Back in the day, as my grandma would say, we used to have large archiving boxes and furniture with thousands of papers holding all kinds of data. Today, all you need is a light and flat laptop with access to an invisible cloud. It’s almost magical! This wireless revolution has had a huge impact on most, if not all businesses. The childcare industry is no stranger to the revolution.
On top of all the tech changes we are facing, our industry has also changed, in part, due to the perceived role of mothers in society. Working moms don’t go back to more than 1 or 2 generations. Back then, mom stayed home full-time, caring for the children while juggling all the household tasks. Later on, mom started working outside of the home and grandma watched the grandchildren. Nowadays, families are less able to afford childcare. Grandma may still have to work. And finally, we have come to realize the importance of early education. For a vibrant economy and thriving society, parents need reliable, full-time childcare they can trust. Quality childcare isn’t just a family support- it’s a cornerstone of economic growth.
According to Grandview Research¹, the childcare market was estimated at around 65 billion USD in 2024 and expected to grow to 109 billion USD by 2033! The demand for high quality early care and education has never been higher. It is now that we need to embrace all technological changes to serve this great demand in the most efficient way both for providers and for parents.
Here are some ways to digitalize your childcare business by allowing technology to ease your administrative work while continuing to improve the quality of care in steps with the fast-changing society:
- Childcare Management Systems (CMS)
These systems are automatically designed for childcare owners to manage most, if not all logistics related to their business operations. These may include student registration and managing waiting lists, parent communication, invoicing and payments, staff management, curriculum, and more.
- Cloud storage and digital documentation
Simple and mostly free, being able to store pictures, videos, and documents online is a game changer. It helps your business stay clutter-free and allows for a more secure way to keep confidential information since you are able to protect through password authentication requirements.
- Security cameras
A bit of an upfront investment, but once ongoing, monthly service fees are inexpensive. These are really important to protect your students, your staff, and your business. An internet connection allows these cameras to be accessed from your phone, allows security on your premises 24/7.
- Curriculum apps and digital resources
Although we worry about children’s screen time, days, we worry about children’s screen time, Digital aids can expand on children’s learning experiences, such as read-a-long, cultural appreciation and recording students’ performances. For instance, it is as easy as saving your favorite teaching songs on a playlist and even recording students singing along.
- Parent communication and media sharing
Technology makes daily communication with parents timely and convenient. Encrypted messaging via CMS is the safest way to share pictures, videos, and information about their children. Parents love knowing how much learning fun their babies have daily.
These are only a few tech options that will help you grow your childcare business with ease and organization. Although researching products, services and prices takes time and energy, it is worth doing in the end. The technological world continues to advance and involves all other industries in its growth. As business owners, it is critical to embrace technical learning opportunities and allow us to take part in the ever-growing technology industry.
