Tia Sauls
Tia Sauls is an early education specialist who helps families and educators navigate the child care, early education, and K–12 landscapes.
Hosting a childcare open house is one of the most effective ways to meet families, build trust, and increase enrollment in your program. It gives parents a chance to see your space, meet your staff, and understand what makes your daycare or preschool different.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to plan, promote, and run a successful open house from start to finish, so families leave feeling confident, connected, and ready to enroll.
The most successful open houses are simple: they are well-planned, welcoming, and focused on what families actually care about.
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A Simple Way to Plan Your Open House
What Your Open House Needs to Achieve
What Makes a Childcare Open House Successful?
Step 1: Promote Your Open House Early
Step 2: Prepare a Space That Feels Safe and Welcoming
Step 3: Create an Engaging Experience for Children
Step 4: Focus on What Families Care About Most
Step 5: Personalize Each Family’s Experience
Step 6: Make Enrollment Simple and Clear
Step 7: Collect Contact Information
Step 8: Follow Up Within 1–2 Days
A Simple Way to Plan Your Open House
Think of your open house in three phases:
|
Phase |
What to focus on |
|
Before |
Promotion, preparation, and staffing |
|
During |
Creating a welcoming, engaging experience |
|
After |
Following up and guiding families to enroll |
The steps below walk you through each phase.
What Your Open House Needs to Achieve
Your open house should move families from interest to enrollment.
To do that, focus on three clear outcomes:
- Build trust so families feel confident leaving their child in your care
- Show what makes your program different from other providers
- Make the next step (enrollment) feel simple and easy to complete
If your open house achieves these three things, families are far more likely to choose your program.
What Makes a Childcare Open House Successful?
Every strong open house includes four core elements:
|
Element |
What It Looks Like |
Why It Matters |
|
Early Promotion |
Social posts, flyers, emails |
Brings families in the door |
|
Welcoming Environment |
Friendly staff, clean space |
Builds trust quickly |
|
Child Engagement |
Activities and play stations |
Keeps children happy |
|
Clear Information |
Enrollment steps and materials |
Helps families decide |
Step 1: Promote Your Open House Early
Promotion is what drives attendance. Start at least 2–3 weeks before your event.
Use simple channels that reach local families, such as social media, your website, email newsletters, flyers in local businesses, and referrals from current families. You can also use platforms like Winnie to collect and showcase reviews, giving families a trusted third-party place to learn about your program before they visit.
Word-of-mouth is especially powerful. Families are more likely to attend when invited by someone they trust.
Step 2: Prepare a Space That Feels Safe and Welcoming
Families often decide how they feel about your program within the first few minutes.
Focus on clean, organized classrooms, clear signage so families can find you easily, a warm welcome at the door, and displays of schedules, curriculum, and children’s work.
The goal is to help families picture their child in your care.
Step 3: Create an Engaging Experience for Children
A successful childcare open house is not just a tour, it is an experience.
The most memorable open houses focus on connection and hands-on interaction, not just information.
Set up simple activity stations such as art, sensory play, or building blocks. When children are engaged, parents can focus on learning about your program.
Step 4: Focus on What Families Care About Most
Families usually look for three things when choosing childcare:
Trust and Safety
Be clear about your safety practices, staff qualifications, and daily routines.
Transparency
Walk families through what a typical day looks like. Show, not just tell, how your program works.
Community
Help families feel like they belong. Introduce staff and create opportunities for conversation.
Step 5: Personalize Each Family’s Experience
Every family has different needs. The more you listen, the more you stand out.
Ask simple questions like what families are looking for in childcare and what matters most for their child.
Then tailor your responses to match their needs.
Step 6: Make Enrollment Simple and Clear
If the next steps are confusing, families may not follow through.
Explain clearly how to apply, what documents are needed, enrollment timelines, and costs and payment options.
You can also guide families to explore available spots and compare programs by directing them to find daycare and preschool options on Winnie.
Step 7: Collect Contact Information
Always collect contact details from attendees.
Use a simple system such as a sign-in sheet, a QR code form, or a digital sign-in tool.
This ensures you can follow up after the event.
Step 8: Follow Up Within 1–2 Days
Following up is one of the most important steps.
Send a quick message to thank families for attending, answer any remaining questions, and share enrollment steps.
Strong follow-up keeps your program top of mind and increases enrollment chances.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid common mistakes like not promoting your event enough, having no activities for children, overloading families with information, not collecting contact details, or delaying follow-up.
Keeping things simple and focused leads to better results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you attract families to a childcare open house?
Promote early using social media, email, and referrals. Clear messaging and reminders help increase attendance.
What should you include in a childcare open house?
Include tours, staff introductions, child-friendly activities, and clear enrollment information.
How long should a childcare open house last?
Most events last 1–3 hours, giving families enough time to explore without feeling rushed.
How do you follow up after an open house?
Send a thank-you email within 1–2 days with next steps and answers to any questions.
Do open houses increase childcare enrollment?
Yes. They help families build trust and make faster decisions about enrolling.
