Running a Play School - Regulations, Requirements and Promotional Tips

Play schools rules and regulations in India – Latest Updates:

• Basic first aid kit has to be available at all times and there should also be a quarterly check up of all children in the school by a medical practitioner who is duly registered.
• Adequate fire protection has to be in place and periodic pest control should be also be done.
• Comprehensive records related to the enrolment, attendance, medical details and fees have to be maintained by the school for inspection at any time.
• There has to be 1 teacher and 1 caregiver for every 20 children.
• Children should not be subjected to more than 3-4 hours of instructions or learning in a day.
• The building of the preschool should have adequate ventilation, hygiene and a clearly demarcated boundary wall.
• The learning aids for teaching have to be provided to each class based as per the curriculum.
• Toilets should have soap, water with clean towels and at the right height for easy access. There has to be a separate toilet for the disabled children.
• A well stocked library with books and audio visual material along with adequate number of sports equipment have to be provided by each school.
• The rest room and the play areas have to be separate with CCTV surveillance.

Tips:

• Give regular feedbacks to parents. Discuss about their kids performance, likes and dislikes. This will increase their trust on you.
• Conduct programs where teachers, parents and kids can attend together like Annual day. Dancing events, poem competitions etc. will help the children and also help build the brand of the school
• Be available for the parents on call, text or email. Their most priceless possession is with you and they may get worried.
• Having a website or online presence will do you well when new parents search of schools. Update it with photos, address and contact details, teacher’s details, upcoming events etc.
• Give discount to the parents who cant afford your fees but still wish the best for their kids. It is always good to pay back to the society and you will definitely be rewarded for it some other way.
• Learn managerial actions if you are planning to control multiple locations. Plan everything ahead like giving salaries, accepting fees, completing government requirements, office works etc. This will help in smooth functioning of your business.
• Invest in people to manage your business and also the teaching staffs. It will increase your standards.
• Have tie ups with other schools so that you can guarantee parents with ease of admission for their kids to higher grade when they join your play school.

• Have trained teachers-
  Teachers should have knowledge of childcare and Montessori teaching. Have at least one experienced staff that can train the others. If the teacher is good, children reach home happy and so them and their parents will do the marketing for you.

• Provide exceptional ambience-
  Kids are very much influenced by what they see and they grasp better with different colours. Dry environments can make children cranky.

• Provide best health care-
  Staffs should be trained to identify kids who may be suffering from symptoms of various diseases. Rainy season is especially dangerous in India. Have a thorough understanding of the allergies or other health issues every child faces. Make sure they have taken all necessary vaccinations or else advice the parents about the same. They will be grateful for your efforts.

• Sanitation-
  Have clean spacious bathrooms for the kids. This is a growing concern for many parents these days.

• Safety & Security-
  All the learning materials should be safe for kids to use. Teaching and non-teaching staffs should have a proper track record. Surroundings of the campus should be secure. Kids are to be handed over to the concerned person only.

• Interiors & Exteriors-
  Design the whole place with kids in mind. Have education-based materials, toys and kits and update them at frequent intervals so that kids are not bored of using the same thing. Exterior should also bring enthusiasm in kids.

Promotion:

• Advertise through banners, newspaper ads, and the Internet.
• Use social media to your advantage. Have a posting schedule for Facebook, Instagram etc.
• Distribute leaflets in your neighbourhoods or get your pamphlets to be distributed along with morning newspapers in your target areas.
• Conduct summer camps and other contests to bring in kids.
• Conduct small picnics in nearby areas. Ask the parents also to accompany. Everyone will have a good time together and this will also show off your school brand to the public.
• Tie up with nearby societies and resident associations. Work together to support social issues.
• Expand your business by opening more franchises. Once you learn how to run one, it won’t take double efforts to run two. However, make sure you can monitor and manage multiple locations by using some extra staffs. This will promote all your schools together.
• Have a good logo that attracts attention. The same logo and colours should be used in all communication mediums like letterheads, posters, banners, envelopes etc. and other promotional activities.
• Associate with beauty parlour owners. This is a place most mothers spend time, relax and chit chat. So it is easier for you to use this time and introduce your school to them.
• Use personalised promotional products like water bottles, stationary boxes, tiffin boxes and bags. You can brand your school name on them and to add value, even have the kid’s photo on these items. They will be thrilled to use these stationaries having their own photo on them. Even the parents will be surprised by the effort you take. It is definitely going to give you a lot of word of mouth publicity in addition to the branding you already have on these products. You can buy these on www.wisholize.com. We do retail and wholesale.