Carecare open house or Carnival??

[Persephone]

I was posting on another forum that I visit a lot for over 3 years now and saying how I might be losing my one child and how hard it is to get children right now and someone posted this:

But here is an idea that the at home child care people do around here to sort of draw people in...The hold like a raffle (nothing big) but the only reason I know about this is because since I sell Discovery Toys they call to get gift certificates and other toys as raffles and the first *** amount of new children sign up get into *** (age appropriate) drawing. Others have an open house carnival on the weekend like a sat for just a few hours and the parents come and they see the kids interact with you and your child and they can look at your house ect. The carnival consists of like homemade games and little prizes. I see it all the time here especially since about last April when it got really tough. I know it seems weird but it has worked for a few people I know in the at home child care.

Has anyone done this or heard of it? No one around here does this that I know of.

[mac60]

No one does this either. Kind of a neat idea, but I really don't want people I don't know roaming around inside my home while I am outside putting on a carnival. Maybe tone it down and just have an "open house" and a drawing, and maybe an incentive if they sign on with you with in so many days. I have thought about the open house, but have never done it.

[originalkat]

I have heard of centers doing this and it does draw a lot of people. My question would be how do you get people to know you are having the open house carnival? Put signs out? Fliers?

I do have a carnival for my current families once per year. I have a few games, rent a bounce house, and have treats and hotdogs. I also invite extended family (mine and theirs). I had it in the Fall last year but there is just too much going on that I think I am going to move it to the summer. In two years I will have 3 of my preschoolers leaving for KG so that may be a way to fill those enrollments.

[Persephone]

I agree with just having people walk around in your house while your busy. What kind of incentive would you give people? Would you advertise that your giving an incentive?

I would think that you could post fliers where ever you are able too in town and in the paper.

I know around here the child care ads are just plain font ads that don't stand out. So I'm going to see if I can pay a little more to make it stand out more. Maybe even just a box around the ad. (It's less then $20 for a week)

[originalkat]

True. I would not have the open house at that time. I would just do the carnival (although people may have to use the bathroom). That is why it is a little awkward from a home with people you dont know.

[MarinaVanessa]

I've done the open house ...

I've never done a carnival but I have done an open house and had my baby gate at the stairs to keep everyone downstairs. My downstairs is an opened floor plan and completely child-proofed so theres no valuables or breakables and I had my sister, mom and fincee help out in the front yard and backyard. I also do this on Halloween. I send out flyers to the homes near mine and offer a "safe" alternative to trick-or-treating. People come by and are able to enjoy an evening with their kids where they're allowed to play with our toys and equipment and we have a costume contest. I pass out sugar-free ypops and small boxes of four crayons taped to the back of my business cards to the kids that come and other trick-or-treaters. I also use the open house thing to raffle off little baskets of not-to-expensive things like coloring books, home-made playdough (with recipe), small toys etc and have even added a certificate for a free day of care with me so that parent's can test it out at no charge. I've had three sign ups from using this method after 5 open-houses where the certificate is in the grand prize.

[momma2girls]

I've never done a carnival but I have done an open house and had my baby gate at the stairs to keep everyone downstairs. My downstairs is an opened floor plan and completely child-proofed so theres no valuables or breakables and I had my sister, mom and fincee help out in the front yard and backyard. I also do this on Halloween. I send out flyers to the homes near mine and offer a "safe" alternative to trick-or-treating. People come by and are able to enjoy an evening with their kids where they're allowed to play with our toys and equipment and we have a costume contest. I pass out sugar-free ypops and small boxes of four crayons taped to the back of my business cards to the kids that come and other trick-or-treaters. I also use the open house thing to raffle off little baskets of not-to-expensive things like coloring books, home-made playdough (with recipe), small toys etc and have even added a certificate for a free day of care with me so that parent's can test it out at no charge. I've had three sign ups from using this method after 5 open-houses where the certificate is in the grand prize.

That sounds great!!!!