A gym with childcare can be one of great fitness business ideas that offers members-parents the opportunity to stay fit while their kids are well cared for in a safe and engaging environment.
Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to start, develop, advertise, and run a gym with childcare services. We will include potential legal considerations, suggest what to offer to your members, and give branding tips for a kids friendly gym.
Key Takeaways
- A gym with child care is an innovative solution to a common problem for parents who don’t want to sit at home: how to maintain fitness while caring for their children.
- By focusing on high-quality childcare services, effective marketing, and leveraging technology like gym software, you can build a successful business that caters to the needs of modern families with kids.
- Pros and cons of running a fitness-childcare facility are the convenience it offers to parents and the competitive edge it provides, but it also involves high startup costs and complex operations to meet legal gym requirements and safety standards.
Business Idea: Gym with Child Care
The concept of a workout place with childcare combines fitness services with childcare hours. These kinds of gym business ideas make it easier for your members: parents, especially mothers, to take care of their health and reach their fitness goals. Without worrying about finding an hour or two of childcare for their kids.
This business offers a dual service: fitness classes and a childcare facility, creating a unique environment where gym members are supported in both their fitness and parenting needs.
Start, Develop & Run a Gym with Childcare Services
1. Market Research
- Understand your gym target market: Who may your new members be? Primarily think about mothers, fathers, and caregivers. They may have trouble finding time to exercise due to childcare responsibilities, but they don’t want to sit at home. How do they want to reach their fitness goals? Research their specific fitness needs and preferences.
- Assess the competition: Identify and watch other gyms in your area. Do they offer childcare? If so, what are their strengths and weaknesses? How can you gain competitive advantage? Prepare the answers and ideas to help you determine how you can differentiate your business.
2. Gym Childcare Business Plan
A solid gym business plan should include:
Services: Define the services you will offer to your members (fitness classes, personal training, full childcare, childcare hours, etc.). Imagine what you can do better than the others.
Revenue Model: Outline membership fees, class pricing, and kids care service costs. Consider offering discounts or other benefits for parents who use both services – workout and kids supervision for an hour or two.
Financial Projections: Estimate the cost to open a gym (space, equipment, staffing, licensing) and ongoing operational costs. Make sure to include childcare-specific expenses like toys for different ages, safety equipment, and costs of hiring additional staff. Is it going to be one hour a day or full time?
3. Legal Considerations
Childcare Licensing: In most places, running a childcare facility will require specific licenses. Research your local regulations regarding child-to-caregiver ratios, safety, and health standards.
Animator Permissions & Qualifications: Hiring staff (caregivers/ animators/ babysitters) with proper certifications in childcare and first aid. Their theoretical knowledge must go together with enthusiasm for working with both infants and older kids. Background checks and references are essential.
Parental Consent Forms: Parents must sign consent forms that outline their responsibilities, medical information for their kids, and permission to provide medical treatment in emergencies. These forms should also cover any risks involved in leaving a child in the gym’s childcare area.
4. Location and Facility Setup
Space Requirements: Your facility should include both a fitness area and a designated childcare area that is safe, spacious, and child-friendly. Ensure the childcare area is easily visible to parents but separate enough to give both adults and kids a sense of security and privacy.
Gym Equipment List: Invest in standard fitness equipment (treadmills, free weights, mats, etc.) and any specialized equipment that may cater to your target market, like postnatal fitness gear or kids friendly fitness tools.
Childcare Area Setup: Equip the childcare area with appropriate furniture, toys, books, educational materials, and a safe play area.
5. Gym Childcare Staffing
Fitness Instructors: Hire certified fitness instructors with expertise in various types of exercise (e.g., yoga, pilates, strength training, etc.).
Childcare Staff: Your kids’ care staff should be trained in child development, safety, and first aid. They must also undergo thorough background checks.
6. Gym Childcare Marketing & Advertising
Online Presence: Build a website that’s easy to navigate, with an option for online bookings. Consider using a website builder by WodGuru. In your website’s content highlight both fitness classes and childcare services. Use social media platforms to connect with your audience- post testimonials, fitness tips, family stories, and updates.
Local Advertising: Reach out to local parent groups, schools, or community centers to promote your gym. Consider running introductory promotions or offering free trial memberships to attract families.
7. What to Offer in a Childcare Fitness Facility
- Fitness Classes: Offer a range of fitness classes, including strength training, cardio, yoga, pilates, Zumba, or specialty classes like postnatal fitness routine. Tailor these to fit the needs of parents, including flexible timings for those with young children.
- Personal Training: Provide personal training services to clients who prefer individualized workout plans.
- Childcare Services: Offer a safe, engaging space for kids with supervised activities such as crafts, storytime, or playtime. Ensure the environment is educational and fun for the children of different ages.
- Childcare Hours: Consider offering services of baby sitters during peak hours (mornings, evenings, weekends) to accommodate parents’ busy schedules during the week.
8. Things to Watch Out For
Gym Health and Safety Standards: Make sure both the gym and childcare areas meet all health and safety regulations, including fire safety, sanitation, and childproofing.
Liability and Insurance: Get your business adequately insured, covering both fitness and childcare aspects. Liability insurance is particularly important for the kids’ care area.
Parent-Child Communication: Make it easy for parents to communicate with childcare staff and ensure a system for emergency contact if needed.
Clear Policies: Be transparent with parents about your policies for childcare – when they can pick up children, how long kids can stay, and any additional duties or fees during the week.
9. Typically Family-Oriented Branding
Here’s an overview of some most important points connected with gym childcare branding.
10. Technology Helps You Run a Child Care Gym
Running a gym with childcare requires an efficient system. Investing in a comprehensive gym management software can streamline your operations and improve client experience. Manage your child care gym like a pro!
Custom App with Childcare Branding
A custom fitness app can enhance the user experience by enabling members to:
- Book Fitness Classes: Reserve spots in fitness classes directly through the app.
- Book Childcare: Decide whether childcare is needed during the session and book childcare slots.
- Custom Branding: The app should reflect the gym’s family-friendly branding with logos, colors, and design that appeal to parents and kids alike.
Booking and Scheduling Software
To manage both fitness classes and childcare efficiently, use the best gym manager software with scheduling options.
- Integrated Booking System: Use a class booking software that integrates both gym classes and childcare reservations. Your members should be able to select if they need childcare for a specific class when they book.
- Capacity Management: The system should help track the number of kids in each childcare session and have it blocked to prevent baby sitter overbooking.
- Payment Integration: Allow parents to pay for their memberships and childcare services directly through the app or website.
Manage your gym
like a pro
Get more online bookings and increase your gym profit
11. Running a Gym with Childcare: 2 Options
Two concepts of offering childcare in a fitness facility, results in different branding and different target markets.
FAQ
Advertise a childcare gym by highlighting secure surroundings and convenience for mums and dads who can focus on their workout no matter the kids’ ages. Offer free trials, use social media to share testimonials and promotions, partner with local businesses, and target family-focused communities.
Pros:
- Attracts busy mums and dads, boosting memberships.
- Increases retention by offering a family-friendly service.
- Differentiates your gym from competitors.
Cons:
- High startup costs and ongoing expenses, as a result not everyone can afford memberships.
- Requires compliance with strict infants & childcare regulations.
- Increased operational complexity and staffing needs.
Offering a childcare service in your gym allows gym members-parents to pay you more for the convenience of a peaceful workout. They know that meanwhile their kids are protected, secure and attending to a safe environment where they won’t get hurt, also probably with some friends at the same age.
