Wondering how to start a home daycare? Or are you already running a home daycare but looking for help on issues that you are having, like client issues or contract help?
Running a successful home daycare can be so rewarding and can help your family financially. However, it can also be stressful and leave you feeling isolated. You don’t have to do this alone though! Here you’ll find many tips and advice on how to start a home daycare as well as tips for running a home daycare successfully from an experienced daycare provider.
How to Start a Home Daycare
Starting a daycare in your home is overwhelming and can be intimidating for new providers. I know when I was thinking of opening I had no idea where to start. To help save others from some of the many mistakes I made I have created several resources that offer advice on some of the common issues that new daycare providers face. I’ve compiled each of these articles below in order to create a big list of home daycare resources to help make the process of how to start a home daycare less stressful.
Are you already running a home daycare? No problem! This list is for you too! It also offers advice for current daycare providers looking for help and tips to help their program run smoothly. Let an experienced provider save you from making the same mistakes that she did, mistakes that many new home daycare providers make.
From deciding if home daycare is right for you to creating a contract and even steps to avoid burnout, below you find a wealth of information on starting and running a successful home childcare program.
Home Daycare Tips and Advice
Just click the links or the images below to find out more about each topic! Don’t see what you are looking for more information about? Leave me a comment below and I’m happy to help answer any questions!
Pros & Cons of In-Home Daycare
Daycare Providers vs Babysitters
Tips for Termination Daycare Clients
8 Truths About In-Home Daycare
Avoiding Burnout for Daycare Providers
10 Things Parents Should Expect
The Big List of Tax Deductions
Home Daycare Cleaning Checklists
15 Fun Books Every Daycare Needs
Daycare-Friendly Bathroom Hacks
Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting
Tips for Interviewing Daycare Clients
Pet Peeves of Daycare Providers
Household Items Your Daycare Needs
Advertising Your In-Home Daycare
Must-Have Toys for Home Daycare
Social Media Etiquette for Providers
Interview Questions Providers Should Ask
Dealing with Angry Daycare Clients
12 weeks of Sample Daycare Menus
Is Your House Right for Home Daycare?
More questions about running a home daycare?
Leave me a comment!
Starting a daycare in your home is stressful, scary, and exciting all at the same time! It can feel overwhelming when you first make the decision but hopefully, the articles above will help guide you through the journey of starting and running your childcare business successfully.
Looking for a community of experienced daycare providers?
Whether you have been in this business for years or are just now starting out having a network of fellow childcare providers to connect with is so important. Want to join our community? Hop over to my daycare provider’s Facebook group today! Just request to join and soon you will have a whole community of experienced daycare providers to help support and encourage you! Post questions, share ideas, and connect with other providers! Join our community today!
Also, check out my daycare forms and full daycare contract template! Shop Now!
What do you want to learn more about? Leave me a comment with a topic you are interested in learning more about!
Need crafts and activities to keep your daycare kids busy? Check out our index for 100+ plus kids activities! Find activities by theme, materials, skills, age and much more!
I ordered your book and a forms. I paid but haven’t gotten download information? Am I missing a step somewhere?
Hi Jessica! I’m sorry that you are having trouble! It should have emailed you the download link immediately when your order was processed. Did you receive an “order complete” email? You should be able to click on the title of each file in your order complete file and it will download. I just resent it to you, but I don’t always trust technology to do what it’s supposed to so if you don’t get it please email me whereimaginationgrows3@gmail.com and I’ll email you a copy of the files.
It occurred to me I hadn’t checked spam yet! It got routed there. š Sorry for the hassle. I should have thought to check.
Thanks for your help!
Really thanks for sharing this useful post !! This post is very informative and i have got very good information about how to start a daycare. keep sharing !!
This child care agreement template is amazing.. I really didn’t even know where to start to write up a contract. Thank you million times. Really saved me.
Hello,
I am wondering if there is any specific insurance that is required for an in home daycare? Thanks for all the helpful info!
Hi Amanda! It is highly recommended that you have liability insurance to cover any incidents that could occur. Generally, homeowner’s insurance policies will not cover the daycare or anything that happens as a result of the daycare. Here is a good article on the importance of liability insurance.
There are several companies that you can check in with, coverage varies by state and needs so you’d have to get a quote based on your specific needs. Here is a list of companies that provide daycare insurance. I also know that some larger companies, like State Farm and American Family, sometimes offer additional liability insurance for daycare.
In my home daycare provider’s FB group there have been several discussions about insurance. Sometimes searching these FB groups is a good way to see what others are paying, especially if someone happens to be in the same location. You can join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/homedaycareproviders/
Hi I am just starting to put together my business plan for my in home daycare. The part Iām struggling with the most is what to do if my own children (school aged) are sick. What do you suggest?
I have read other places that suggest telling the parents and keeping kids separated (obviously) which seems pretty feasible especially since I have a 2 story home and my care center will be in the basement. The parents can then choose to bring their kids or not.
Hi Rebecca! I think it depends on the level of sickness. For minor colds and illnesses, I usually will keep my child separate as best I can (it’s much easier with school-agers) and then let my daycare parents know. As my child has gotten older, if she is able to stay separate all day I don’t always notify parents beforehand and just have business as usual. If it is more serious or something that is highly contagious, I usually will close until my child is better or no longer contagious. I do not give refunds for sick days (mine or theirs), but a lot of providers do offer discounts if they close or have a certain number of sick days they are allowed to take in their contract.