About
Playground Billing is a purpose-built enrollment and operations management platform for child care programs, daycares, preschools, summer camps, and before/after care providers. It eliminates the chaos of paper packets, scattered PDFs, and follow-up emails by digitizing the entire enrollment journey — from initial registration to tuition collection. Families enjoy a polished, mobile-first portal that auto-fills information for siblings and returning families, presents flexible scheduling options, and provides real-time confirmations. Program directors get full control over enrollment flows, custom forms, required fields, payment methods, and policies — all without needing technical expertise. Key capabilities include dynamic pricing that automatically adjusts based on a child's age, care type, and chosen schedule; automated application and deposit fee collection; add-on management for extras like lunch or enrichment programs; and a drag-and-drop kanban-style dashboard to manage applicant stages. Playground also offers a library of pre-built state licensing form templates to keep programs compliant. The platform supports multiple enrollment types — full-time care, part-time schedules, summer camps with day/week selection, and flexible before/after care arrangements — making it adaptable to virtually any program structure. All fees can be mapped to accounting codes for clean financial reporting. With over 300,000 users, Playground is a trusted solution for child care operators looking to professionalize their enrollment experience and reclaim administrative time.
Key Features
- Mobile-First Family Portal: A branded, mobile-friendly portal where families complete forms, payments, and scheduling in one seamless flow, with auto-fill for returning families and siblings.
- Dynamic Pricing Engine: Automatically adjusts tuition rates based on the child's age, selected care type, and schedule — no manual calculations needed.
- Automated Fee Collection: Automatically charges application fees, enrollment fees, and deposits, with all fees mappable to accounting codes for clean financial records.
- Drag-and-Drop Enrollment Dashboard: A kanban-style dashboard lets directors move applicants through enrollment stages, automate email updates, and schedule classroom transitions without spreadsheets.
- State Licensing Form Templates: Access a pre-built library of state licensing form templates to maintain compliance without starting from scratch.
Use Cases
- A daycare director digitizes paper enrollment packets and collects e-signatures and deposit fees online before a child's first day.
- A summer camp operator sets up flexible weekly scheduling where families choose specific days, with pricing that adjusts automatically based on selections.
- A preschool administrator manages a waitlist, moves applicants through enrollment stages via a drag-and-drop dashboard, and automates confirmation emails.
- A before/after care program lets families select only the care days they need and charges accordingly, eliminating manual invoice calculations.
- A multi-site child care organization builds separate enrollment flows for each location with distinct forms, fees, and branding — all under one platform.
Pros
- All-in-One Enrollment Flow: Handles forms, payments, schedules, and add-ons in a single seamless experience, reducing family drop-off and administrative back-and-forth.
- Highly Customizable: Directors can define their own rules, required fields, pricing logic, and enrollment stages — Playground adapts to the program, not the other way around.
- Supports Multiple Program Types: Works for full-time care, summer camps, holiday drop-ins, and before/after care with flexible scheduling and pricing structures.
Cons
- Niche Use Case: Built exclusively for child care and early education programs — not suitable for other industries or general enrollment management needs.
- Pricing Not Publicly Listed: Pricing details require a demo request, making it hard to evaluate cost upfront without engaging with the sales team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of child care programs can use Playground?
Playground supports a wide range of programs including full-time daycares, preschools, summer camps, holiday drop-in care, and before/after school care programs.
Can families complete enrollment on their phones?
Yes. Playground is designed mobile-first, so families can complete all forms, payments, and scheduling directly from their smartphones.
Does Playground handle tuition billing and payments?
Yes. It automates fee collection for application fees, deposits, and enrollment fees, and supports dynamic tuition pricing based on age, schedule, and care type.
How does the enrollment dashboard work for directors?
Directors get a drag-and-drop kanban-style dashboard to track applicants through custom enrollment stages, send automated emails, and manage classroom transitions.
Are state licensing forms included?
Yes. Playground includes a library of pre-built state licensing form templates that programs can use to stay compliant without creating forms from scratch.
