Childcare enrollment software to grow your program

Streamline your childcare center enrollment

Say goodbye to endless back-and-forth paperwork and hello to an easy, digital enrollment process for both administrators and families.

First, tell us about yourself.

I’m an admin or director I’m a staff member I’m a parent or guardian

See why brightwheel is the #1 choice for childcare enrollment

4.9 | 160,000+ reviews

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Brightwheel makes the enrollment journey a breeze

Less confusion for the parents makes our jobs easier. Especially after COVID, completely paperless enrollment is so great. I love being able to upload documents into brightwheel’s Document Hub.

Monique R.
Owner of World Elite Academy in San Diego, CA

Childcare enrollment software that saves you time

Brightwheel’s childcare enrollment software helps you manage registrations, collect forms, and keep families engaged—all in one place. Simplify your enrollment process, save time, and grow your childcare business.

Increase enrollment

Make it easy for prospective families to submit an application online.

Collect required documents

Create custom forms for families to complete and sign digitally.

Manage your waitlist with ease

Automatically admit new students to your program.

Eliminate manual work

Track enrollment information in one central dashboard.

Grow childcare enrollment with brightwheel

Simplify your enrollment process

• Manage your admissions digitally without pen and paper
• Increase enrollment by giving families an easy way to apply online
• Customize your enrollment contracts and collect signatures digitally

Create contracts and fillable documents

• Build custom admissions packets or use a pre-made template and collect application fees
• Upload tuition agreements or field trip permission forms and track submissions
• Set required fields in forms to eliminate incomplete paperwork
• Request files and documents from families such as immunization records, birth certificates, and more
• Send fillable PDF forms to families that can be filled out digitally

Access student profiles from anywhere

• Eliminate manual work by enabling families to create their child’s profile when applying
• Organize forms and records digitally in each student’s profile
• Track enrollment details to understand and project future enrollment
• Update student profiles quickly via brightwheel’s roster upload tool

Track enrollment information in one place

• See your true enrollment at a glance and filter based on information in student profiles
• Track progress and make edits in your admissions pipeline
• Message individuals or all families directly from the admissions dashboard

Keep your waitlist organized

• Automatically enroll incoming families to your program
• Rank students on your waitlist by desired start date, program, age, or other desired criteria
• Easily message prospective families with waitlist updates
• Quickly search and sort prospective students

Early education resources

Achieve your enrollment goals

Learn actionable ideas to increase your student headcount:

• How to create the best marketing strategy
• Ways to optimize your online presence to attract families
• Practical tips to establish trust with existing and prospective families
• The most effective way to manage your enrollment pipeline

Download free eBook

Why childcare enrollment software matters

Managing enrollment can be one of the most time-consuming tasks for any childcare program or preschool. Relying on paper forms and manual processes creates major challenges, while childcare enrollment software offers a modern, efficient alternative. Here’s why it matters:

Challenges of traditional enrollment

• Paperwork overload: Staff spend hours sorting, filing, and chasing missing documents.
• Manual data entry: Re-entering data increases the risk of errors and takes time away from children and families.
• Slow process: Paper-based enrollment can delay admissions and leave open spots unfilled.
• Parent frustration: Families expect digital convenience but instead face stacks of forms and unclear instructions.

Benefits of childcare enrollment software

• Go digital: Share enrollment forms online, collect e-signatures, and eliminate paper clutter.
• Save time: Automate tracking and reminders, reducing hours of administrative work each week.
• Keep data accurate: Reduce manual entry and ensure information stays organized and secure.
• Delight families: Offer parents a fast, professional way to enroll from any device.
• Fill spots faster: Speed up enrollment so you can fill open spaces quickly and grow your business.

Stay competitive and professional

Today’s families expect modern, digital conveniences. By adopting childcare enrollment software at your program, you can demonstrate that you are professional, organized, and focused on delivering the best possible service. It’s not just about saving time—it’s about building trust and staying ahead of the competition.

What customers are saying about childcare enrollment

We were using a system developed internally before, which certainly wasn’t as efficient as brightwheel. The admissions feature in brightwheel brings it all together.

Marc H
Owner at A Strong Start in Trumbull, CT

My enrollment director is obsessed with the brightwheel waitlist feature. Now with a system in place we can move families off the waitlist more efficiently which then increases our revenue.

Alyssa D
Executive Director at McNeilly Center for Children in Nashville, TN

Enrollment is all online on brightwheel. I don’t need to chase down families for forms anymore, because I can ensure it’s all on file before they start.

