FOR PEOPLE WITH A HEAD FOR BUSINESS AND A HEART FOR EDUCATION
Own a Childcare Franchise Built on 30 Years of
Happy Families
Be your own boss, build something your community loves, and still be home for dinner. We hand you the curriculum, the systems, and a team that has done this for three decades.
Book Your Discovery Call
$2,001,863
Average unit volume across Ducklings centers*
Real humans
real heart
20+ locations
open & expanding
Open territories
PA · NJ · DE
You Own the Business. You Keep the Life You Love.
This one is yours. You call the shots, you build something that matters in your own community, and you do it without giving up the parts of life that matter most. No nights. No weekends. No holidays. Our owners run full, thriving schools and still have their evenings to relax, recharge, and be with the people they love. Fun and family are the whole reason the model works.
- BE YOUR OWN BOSS
- NO NIGHTS, WEEKENDS, OR HOLIDAYS
- PRESENT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO MATTER
You Bring the Heart. We Bring the Playbook.
No childcare background required. Here is what stands behind you.
Full support, from day one
We help you find the site, negotiate the lease, and guide the build. We also help you train your team and guide your grand opening marketing. The same family-owned team stays with you long after. You are never doing this alone.
A curriculum families love
Our proprietary curriculum, Here We Grow!™, Off We Go!®, and Shake a Tail Feather!®, built by educators and delivered through a digital planning tool, so every classroom feels like Ducklings and every day is full of discovery.
A business that can’t be automated
Childcare is hands-on and relationship-based. It is a teacher on the floor at eye level, a parent handoff at the door, a room full of people who know each other. Plenty of careers are being rewritten right now. This one is built on the part that stays human.
A recession-proof industry
In 2025, 68% of mothers with children under 6 were in the workforce, and the U.S. childcare market is projected to keep growing through 2035. Families need great care whether the market is up or down.
Your territory is protected
Your market is yours. No other Ducklings franchisee may open or advertise in your defined territory, so the community you build stays yours.
Owners Who Found What They Were Looking For
The Ducklings Way
LEAD WITH FUN & HAPPINESS
Laughter is the soundtrack, smiles are the dress code, and joy is the guiding principle.
HONOR FAMILY & COMMUNITY
An extension of home and the foundation of the community at large.
INSPIRE CREATIVITY & INNOVATION
Room for children, staff, and owners to explore, dream, and discover.
PROMOTE COLLABORATION & TEAM WORK
A kind, supportive, and inspiring environment where everyone contributes.
EMBRACE GROWTH & SUCCESS
Honest child development, empowered career advancement, and purposeful business expansion.
What Ownership Actually Costs
| Investment Item | Figure |
| Franchise Fee | $108,000 |
| Total Investment Range | $936,900- $2,464,500 |
| Net Worth Required | $1 million |
| Liquid Capital Required | $150,000 minimum |
| Owner Operator | Required(1) |
| Child Care Background | Not required |
Build Something Your Family Will Be Proud Of
A business you own. A community you shape. A life that still has room for the people you love. There is open territory near you and a family ready to help you build. Book a discovery call and let’s see if Ducklings is your fit.