Playground
About Playground
Playground is a child care management software that streamlines operations for daycare centers, preschools, and in-home providers. This all-in-one platform simplifies billing, registration, communication, attendance tracking, and payroll. Its full-service payroll feature manages tax filing and time tracking, while flexible payment plans aid billing and collections.
The enrollment module eases registration, and attendance tracking allows quick sign-ins and outs. Playground excels with communication tools, including photo and video sharing, and integrates with food programs for CACFP-compliant reporting. It also offers agency billing for subsidies and family cost shares. The platform provides branded, SEO-optimized websites to enhance online presence.
Key benefits of Playground
•Attendance: It offers student rosters, multiple contactless check-in/out options, carline queues, QR code sign-in/out, play dates, carpools.
•Family billing: Playground assists with automatic invoicing and offers in-app tuition payments, offline payments, autopayments, pass along processing fees.
•Enrollment: Key features include enrollment dashboard, multiple attendance plans, online applications w/fee processing, discount codes, accurate student and family data.
•Documents: Users can upload PDFs to generate fillable online forms, upload requested documentation, and automatically send enrollment forms.
•Communication: Stay engaged with families through individual and group chats, announcements, photo and video sharing, record every activity and milestone with push notifications.
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- Industry: Education Management
- Company size: 51–200 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
The BEST app if you want simple, highly efficient and does it ALL!!
Reviewed on 2023/04/13
We were able to move the money we normally spent on people chasing families for payments, on...
We were able to move the money we normally spent on people chasing families for payments, on keeping licensing documents and more, and use that to pay our teachers more money. Playground has made everyone happy.
Pros
So easy to use, the support we get is immediate when we have a question and it has all the features we need to run a preschool.
Cons
There is nothing missing that we can think of
Response from Playground
Thank you for sharing your positive experience with Playground! We're thrilled to hear that you find the app simple, efficient, and comprehensive for running your preschool. It's great to know that the immediate support you receive has been helpful and that all the features you need are available.
We're especially happy to hear that Playground has allowed you to reallocate funds toward paying your teachers more, enhancing overall satisfaction. If there's anything else you'd like to share or suggest, we're here to listen and assist!
- Industry: 2128
- Company size: 11–50 Employees
- Used Daily for 1-5 months
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
Playground is the best choice in Childcare Management Programs/Apps
Reviewed on 2024/08/13
Overall Playground has been a great choice for us to have changed over to. Being able to use one...
Overall Playground has been a great choice for us to have changed over to. Being able to use one program has condensed files and time.
Pros
I love that I have such a big platform in one program. I was previously using a different program and I have had to also keep track of children's schedules on a separate calendar, filled spots and upcoming open spots on a spread sheet, when parents messaged on the app it would go to all staff members, with Playground.. it goes just to the person that it is meant for. And the parents have to option to message each other on the app as well so staff aren't the go between for messages and personal information doesn't have to be given. For staff, they are able to see just their schedules and not everyone else's. They are also able to keep track of their hours worked whereas the other program only let the administrator see that. We have been really enjoying this program.
Cons
Well as stated, we were using another program prior, that program would send staff and the parent a notification when child/ren were signed in or out of the program. It helped us to keep track and we wouldn't have to go into the app to check to see who or how many were signed in. Tracking monthly attendance, reports every sign in and out is displayed vs just giving the amount of days attended per child.
Response from Playground
Thank you for sharing such a detailed and positive review! We're thrilled to hear that Playground has made such a significant difference in managing your childcare center. It's wonderful to know that having everything in one platform has simplified your processes, from managing schedules to tracking filled and upcoming spots. We're glad that the messaging feature is more targeted, ensuring privacy and efficiency for both staff and parents.
It's also great to hear that staff members appreciate the ability to see just their schedules and track their own hours, giving them more control and clarity over their work. We're delighted that you're enjoying the program. If you ever have any more feedback or need assistance, we're here to support you!
- Industry: 2128
- Company size: 11–50 Employees
- Used Daily for 1-5 months
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 1.0 /10
Not Easy To Use
Reviewed on 2024/07/26
I do not like Playground, there should be training for more than 30 mins and where the teachers and...
I do not like Playground, there should be training for more than 30 mins and where the teachers and administrators are using Playground during the training.
Pros
Have found nothing that I like about Playground.
Cons
Difficult to use for staff and parents. Not clear on how to use Playground and having virtual calls do not help.
Response from Playground
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're sorry to hear that your experience with Playground has not been positive. We understand the importance of having a platform that's easy to use for both staff and parents.
Our goal is to provide the best possible experience, and we appreciate your input as it helps us improve. If you're open to it, we'd love to schedule a follow-up session to address any specific issues and offer additional support. Please don't hesitate to reach out so we can work together to enhance your experience with Playground.
- Industry: 2128
- Company size: 11–50 Employees
- Used Daily for Free Trial
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
Positive Experience
Reviewed on 2025/01/09
Pros
It puts more of the responsibility with parents. I spend less time with uncomfortable conversations, asking people to pay.
Cons
Nothing at the moment. I am still learning to navigate.
Response from Playground
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re glad to hear that Playground has made managing payments easier by shifting more responsibility to parents, reducing uncomfortable conversations. As you continue learning to navigate the platform, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance—we’re here to help!
- Industry: 2128
- Company size: 11–50 Employees
- Used Daily for 1+ year
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
Great management system!
Reviewed on 2024/08/07
I love it. We just built a new building and equipped it with the KISI locks. These have been...
I love it. We just built a new building and equipped it with the KISI locks. These have been amazing. We use it for billing, parent communication, newsletters, menus, etc. I am so glad to have found this system.
Pros
PG has really helped me to organize my center. I love the communication with parents, the ability to do newsletters, and mostly the lock integration.
Cons
I do wish it was easier to see student/staff scheduling in the app. As is, I do not use PG for staff scheduling for this reason. I need my staff to be able to see everyone's schedule, so it just doesn't make sense for me yet.
The lock system is great, the only thing I would change is the fact that if staff uses their pin to enter/exit the building, it clocks them in/out each time. This did not work for us, so I created a "fake" staff member so we could all use the same pin. The only downside is that I have to change that every time a staff member leaves. It would be much easier just to have each staff use their own PIN and disable that when they no longer work here.
Response from Playground
Thank you for your feedback! We're thrilled to hear that Playground has helped you organize your center effectively. It's great to know that you love the communication features with parents, the ability to create newsletters, and especially the lock integration. If you have any other thoughts or need further assistance, we're always here to support you!
Playground FAQs
Below are some frequently asked questions for Playground.Q. What type of pricing plans does Playground offer?
Playground offers the following pricing plans:
- Pricing model: Free Version
- Free Trial: Available
A 14-day free trial is available. Please contact Playground for pricing details.
Q. Who are the typical users of Playground?
Playground has the following typical customers:
Self Employed, 2–10, 11–50, 51–200, 201–500, 501–1,000, 1,001–5,000
Q. What languages does Playground support?
Playground supports the following languages:
English, Spanish
Q. Does Playground support mobile devices?
Playground supports the following devices:
Android (Mobile), iPhone (Mobile), iPad (Mobile)
Q. What other apps does Playground integrate with?
Playground integrates with the following applications:
HubSpot CMS Hub, HubSpot CRM, KinderTrack, Kisi, NetSuite, Stripe
Q. What level of support does Playground offer?
Playground offers the following support options:
Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base, Phone Support
Related categories
See all software categories found for Playground.
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