Kelly R
Director at Good Shepherd Learning Center in Douglassville, PA

When forms are sent to parents in brightwheel, the responses come straight to me. When I send out forms on brightwheel, I get 75% of them back within 24 hours.

Pam M
Owner and Executive Director at Creative Learning Preschool in Aurora, CO

Seamlessly switch to brightwheel from other childcare management software

Easy onboarding trainings

Get access to guided training through brightwheel Academy, a comprehensive learning tool to help you, your staff, and families master using brightwheel.

Speedy support team

Brightwheel has the industry’s largest support team and will ensure that you get quick answers through live chat whenever you need them (response times are less than 1 minute!). Brightwheel’s support team plays a pivotal role in enabling new users to maximize every feature of the software.

Roster and rate card upload tool

Switching to brightwheel is easy when you upload your student rosters. The brightwheel team will import your roster and tuition rates into your brightwheel account so you have all of the information you need from day one.

One simple, transparent price

You won’t pay more as you use more features on brightwheel. Your price is based on enrollment capacity and you get access to all features on the platform.

Common enrollment tasks that slow you down

Running a childcare program involves dozens of daily tasks: Inefficiencies can add up quickly, whether you’re working manually or juggling multiple tools. If these challenges sound familiar, explore the common pain points below to see how they impact your day-to-day, and how the right software can help you save time, stay organized, and focus more on your staff and families.

• Collecting Enrollment Information Manually From Families
• Copying And Pasting Enrollment And Waitlist Between Tools
• Printing Enrollment or Waitlist Instead of Using a Digital System
• Tracking Enrollment and Waitlist Manually Instead of in an All-In-One System
• Writing Enrollment and Waitlist on Paper and Later Entering it Digitally

Brightwheel has more ways to support your childcare program

Staff management

Simplify staff scheduling, access staff profiles, and facilitate clear and direct communication via integrated messaging.

Classroom management

Track student attendance and progress, and generate reports to gain insights into classroom trends.

Payroll & time tracking

Track staff timecards and automatically sync time tracking with payroll for easy, accurate payroll processing.

Frequently asked questions

What is brightwheel’s enrollment feature?

Brightwheel’s enrollment feature is an innovative tool designed to streamline the process of enrolling new students into your childcare program. The feature provides a digital platform for collecting documents, managing applications, and communicating with prospective families, all from one centralized location.

How does brightwheel’s enrollment feature benefit my childcare center?

Brightwheel’s enrollment feature eliminates the need for paper forms and manual processes, making it easier for administrators to manage and track prospective students. It also allows for better communication with families, reduces administrative workload, and provides a more streamlined experience for both parties.

Can I customize the enrollment process to meet my program’s specific needs?

Yes, you can! Brightwheel’s enrollment feature offers customizable options, allowing you to tailor the process to meet your program’s unique requirements.

Is brightwheel’s enrollment feature secure?

Absolutely. Brightwheel takes data security very seriously and ensures that all information collected through the enrollment feature is kept confidential and secure. To learn more about brightwheel’s security practices, visit brightwheel’s Security FAQs here.

How do families submit applications through brightwheel?

Families can easily submit applications online through the brightwheel platform, making it convenient for both parties and reducing the need for in-person visits. After creating a form, share a link directly with families or add it to your website for easy submission.

Can I track enrollment progress for each family?

Yes! With brightwheel’s childcare enrollment software, you can easily monitor where each family is in the enrollment process. See which forms have been completed, which documents are missing, and follow up with automated reminders to keep enrollment moving forward.

Does brightwheel’s enrollment feature support waitlists?

Absolutely. Brightwheel makes it easy to manage waitlists, track interested families, and move them into active enrollment as spots open up. This helps you keep your classrooms full and your business thriving.

Is brightwheel’s enrollment feature mobile-friendly?

Yes! Both administrators and families can access brightwheel’s enrollment tools from smartphones, tablets, or desktop computers. Families can complete forms, upload documents, and submit applications directly from their mobile devices.

Can I collect electronic signatures on enrollment forms?

Yes. Brightwheel’s childcare enrollment software supports secure electronic signatures, making it simple for families to sign required documents digitally—no printing or scanning needed.

Does brightwheel’s enrollment feature integrate with other features on the platform?

Yes, the enrollment feature integrates seamlessly with other brightwheel features, such as messaging, scheduling, billing, and payments, to provide a comprehensive solution for childcare center management.

How quickly can I set up brightwheel’s enrollment feature?

Most programs can get up and running with brightwheel’s enrollment feature in just a few hours. Our team provides step-by-step guidance to help you build your enrollment forms, customize workflows, and train your staff.