- Free Version: Available for teams of up to 10
- Pricing: Premium plan $24/month (with a free 30-day trial period)
- Platforms supported: Available on mobile app (iOS and Android) or a web-based software
SafetyCulture (iAuditor)
Why use SafetyCulture?
A top-rated inspection platform, SafetyCulture enhances childcare facilities’ operational efficiency by automating routine processes. These tasks include personnel scheduling, attendance tracking, payroll, and billing. By reducing the administrative burden, teachers and teachers’ aides have greater freedom to devote more time and attention to their students’ developmental needs and to interact with parents more effectively. With SafetyCulture’s daycare management software, schools can guarantee holistic growth and learning for their students.
Features:
- Uphold accountability and ensure compliance with regulations through real-time reporting of tasks, observations, and incidents. Add time stamps and media documentation for full transparency.
- Enhance consistency of care by downloading digital checklists, like preschool safety inspection and daycare forms from the Public Library to personal mobile devices.
- Ensure a safe environment for toddlers and pre-schoolers by tracking and resolving concerns.
- Facilitate seamless information exchange among staff, parents, and management via Heads Up, but ensure privacy by controlling the recipients of critical alerts and actionable items.
- Equip caregivers with essential skills by scheduling refresher courses and training to provide high-quality care and education to students.
Why use Procare Solutions?
This 30-year-old childcare management software offers a fully integrated solution so daycare businesses can create a systematic client database, monitor student attendance, and streamline tuition collection so that they concentrate on the learning, welfare, and safety of the children under their supervision.
Features:
- Automated billing with bank reconciliation
- Scheduling with time cards
- Lesson plans and assessments
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Available upon registration (with a free demo and a limited offer of a three-month free use for new clients)
- Platforms supported: Web, On-premise, iOS, Android
Why use HiMama?
Highly favored by educators and caregivers across North America because of its end-to-end capabilities, HiMama simplifies administrative duties, provides continuing education and guidance to the teaching staff, engages families, and delivers a robust curriculum that focuses on intentional learning.
Features:
- Comprehensive record management
- Family mobile app
- Digital curriculum and state-approved library of topics
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Packaged quotes are provided upon registration (free demo also offered)
- Platforms supported: Web, iOS, Android
Why use Kangarootime?
This is a fully-integrated solution that connects the different aspects of the operations. With Kangarootime, the everyday stressors associated with running a childcare facility are reduced or eliminated, enhancing the educators’ ability to improve their relationship with parents and care for the children.
Features:
- Childcare management systems
- Business operations
- Parent communications
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Contact the software provider for more information (a free demo is available)
- Platforms supported: Web, On-premise, iOS, Android
Why use Brightwheel?
A leading all-in-one platform for early learning, Brightwheel simplifies routine office work and builds quality connections with the staff and families so that young children can receive the care and education they deserve.
Features:
- Communication center management
- Experience curriculum and lesson plans
- Daily activity reports
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Available upon registration (with a free demo)
- Platforms supported: Web, PC, iOS, Android
Why use Jackrabbit Care?
Established two decades ago and currently serving over 7,000 clients worldwide, Jackrabbit Care is a childcare software that streamlines various processes so all stakeholders – school administrators, teachers, parents, and their young students – can achieve their goals.
Features:
- Comprehensive child record management
- Check-in and out kiosk
- Parent engagement
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Starts at $69 per site per month for up to 49 students (with a free demo)
- Platforms supported: Web, iOS, Android
Why use LifeCubby?
The only digital solution designed by a center owner, LifeCubby’s comprehensive features support childcare management from efficient record keeping to hassle-free activity monitoring. With this software, center directors, staff members, and parents can collaborate better for the welfare of the toddlers and preschoolers enrolled
Features:
- Administrative dashboard
- Interactive events calendar
- In-app live messaging
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Contact the software provider for more information (a free demo is offered)
- Platforms supported: Web, iOS, Android
Why use Sandbox?
This comprehensive digital solution for childcare helps thousands of daycare administrators and teachers handle the massive amount of paperwork they need to go through every single day so that they can get down to the more important job at hand – ascertaining that the children they are tasked to supervise are kept in a safe learning environment.
