessori Universe Kids community are kept in the Nido (Italian for “nest”) which is designed with a special movement area specific to this age group’s needs. In this space, the children have access to Montessori materials designed specifically for infants; a quiet sleeping area with individual beds/cribs; an eating area equipped with child sized tables and a physical care area for bathing and changing.

  • Initial Investment – $301,535
  • Net-worth Requirement – $250,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $125,000 to $150,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $56,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 6%
  1. Park Place Children’s Center

Parks Place is a preschool where children are made to feel safe, happy, and inspired to learn. Their goal is to help children gain confidence, positive self-esteem, and a love for learning. The school aims to help children learn through play.

They believe that while playing, children develop their own knowledge through creativity, interaction, exploration and imitation of role models. The school equally provides specific toys and activities in the appropriate learning environment to promote independence and foster decision-making skills and in the children.

  • Initial Investment – $2,783,000 to $4,537,500
  • Net-worth Requirement – $650,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $420,000 – $680,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $120,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 6-7%
  • Ad Royalty Fee – 1%
  1. All About Kids

About Kids Childcare and Learning Centers provide children with a great learning environment, with the help of a caring and well-trained staff that work one-on-one with the kids to build a solid foundation for them. Each of their state-of-the-art facilities are built to meet the needs of children from 6 weeks to 12 years and the various play groups are separated by age of the children.

  • Initial Investment – $2,677,500 to $3,372,500
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $25,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $50,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 5%
  1. Adventure Kids Playcare

Adventure Kids Playcare is a daycare facility that allows children to play, explore and learn. The care givers have an energetic and positive personality, love being around children and making a difference in their lives. The kids in addition to being well cared for, are given the opportunity to develop their mental capabilities and also discover their skills.

  • Initial Investment – $344,250 to $589,000
  • Net-worth Requirement – $350,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $100,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $29,500 to $29,500
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 5%
  • Ad Royalty Fee – 2%
  1. Children’s Lighthouse  

Children’s Lighthouse was founded in the 1990’s in Fort Worth, Texas and began franchising in 1999. Franchise locations offer educational child-care and day care services for ages six weeks up to 12 years. Children’s Lighthouse believes that helping children and families achieve their goals and dreams is one of the most important things you can do in life.

By taking full advantage of this franchise opportunity, you will not only become a leader in educational child care, but you will share your guidance, experience, and passion to impact other’s lives as you improve your own.

  • Initial Investment – $635,500 to $4,511,000
  • Net-worth Requirement – $600,000 to $950,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $300,000 to $500,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $70,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee 7%
  • Ad Royalty Fee $250 per month
  1. KLA Schools

KLA Schools offer preschool, daycare and childcare services to babies and children. The school offers a dynamic, developmentally appropriate program that is focused on early childhood education. Their goal is to provide a place where children’s abilities, competences, and natural aptitudes are nurtured in ways that develop new and inherent talents.

They utilize smaller class size and individualized attention to foster long lasting positive effects on children’s learning, especially when given this privilege during early years of education.

  • Liquid capital required – $200,000
  • Net worth required – $350,000
  • Investment – $466,500 to $1,465,250
  • Franchise fee – $60,000
  1. Lightbridge Academy

Lightbridge Academy offers childcare and early learning services. They offer care programs for children from six weeks to six years old, including after-school enrichment and summer programs. Each school is a licensed childcare, with staff trained in early childhood education or childhood development.

  • Initial Investment – $525,728 to $728,635
  • Net-worth Requirement – $1,000,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $200,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $60,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 7%
  • Ad Royalty Fee – 2%
  1. Genius Kids

Genius Kids believe that education is not just about learning facts but about learning how to think confidently and being able to express creatively without fear. It is about learning to act with purpose to make good choices. At Genius Kids, public speaking and speaking on the microphone starts right from when the child can talk.

The facility prides itself on equipping the child with critical life skills of confidence, communication and love for learning, incorporating smart board interactive technology and public speaking. Genius Kids also run a daycare for 3 to 24 month old’s, and they expose the infants and toddlers at an early age to phonics, reading, language, music and motor activities.

  • Initial Investment – $239,900 to $619,500
  • Net-worth Requirement – $250,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $250,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $50,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 6%
  • Ad Royalty Fee – 1%
  1. Kiddie Academy

Kiddie Academy offers educational childcare services. George and Pauline Miller founded the Academy in 1981 to provide education-based child care. Kiddie Academy provides its franchisees with curriculum and helps them obtain all the licenses and permits necessary to build and operate the business.

The company specializes in serving children under the age of 5 through programs that include infant day care to prekindergarten activities. Among other things, Kiddie Academy offers programs for school-age children, summer camps and special programs in sign language and Spanish.

  • Initial Investment – $459,300 to $4,281,000
  • Net-worth Requirement – $550,000 to $1,000,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $200,000 to $550,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $135,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 7%
  • Ad Royalty Fee – 2%
  1. Discovery Point

Cliff and Diane Clark opened the first Discovery Point child development center in 1988. They both combined their unique experience to produce this child care service. Cliff was a small business owner and Diane was a teacher. In addition to childcare, the center offers learning and enrichment programs.

