Preschool franchises are a part of the sizable children’s franchise industry. Preschool franchises help busy parents focus on their additional personal and professional needs and responsibilities knowing that their children are in safe-, qualified-, and experienced hands.
Expected to grow 4.3% in 2021, the U.S. day care industry, which contains preschools, is a $53.7 billion industry. Popular franchises in the preschool industry include: Kiddie Academy, The Goddard School, Primrose Schools, Huntington Learning Center, Tierra Encantada, Ivybrook Academy, Kidcreate Studio, Bricks 4 Kidz, Safari Kid, and more.
Preschool is now much more than just a place where children can go and play around. With a greater understanding of childhood development, parents are demanding more educational stimulation for their kids’ young brains.
As Richard Peterson of Kiddie Academy once told us in regards of the increasing demand for preschool to be both day care and early childhood education place:
<blockquote>“There's great demand for quality child care right now. It used to be that a parent was just interested in daycare, but now they're interested in quality education [as well]. Also, the brain is developing at that early age and a brain peaks at age three and at the age of five, 70% of that brain is developed.”</blockquote>
Although often considered the primary focus of the industry, not all preschool franchises that provide education programs include only traditional subjects like reading, writing and arithmetic. Exposing children and teens to art, music, and other supplemental learning subjects is a growing desire among parents.
Language Immersion A Specialty Preschool Area Gaining in Popularity
One of those areas parents are striving to increase their children’s exposure to in their preschool years is language. As a result, language immersion franchises are popping up across the country. “We are offering precisely what families today are looking for – and have the waiting lists to prove it,” says Tierra Encantada Founder and CEO Kristen Denzer.
The main goals of language immersion are to:
- enhance cognitive function;
- improve academic performance;
- develop an increased awareness and appreciation of other cultures; and
- potentially increase the child’s employment prospects in adult life.
The first language immersion programs are thought to be the ones set up in Quebec in the 1960s, eventually arriving in the United States in the early 1970s. Spanish immersion programs like the ones offered by franchises Tierra Encantada and Casa de Corazon are the most common in the U.S., but French, Chinese and German programs are notably popular as well.
“Study after study has shown that learning a second language at a young age has tremendous benefits,” says Denzer. “Children who learn a second language in an immersion environment have been found to have improved cognitive functioning, outscore their monolingual peers in verbal and math standardized tests, and are more empathetic in their ability to understand another’s perspective in communications.”
But many preschool franchises in this area aren’t stopping with just language immersion. They are also tapping into another trending desire for child care: an emphasis on natural living, complete with cloth diapers and fresh, organic food programs.
NOTE: Don’t worry if you don’t have bilingual language skills. You can still be a franchisee in this field. If you’re not bilingual, however, you will need to hire a center director who is. Also, with the training aspect of franchising, you don’t need a background in education either.
Preschool Franchises Helping Kids Cope with Pandemic
“As we emerge from the pandemic as a society, there is a need to support the social and emotional needs of children seeking a return to normalcy,” says Dennis R. Maple, Chairman and CEO of Goddard Systems, Inc., franchisor of The Goddard School.
To aid in that support, the franchise has developed initiatives such as Life Lesson Library, a collection of books to help young children learn five educational themes including 1) self-awareness, 2) self-management, 3) social awareness, 4) relationship skills, and 5) responsible decision-making.
“We are here to partner with parents in providing children the opportunity to grow and learn while having fun. We believe the best way to do this is through the power of interactive reading,” Maple also said. “Teachers read meaningful books, children participate in play-based activities adapted from those stories, and parents help these life lessons blossom at home.”
In addition to the positive impact on mental health and brain development, preschool franchises are also simply allowing for fun after a trying time.
For instance, birthday parties are a common event for parents to spend on. According to Business Insider, it’s not uncommon for wealthy parents to spend $50,000 or more. For companies like children’s art franchise Kidcreate Studio that factoid only underlines the potential out there for its franchise opportunity—even for parents that are much more budget conscious.
"Kidcreate gives them the perfect place” to safely host events," says the company. “They’ll be able to plan the perfect birthday party that is still COVID-19 friendly by hosting only small groups, implementing social distancing and masks while sanitizing all workspaces. Their kids can have an educational, creative, and fun experience on their birthday that they won’t easily forget.”
Initial Investment and Opening Costs for Preschool Franchises
The initial investment costs vary for different franchises depending on their particular business system and execution requirements.
Common initial costs associated with opening a franchise include the franchise fee, training expenses (such as travel and living expenses, not the actual training courses), the purchase of equipment, insurance and licensing, grand opening marketing costs, and more.
One major variable in the initial franchise investment of preschool franchises is the cost of real estate. Some preschool franchises, such as Kiddie Academy or The Goddard School, require a much more expansive build out in comparison to other franchises (especially if the real estate is purchased instead of leased). Furthermore, there are preschool franchises such as Bricks 4 Kidz that can be a mobile operation with the franchisee’s home as the base. The latter will, obviously, cost less to start.
You can also check out many more exciting opportunities, such as Child Care Franchises and Tutoring Franchises, here on Franchise Direct.