How to Open a Play School?
All businesses are aimed at earning money. However, some businesses are more than just simple money making ventures. They give you inner satisfaction and a feeling that you have done something for the community and indeed the country. Opening a play school is such a business which is not only very lucrative in terms of making money but also gives you a chance to shape the future of the country. After all, children are the future of the country. While the other businesses make the product, a play school carves the character of children. These children would one day be the citizens of our country. So in a way play schools are important building blocks of the nation.
Many people see playschools just as another business which has a lot of potential in money terms and so do not give proper attention to finer details. Running a play school is not like running a factory. It needs your love, care and attention to finer details which could make all the difference. Even a painting on the wall could make a lot of difference. Then there are ethical and legal issues that you should be aware of before opening a play school. A play school plays an important role in molding the child and forming the base for his or her education. So the answer to how to open a play school depends upon how responsible you are to the society.
So when you ask how to open play school, ask how well can you run it. To begin with, familiarize yourself with the laws of operating play school in your state. There are no central laws governing opening of the play schools but some states do have some laws about them as education happens to be a state subject. For instance, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have laws for private education. For more details, you can consult a Preschool Consultant regarding this. Once done with the legality of the playschool you can work on choosing the place and name.
Next important thing is to take a decision regarding the place of the school. For this, you need to properly understand the area you are going to open your play school in. The most important thing to know is the number of play schools already running in the area; number of children they are catering to, type of facilities they have and quality of education they are imparting and underlying philosophy they have. Proper understanding of the play schools in the area is a must. This could make or mar the prospects of your play school.
Then you have to decide whether you would like to do it on your own or go with a franchise. If you want to jump start your school without going into the hassle of starting a play school from scratch, then Franchise option is most suited as Franchise come with the advantage of a recognizable brand and a template in place for curriculum and business operations.
Franchises are potentially very profitable, and an easier root to success but you need to pay an upfront amount. If you are willing to do that you have a play school up and running in no time.
If you wish to go solo however, you will have to spend the time to decide the curriculum, recruit the staff, arrange for props, toys, teaching aids etc. to start the play school. Moreover, the Play Schools run by franchisee have the additional advantage of branding. The market research shows that most people prefer franchisee play schools over the independently run play schools.
The selection of teachers is yet another very important decision even if it means paying some extra bucks to hire quality staff. This is an investment you would never regret and these teachers and staff in turn would act as a magnet to attract children. Yet another big-ticket tip is to not indulge in gimmicks to market your school or any cheap antics to market yourself. To sum up, give the most emphasis on the following things to start a play school.
1. Select a good location for the school, preferably which has less competition and sizable population.
2. Opt for a good school building either leased or owned but aesthetically done and having open space.
3. Do invest in quality toys and equipment.
4. Pay heed to the quality curriculum.
5. Be ethical and ensure the same in your staff and impart good moral values. This costs nothing but helps you build your reputation over time.