The Top 15 Children's Franchises You Can Buy in 2023 For those in the market for a children's franchise, these 15 franchises are a great place to start.
By Entrepreneur Staff •
Interested in buying a franchise? You must first identify which business type is best for you.
From educational programs and tutoring services to swimming, martial arts, music and other extracurricular activities, children's franchises span numerous industries, making the potential for opportunity and expansion endless.
So for those in the market for a children's franchise, these 15 franchises are a great place to start, based on our 44th Annual Franchise 500 List.
Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now and take this quiz to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.
1. Kumon
Initial franchise fee: $2,000
Initial investment: $67,428-$145,640
Number of U.S. franchise units: 1,625
Kumon is the after-school learning center where kids can start as young as three and stay through completion of the program at calculus and Shakespeare. Kumon kids stand out because they not only master math and reading, they develop skills for success such as focus, confidence and grit.
2. The Learning Experience Academy of Early Education
Initial franchise fee: $60,000
Initial investment: $589,419-$5,225,419
Number of U.S. franchise units: 281
Since being founded in 1979, The Learning Experience Academy of Early Education has been teaching children from six weeks to five years old in innovative and engaging programs. Offering daycare and early childhood education programs, The Learning Experience Academy of Early Education has attempted to become known for its vibrant centers and lovable characters, making education fun and effective.
3. The Goddard School
Initial franchise fee: $135,000
Initial investment: $181,300-$7,360,100
Number of U.S. franchise units: 595
Since its founding in 1983 and subsequent franchising in 1988, The Goddard School has become a leader in childcare as one of the largest franchised preschool systems. The company offers year-round programs for children aged six weeks to six years, including after-school enrichment and summer programs. This includes the company's comprehensive, play-based F.L.EX. Learning Program (Fun Learning Experience) which focuses on building children's emotional, academic, social, creative and physical skills.
4. Goldfish Swim School
Initial franchise fee: $50,000
Initial investment: $1,355,283-$3,266,858
Number of U.S. franchise units: 130
Are you ready to help your kids dive into one of the most well-known swim schools around? Goldfish Swim School offers swimming lessons to kids from the age of four months to 12 years. It may equip swimmers with life-saving and life-changing skills.
5. Mathnasium
Initial franchise fee: $49,000
Initial investment: $112,860-$149,155
Number of U.S. franchise units: 949
Mathnasium is North America's leading math-only supplemental education franchise. Its founder, Larry Martinek, spent three decades developing methods and materials to help give grade-school children a better foundation in math. Since 2002, the Mathnasium Method™ has been transforming the lives of children in grades 2-12, helping them understand, master and love math.
6. Kiddie Academy
Initial franchise fee: $145,000
Initial investment: $417,000-$4,530,000
Number of U.S. franchise units: 300
Kiddie Academy is a year-round child care center that operates out of a specialized system. It provides academic and social enrichment for children between six weeks and 12 years of age. Kiddie Academy is a place where children are nurtured in a positive environment that can help kids feel the support they need while still in early development.
7. Primrose Schools
Initial franchise fee: $80,000
Initial investment: $651,900-$8,454,000
Number of U.S. franchise units: 472
Primrose Schools strives to provide a balanced learning approach, which it believes will build a strong academic foundation for children. The company generally focuses on providing the best education by fostering great relationships and utilizing a broad curriculum.
8. Huntington Learning Center
Initial franchise fee: $36,000
Initial investment: $148,017-$263,072
Number of U.S. franchise units: 277
Huntington Learning Center offers individualized in-person and online tutoring programs for K-12 students nationwide. Huntington Learning Center offers a business model that is based on helping students achieve world-class results through individualized instruction, with the primary goal of giving every student the best education possible.
9. Aqua-Tots Swim Schools
Initial franchise fee: $50,000
Initial investment: $520,095-$1,176,237
Number of U.S. franchise units: 103
The Aqua-Tots swimming curriculum has been tried, tested and proven to be effective. There are six programs designed to help children aged four months to 12 years old learn how to swim safely.
10. Premier Martial Arts
Initial franchise fee: $49,500
Initial investment: $183,650-$421,800
Number of U.S. franchise units: 218
Premier Martial Arts helps thousands of children learn self-defense and stand up to bullying, become accountable for their actions and learn life lessons that promote confidence, integrity and respect. Parents are turning to karate and martial arts as a sport for kids, often with the goal of developing character and discipline while having fun.
11. Skyhawks Sports Academy & Supertots Sports Academy
Initial franchise fee: $15,000-$42,500
Initial investment: $30,300-$89,750
Number of U.S. franchise units: 154
The Skyhawks Sports program offers afterschool sessions, clinics, summer camps and tournaments to children between the ages of four and 14. The program offers sports activities such as American football, flag football, tennis, golf, basketball, baseball, volleyball, track and field.
12. School of Rock
Initial franchise fee: $49,900
Initial investment: $395,800-$537,400
Number of U.S. franchise units: 203
Founded in 1998 by Paul Green, School of Rock is the startup that inspired the movie of the same name. The company strives to enrich children's lives through performance-based music education. Its core educational belief is if students play the songs they love, they may be more interested in learning music.
13. Lightbridge Academy
Initial franchise fee: $40,000
Initial investment: $621,233-$5,088,750
Number of U.S. franchise units: 47
Lightbridge Academy, which was founded in 1997 and began franchising in 2011, is an early childhood education daycare and development center. The brand tries to create genuine, caring relationships with every family member as it ensures the education and well-being of each child.
14. D-BAT
Initial franchise fee: $45,000
Initial investment: $536,450-$1,031,100
Number of U.S. franchise units: 109
D-BAT provides indoor training for baseball and softball, complete with batting cages. D-BAT's founders started by offering private lessons to players depending on their level of training. It did not take long after that for them to create a facility with equipment for different training levels and become a full-fledged business.
15. Once Upon A Child
Initial franchise fee: $25,000
Initial investment: $276,200-$417,400
Number of U.S. franchise units: 352
Established in 1984 and franchised since 1992, Once Upon A Child is one of the largest and most prevalent children's resale businesses in North America. It sells gently used clothes, books, toys, shoes, equipment and much more.
For more information on the best franchise opportunities of 2023, check out our 44th Annual Franchise 500 List — a comprehensive list of franchise leaders across various industries. If you're interested in a big-name brand with decades of history or hopping on the next emerging trend, there's something for every prospective franchisee.
Related: Here's How You Can Tell Which Franchise Opportunity Is Best for You
