Things You'll Need:
- A business plan
- A facility
- Patience and love
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Step 1
Before you do anything, work in a daycare center for a few months. Sometimes, what looks like the ideal job when you’re on the outside is a very different thing when you’re on the inside. You don’t want to put all your resources into launching a new business, only to discover that you really can’t deal with runny noses, wet pants, and tattle-tales.
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Step 2
Learn everything you can about the administrative aspects of running a daycare center. Review your state’s regulations; learn what you must do to become licensed. Know how many children you can have in your care at one time, and the accepted adult to child ratio. It's a lot of work and it's probably very complicated, but your knowledge will make the rest of the project much easier. Become licensed.
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Step 3
Explore all the legal issues that daycare providers face. We all know that kids fall, that they get cuts and scrapes, but you just can’t tell when someone’s loving parents will hit you with a lawsuit. Consult a lawyer and get great insurance coverage.
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Step 4
Find an appropriate physical facility. You may want to use your own home, or you may want to open your daycare in a separate facility. Either way, you will need enough space for the children to play (maybe even a small playground), cribs, and small tables for crafts and “school.” In addition, you are going to need kitchen facilities (at the very least, you’ll need to provide lunch for the children).
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Step 5
Find the absolute best staff to help you with the daycare center. Be certain that, like you, they have experience with young children. You may need to run background checks to reassure yourself, and the parents, that everything is safe and clean.
