How to Price Your Children’s Enrichment Classes
(Without Guessing)

If you have ever stared at your new program offering and thought:

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“What on EARTH am I supposed to charge for this?”

…welcome to the club.

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Pricing is one of the most confusing (and emotional) parts of starting any business.

You want to be fair.
You want to be accessible.
You want to be confident.

You do not want to charge so little that you make $12 an hour and a pack of fruit snacks.

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Good news: you don’t have to guess.

There is a simple, step-by-step way to pick pricing that feels aligned, sustainable, and supportive of your long-term goals, whether you’re teaching solo or planning to eventually hire an instructor.

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Let’s walk through it together.

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Step 1: Understand What You’re Actually Pricing

Before you choose a number, you need to know what you’re charging for.

In this industry, you can charge:

• Per class (common for daycares with multiple classrooms)

• Per student (common for parent-paid programs)

• Per semester or session

• Per group/center contract

None are wrong. They’re just different models.

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But what matters most is this:

Does the model you choose support the market, your schedule, your energy, and your financial goals?

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That’s it.

Pricing is less about math and more about alignment.

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Step 2: Do a Quick Hyper-Local Research Check

Every area is different, so a little light research helps:

• What are dance studios charging for preschool classes?

• What do other enrichment teachers charge (if any)?

• What does your market consider affordable?

• What does YOUR schedule need to make sense financially?

You’re not undercutting anyone.
You’re anchoring yourself within a realistic range for your community.

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Step 3: Decide Your Minimum Sustainable Number

This is the part almost no one talks about.

Whether you’re charging per-class or per-student, you need to know:

“What is the minimum I need in a class for this to be worth it?”

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For example:

• If you charge per student → you need a baseline number of enrollments

• If you charge per class → you need a minimum number of classrooms per visit or a sustainable base price

• If you charge per program → you need to know how many centers make a full schedule​

You don’t have to list a specific minimum publicly,
but you should know it so you can make smart decisions.

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This number protects:

• your income

• your time

• your energy

• your future ability to grow

Without a minimum, you risk doing a lot of work for not a lot of return. And that might be ok in the short-term as you're building a new business, but know what the numbers are and what is sustainable for you.

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Step 4: Include Your “Teacher Rate” Even If You Haven’t Hired Yet

This step is HUGE for long-term success.

Even if you’re the only instructor right now, include a “teacher pay rate” inside your pricing model.

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Why?

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Because one day, you may want to:

• reduce your teaching hours

• run more classes than you can personally teach

• hire a contractor

• expand into more locations

If your pricing doesn’t support paying an instructor in the future,
you lock yourself into being the only person who can lead your program.

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So ask:

“Does my pricing model leave room to pay someone else + still be profitable?”

This is how you build a business, not just a job.

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Step 5: Factor in the Invisible Work

You’re not just pricing the 20–30 minutes you’re in front of kids.

You’re pricing:

• planning

• driving

• setup and breakdown

• communication with directors

• materials

• scheduling

• business admin

This is the part where most people accidentally undercharge.

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A simple way to think about it:

If I were hiring someone to do ALL of this, what would a fair rate be?

That becomes your baseline.

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Step 6: Pick a Tier That Fits Your Business Model

There are generally three pricing tiers across the enrichment industry.

None of them are right or wrong. They simply match different goals. The truth is that I offer all three depending on the unique needs of the customer. You get to decide what works for you and your clients.

Tier 1: Accessible Pricing (Volume-Based)

Good for:

• daycare partnerships

• when you’re building relationships

• early stages

• consistent weekly work

This tier makes it easy for centers to say yes, because it’s budget-friendly.
Your win comes from consistency and multiple classrooms.

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Tier 2: Standard Market Pricing (Balanced)

Good for:

• maintaining a sustainable teaching schedule

• supporting future hiring

• maintaining profit margins

• predictable income across multiple locations

This tier balances what’s fair for you and accessible for them.

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Tier 3: Premium Pricing (Specialized Skills)

Good for:

• mindfulness programs

• yoga therapy

• SEL-focused curriculum

• specialized or niche offerings

• community classes

• after-school programs

This tier positions your program as a specialty service.

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Step 7: Consider the “Daycare Math”

Here’s what happens behind the scenes:

Directors care about:

• budget

• teacher schedules

• classroom flow

• enrichment that doesn’t stress their team

So when your pricing aligns with:

• the number of classrooms

• the length of the program

• the frequency of visits

• the value you provide (structure, safety, calm routines… and yes, occasional chaos)

…they’re more likely to bring you in consistently.

No one needs you to be perfect.
They need you to be reliable and intentional.

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Step 7: Use a Pricing Calculator So You Don’t Have to Rely on Guesswork

This is where your Pricing Calculator Spreadsheet comes in.

It helps you:

• choose a pricing model

• add your teacher rate

• factor in your minimum enrollment

• calculate your time

• plug in class frequency

• see which tier works best

• plan for growth

This is the easiest way to build a sustainable business instead of one that slowly exhausts you.

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Examples

Here are a few common scenarios so you can imagine your own structure:

Example A: Teaching in Multiple Classrooms at One Center

• You pick a per-class rate

• You determine your minimum number of classrooms

• You build a morning schedule around consistency

• Your pricing includes a future instructor pay rate

Result → predictable, time-efficient income.

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Example B: Parent-Paid Classes

• You set your per-student rate

• You choose a minimum enrollment (ex: “we run with at least 3 to 4 to 5 or 6 kids...you choose)

• You base your session length on what’s sustainable

Result → great for building a community presence.

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Example C: Planning to Hire an Instructor in the Future

• You choose a pricing tier that supports training someone

• You include a margin for admin work and curriculum

• You plan class routes to minimize drive time

Result → your business can grow without you teaching every class.

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Final Thoughts

You don’t need to guess.
You don’t need to compare yourself to 15 other programs.
And you definitely don’t need to pick a number that feels “safe.”

You need a model that supports your energy, your goals, your future team, and the impact you want to make.

Pricing becomes easy when you understand:

• what you’re providing

• what your time is worth

• what your future growth requires

• and what enrollment makes a class sustainable

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Be sure to review your pricing 1-2 times per year.

You’re building something meaningful, now get out there and go put a price tag on it.

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If you want the pricing spreadsheet or get stuck while you're working through the pricing, just send me an email with details. Seriously, I'll help you through it!

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