Features:
- Child and staff profiles
- Photos and updates
- Instant messaging
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Starts at $47 per month for up to 24 children, billed annually (live demo may be requested)
- Platforms supported: Web, iOS, Android
Why use iCare?
This digital solution offers numerous tools that automate tasks, manage teams, increase compliance, and improve services to children and their families. With iCare, growing a successful childcare business becomes less challenging and more fulfilling.
Features:
- Automated accounting (billing and payments)
- Check-in attendance
- Communication tools through chat, e-mail, and SMS
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Starts at $50 per site per month for 20 students and less in a home-based setting (free demo and a 15-minute live consulting may be scheduled)
- Platforms supported: Web, Desktop (Windows), iOS, Android
Why use Sawyer?
Created by parents for educators, this full-featured childcare software ensures that centers for early learning are fully equipped to handle administrative work, provide the care and education the children need, and involve parents in their children’s progress.
Features:
- Activities scheduling
- Real-time reporting
- Payment processing
- Free Version: None
- Pricing: Launch plan costs $109 per month, billed annually (with a free trial)
- Platforms supported: Web, iOS, Android
What is Daycare Software?
Daycare software is a digital solution initially designed to streamline the numerous administrative tasks in childcare, particularly those that cater to pre-schoolers and toddlers. But it does more than that. Features like centralized data storage, automated scheduling, and real-time mobile updates lessen the time and encourage collaboration among faculty members and other non-teaching staff. Most importantly, the software facilitates communication between the center and the parents, fostering a safer and more productive environment for the children.
Importance/Benefits
The primary role of educators in childcare centers should be nurturing the young minds of their wards. Daycare software enables them to allocate more time and attention to children’s developmental needs and foster a safer, better-structured, and enriching learning environment. Here are the top benefits of this digital solution:
- Efficient administration – The software streamlines processes like enrollment, attendance tracking, and even billing. By eradicating laborious, error-prone and resource-intensive manual workflows, the teaching staff can focus more on educational activities than paperwork.
- Data accuracy – There are several advantages to digitizing information, particularly in a setting where there is an excessive amount of form-filling, billing, bookkeeping, compliance reporting, and correspondence with parents. The platform improves record management through a secure data repository with ease of access, constant monitoring, and quick sharing capabilities.
- Enhanced parent engagement – By creating a centralized communications portal, parents are in the loop about school activities and events. They can also track their children’s learning progress. Last, but not the least, the school will be able to send them emergency notifications and alerts.
Key Features
Daycare software is a specialized digital solution, but it may be offered as a module in more comprehensive platforms like Quality Management Systems. Reviewing the functionalities can help you decide which to get. Here are some of the must-haves:
- Forms and template repository
- Document management in a centralized database
- Online registration
- Attendance tracking
- Staff scheduling
- Curriculum development
- Meal planning
- Child progress tracking
- Activities monitoring
- Incident management
- Billing automation
- Collaborative tools
- Parent communications portal
- Reporting for compliance
- Analytics
- Training for educators
- Integration with third-party apps
- Mobile accessibility
Selecting the Right Daycare Software
Choosing suitable daycare software is vital for efficient childcare management, as this directly impacts daily operations and, most importantly, the well-being of the children under your care. The options listed above are top solutions that can support the diverse needs of both administrators and young learners. Take another look at all ten in the summary below.
| Daycare Software | Free Version | Paid Plan | Mobile App |
| SafetyCulture | Yes | $24/user/month* | Yes |
| Procare Solutions | No | Contact for pricing | Yes |
| HiMama | No | Contact for pricing | Yes |
| Kangarootime | No | Contact for pricing | Yes |
| Brightwheel | No | Contact for pricing | Yes |
| Jackrabbit Care | No | $69/site/month for up to 49 students | Yes |
| LifeCubby | No | Contact for pricing | Yes |
| Sandbox | No | $47/month* for up to 24 students | Yes |
| iCare | No | $50/site/month for up to 20 students | Yes |
| Sawyer | No | $109 per month* | Yes |
* billed annually