  • Initial Investment – $263,411 to $3,406,261
  • Net-worth Requirement – $1,500,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $500,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $75,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – $5.4K/mo.
  • Ad Royalty Fee – $1.8K/mo.
  1. Primrose School Co.

Primrose Schools is a childcare service that offers year-round programs for children from six weeks to six years old, including after-school enrichment and summer programs. Each school is a licensed educational childcare facility. Primrose School Franchising Co. provides continuing education for all teachers, as well as corporate Quality Assurance programs.

  • Initial Investment – $716,680 to $5,829,078
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $480,562 to $699,489
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $75,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 7%
  • Ad Royalty Fee  – 2%
  1. The Learning Experience Academy of Early Education

The Weissman family, founders of The Learning Experience, have been providing education-based childcare services for over 30 years. Following a brief retirement, the Weissmans decided to re-enter the childcare industry in 2000, building on their experience to create The Learning Experience. The company began franchising in 2003 and has extended its curriculum to include extensive enrichment programming.

  • Initial Investment – $493,549 to $3,585,549
  • Net-worth Requirement – $500,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $150,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $60,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 7%
  • Ad Royalty Fee – 1%
  1. Goddard Systems Inc.

The Goddard School is an early childcare facility that offers year-round programs for children from six weeks to six years old including after-school enrichment and summer programs.

Goddard Systems Inc. (GSI) is the franchisor of The Goddard School. Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, GSI currently has franchises throughout the United States. Each school is a licensed childcare facility with an on-site owner, an Education Director and a faculty director trained in Early Childhood Education or Childhood Development.

  • Initial Investment – $611,900 to $734,100
  • Net-worth Requirement – $750,000 to $2,000,000
  • Liquid Cash Requirement – $150,000
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $135,000
  • Ongoing Royalty Fee – 7%
  • Ad Royalty Fee – 4%
  1. Wanna Play Playcare

This childcare facility began with the objective of making the lives of families with young children easier by taking the children off the hands of their parents in the day. The school offers a convenient on demand drop-in child care, flexible preschool, full time care, camps and after school care.

Wanna Play playcares are designed with children 6 weeks to 12 years in mind, and the school has a modern, whimsical design that is appealing to both children and parents. The primarily play based program encourages children to explore, experiment and socialize. Children have a safe, creative place to play and learn, and parents don’t have to compromise quality for convenience.

  • Minimum Cash Required – $75,000
  1. Legacy Academy

Legacy academy is a day care facility that provides the best child care learning experience by empowering children to be the best they can be. Instead of referring to their facility as a day care, they prefer to use childcare, because according to them, children are their focus. Throughout each day, they care for individually unique, inquisitive and fascinating infants, toddlers and young children entrusted to them.

  • Minimum Cash Required – $250,000
  1. The London Day School

This school is a childcare facility that addresses the whole child, combining essential academic skills with a focus on social and emotional development. London Day School focuses specifically on early childhood development, and their classes are designed to attract parents that want their children to experience where teacher to student ratios exceed state standards.

  • Liquid Capital Required – $100,000
  • Total Investment – $254,000 to $364,000
  1. Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy

Pat and Janice Vinson, the founders, opened the first Kids ‘R’ Kids in 1985. Just three years later, Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy started franchising. Their philosophy is centered on ‘Hug First, Then Teach’.

Kids ‘R’ Kids has made a commitment to achieve the highest possible standards in infant childcare, preschool and elementary education. They pride themselves on being one of the top franchisors in the childcare industry with innovative educational strategies that focus on the overall development of the child.

  • Liquid Assets – $400,000
  • Net Worth – $750,000
  1. Tiny Hoppers Daycare

Tiny Hoppers opened its doors in January 2005 in Ottawa, Canada. By being recognized as a premier, award winning Early Learning Centre, they have attracted attention both nationally and internationally.

Tiny Hoppers focus on giving children a safe, fun and unique play environment. All their instructors are certified professionals in their fields of expertise and they have teamed up with leading educational experts in all areas to bring children unique and stimulating programs that are exclusively available at Tiny Hoppers.

  • Investment – $385,000 to $600,000
  • Franchise Fee – $50,000
  • Royalties – 5%
  • Net Worth – $400,000 to $800,000
  • Liquid Assets – $125,000 to $250,000
  1. Growing Room Children Development Center

Growing Room provides an enriching environment with nurturing teachers and a planned, developmentally-appropriate curriculum for infants ranging from 6 weeks to preschool. Each infant has his or her own primary caregiver to ensure nurturing and bonding and they equally have age-appropriate, state-of-the-art playground areas.

Growing Room Tallahassee opened its first child development center in 2010. Growing Room Tallahassee is a franchise of Growing Room USA.

  • Initial Investment – $490,700 to $2,199,400
  • Initial Franchise Fee – $40,000
  • Royalty Fee – 7%