The demand for child care is on the rise. In fact, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that it will be among the fastest growing industries through the year 2020.

If you’re looking to enter this industry and start your own child care center, you need to start with building a facility.

This can be an exciting, yet stressful, process. You need to design a facility that is not only highly functioning, but also that meets your needs and follows state laws.

We’re here to help. Keep reading to learn a few simple tips to choosing the perfect child care center floor plans for your new facility.

Start With a List of Needs

Before you can start considering child care center floor plans, you need to be clear about what your business’ needs are.

For instance, if your child care center cares for children of many ages, you’ll need separate spaces for each age group. If you care primarily for special needs children, you may need to account for extra space for wheelchairs and other assistance devices.

Starting with a list of needs that you must have can help make it easier to narrow down your options for child care center floor plans.

Check Legal Requirements

Different states have different requirements for what child care centers need and how they can be designed.

Before you can start laying out and designing your floor plans, you need to know the laws and requirements of your particular state.

Make a Budget

Once you’ve listed the elements that your floor plan needs and the requirements and laws in your state that might affect them, it’s time to set a budget.

Your budget for your child care facility will allow you to figure out where you can splurge and where you must save. It can affect the overall size of your facility, how many rooms you can have, and more.

Setting a budget before you start looking at potential child care center floor plans can help you avoid spending too much, or having to redesign your floor plan partway through a project.

Avoid Blind Spots and Other Dangers

When it comes to caring for many children at once, avoiding any possible dangers or bad situations is the key to success.

This starts with considering potential dangers while still planning a child care center for your facility.

When you’re reviewing a potential floor plan for your facility, consider any possible problems.

Are there blind spots in the room where it would be tough for a child care provider to watch? Will children in the care center ever have direct access to a door that leads out of the facility? Are areas that are off-limits to children, like kitchens or storage closets, properly separated from primary care areas?

Considering all possible dangers or problem areas can help you adjust your floor plans and avoid these issues.

Plan for Future Growth

Adding a child care center to your facility is a big investment. You’ll put a lot of time and money into planning and  building your facility. The last thing you want to do is outgrow it soon after it is complete.

Planning for a larger number of children than you currently care for or expect to care for can help keep your space adequate for years to come.

Choosing the Right Child Care Center Floor Plans

Choosing the right floor plans for a child care center in your facility doesn’t have to be a challenge.

By following these easy guidelines, you’ll be able to choose a floor plan that functions perfectly for your center and provides you with years of functionality.

If you’re ready to start planning your child care center, check out our studio to see how we can help you create a design that fits all of your wants and needs.

-This article was written by Rebecca Calbert. 

Rebecca is a licensed architect with over 30 years of experience.  She owns and operates an architectural firm, Calbert Design Group,  and educates her clients through the commercial real estate development process with online content at SaveOnBuilding.com.  Rebecca’s “purpose” is to educate small business owners and protect them from what they don’t know.

Blueprint to Bliss: Essential Steps for Designing Your Dream Child Care Center

Imagine you’re about to open your dream child care center—a place where tiny shoes pile up by the door, laughter echoes through the halls, and every corner is a space for learning and growth. But before any of that magic happens, you need to start with a building. And not just any building—it has to function like a well-oiled machine, meet all your needs, and, of course, follow the labyrinth of state regulations. It’s a process filled with both excitement and stress, where one wrong decision can set you back weeks, if not months. So, where do you start?

The first step in designing a child care facility is to get clear about your needs. Think of it like packing for a long trip—you wouldn’t leave without knowing what essentials you need. If you’re caring for multiple age groups, you’ll want separate rooms for toddlers, infants, and preschoolers. If you specialize in children with special needs, extra space for wheelchairs or assistive devices might be a must. Listing out these essentials will save you from wasting time on floor plans that simply won’t work.

But before your mind runs wild with design ideas, here’s the catch—every state has its own legal requirements for child care centers. It’s like playing a game where the rules change based on your location. One state might demand wider corridors; another might be strict about emergency exits or playground space. And just when you think you’ve nailed it, a new regulation pops up. Knowing these requirements upfront is essential, so you don’t find yourself in a costly game of redesign halfway through construction.

Next up is the budget. If your dreams were your guide, you’d be building a sprawling campus with every bell and whistle. But reality—meaning your budget—has a way of keeping things grounded. Your budget dictates everything from the size of the facility to the number of classrooms. Planning early allows you to decide where to splurge and where to save. No one likes cutting corners, but knowing when to cut or invest is part of the balancing act that makes a project like this possible.

Safety, of course, is non-negotiable. As you review potential floor plans, think like a detective. Are there any blind spots where children might be out of sight? Can a child wander too close to an exit door, or worse, make a quick escape? Are off-limits areas, like kitchens and storage rooms, safely separated from the play areas? Thinking through these issues early will save you from headaches—and potential accidents—later.

Lastly, think big, not just for today, but for tomorrow. You’ve put your heart and soul into this center, so the last thing you want is to outgrow it in just a few years. Plan for future growth—more children, more activities, more joy. Building a facility that fits your needs today but can expand tomorrow is one of the smartest investments you can make.

Designing a child care center isn’t just about meeting regulations or choosing cute furniture—it’s about creating a space that works for everyone, from toddlers to teachers. And if all of this sounds overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. With the right plan and the right team, your child care center can be the thriving, joyful place you’ve always envisioned. So, if you’re ready to start, we’re here to help you bring that vision to life.