How I Kept My Home Daycare Full (Without Paying for Ads)

There’s a tender kind of pressure that comes with starting a home daycare — not in the running of it, but in the beginning.
In the waiting.

You pour your heart into your space. You fill it with toys and books, snacks and routines, soft lighting and gentle structure. You make room for joy, for play, for growth.

And then… you wait.
For the emails. The interviews. The message that says, “We’d like to meet.”

It’s a strange feeling — to build something with so much care and not yet know who it’s for.
But here’s what I believe with my whole heart:
When you create something out of love, your people will find you.

And that’s exactly what happened for me.

This post isn’t a “how-to” written from a whiteboard. It’s a reflection. A little roadmap of what I did — and how I consistently stayed full, often with a waitlist, without ever paying for advertising.

I hope it encourages you to trust your instincts. Show your work. And believe that your people are out there, looking for the kind of care only you can give.

Step One: Get Seen in the Right Places — and Show What Matters

When you’re just starting out, the hardest part is often being found.

The very first clients I brought in came from a local community Facebook group — one created specifically for home daycare providers to post openings, and for parents to find care.

If your area has one of these groups, use it. It’s where parents are already looking. But here’s the trick: your post has to stand out — and that starts with the photos.

Your pictures don’t need to be professional. Mine weren’t. But they were bright, clean, and full of toys.
I made sure the space looked warm and inviting — like a place a child would be excited to walk into. I didn’t aim for perfect. I aimed for fun.

Even my very first playroom photos (which feel simple now) helped me fill spots — because they told a story: this is a happy space made with love.
And that’s what parents are really looking for.

Once your photos are in place, focus on the text of your post. Think of it as your welcome mat.
What would you want to know as a parent?

Here’s what I included:

• My hours
• The ages I accepted
• A bit about our daily routine
• What meals or snacks were included
• A short introduction about me — who I am, what I love about working with kids, and why I opened my home daycare

That small personal touch made a big difference. I wasn’t just another listing — I was a real person offering real care.

And it worked. That first post brought in most of my initial clients.

Step Two: Create a Facebook Page — and Treat It Like Part of Your Job

Before I ever had a full roster, I created a Facebook page for my daycare.

Not a group. Not a personal profile. A public-facing business page that parents could follow, browse, and share.

Even though I didn’t have clients yet, I started posting like I did.

I shared photos of my playroom setup, activities I was doing with my own kids, and the lunches I made for them — all tied to simple monthly themes. I posted our daily rhythm, sample meals, and our outdoor play setup. It was all real — just real with my kids instead of enrolled daycare families.

It might’ve looked like “fake it till you make it.”
But really, it was “this is what I’m ready to give.”

And it worked.
Within days of linking that page in my community Facebook group, I had my first client. Then two more.

From there, I committed to something simple — and it changed everything.

My Not-So-Secret “Marketing Strategy”: Three Posts a Day

Every Friday, I sat down and planned the week ahead:

• One craft, one activity, and one lunch for each day
• All tied into our monthly theme (like “Polar Animals” in November)
• Plus any special outings or little extras (like our Tuesday library program)

Then, each weekday, I posted three simple things:

• A photo of the kids doing the activity I’d planned
• A shot of what they ate for lunch
• A photo of them making their craft — and then the finished product

That was my formula.
It wasn’t about content — it was about capturing our days as they happened.

“I showed the quality of care I was already giving.
And over time, that built something better than marketing —
it built trust.”

And if we got busy? If the plan shifted? I shared that too.
Maybe it was a picture of the kids running through the field behind our house — or a LEGO build one of them was especially proud of. The point was to show the real fun we were having. I took photos to show parents what we were doing. But those same photos built trust with future clients, too.

Every post became proof of something simple but powerful:
This was a space where kids were safe, happy, and cared for. And over time, that kind of consistency became the best kind of marketing there is — word of mouth backed by receipts.

Step Three: Let Word of Mouth Do Its Work

After a while, something shifted.

I wasn’t the one reaching out anymore. Parents were coming to me — referred by friends, tagged in local Facebook posts, or messaging me out of the blue after finding my page.

And here’s the truth: I wasn’t doing anything special at that point. I was just doing what I’d always done — showing up, posting consistently, and caring deeply about the kids in my care.

But because I’d built that foundation, word of mouth could do the heavy lifting. My Facebook page had months (and eventually, years) of photos that showed exactly what I offered. Parents could scroll through and see:

• What we ate
• How we played
• What kinds of crafts and themes we explored
• The vibe of the day-to-day — joyful, creative, connected

That kind of transparency built something no ad ever could: credibility. Parents didn’t just trust me because of my words — they trusted me because of what they’d seen, day after day, on that page.

Eventually, I had a waitlist. I even raised my rates — and still stayed full.
Because people weren’t just looking for a daycare. They were looking for me.
And they could already tell what kind of care I gave just by scrolling through a few posts.

"...Because people weren’t just looking for a daycare- They were looking for me."

What I’d Tell a New Provider Starting Out Today

If you’re just beginning, or you’re sitting with one or two open spots wondering how to fill them — I see you.
I’ve been there. And here’s what I’d gently offer:

You don’t need to be flashy.
You don’t need the perfect logo, or the most Pinterest-worthy space, or a marketing degree.
You just need to show up — with care, consistency, and trust in what you’re building.

Create a space that feels good.
Take photos. Post about what you’re already doing with love.
And then? Let that speak for you.

“When you do this work from a place of love — your people will find you.”

That was true for me. And I believe it can be true for you, too.