Q&A: Does The Little Gym Franchise in the UK?

Alice Tuffery, writer

Published at 20/04/2018, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

Q&A: Does The Little Gym Franchise in the UK? — Photo © little-gym-franchise-information.jpg

These days, parents understand the value of giving their children the chance to exercise in a fun and non-competitive environment, and kids’ fitness businesses are becoming increasingly popular. If you’re interested in working with kids, why not start running a franchise unit in the childcare sector? Let’s find out whether The Little Gym franchises.

The Little Gym is the world’s premier enrichment and physical development centre for children aged four months to 12 years old. It embraces a philosophy called three-dimensional learning, which uses physical activity as a way to nurture every aspect of a child’s development.

Does The Little Gym franchise?

Yes! If you want to start a fitness franchise business for kids, you’re in luck; there are The Little Gym franchise opportunities available - not only across the UK, but worldwide.

History of The Little Gym

The Little Gym franchise dates back to 1976, when pioneering educator and musician, Robin Wes, first founded the business in Bellevue, Washington. He had the vision to create a space where children would feel encouraged to develop physically, as well as socially, emotionally and intellectually.

In order to enrich its classes, parties and camps, The Little Gym has established partnerships with some of the biggest brands across the children’s toy and entertainment industry. Now, it’s the exclusive childhood development centre for LEGO-based activities. It’s also created exclusive themed parties featuring popular characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora The Explorer.

Robin’s vision is still going strong, four decades after he first came up with the concept. The business has been franchising since 1992, and there are now The Little Gym franchise branches in over 300 locations worldwide.

This programme is unique! I knew this the moment I set foot in the first The Little Gym I visited. On a day-to-day basis, I am reminded that I made the right decision 15 years ago. —Peter-Paul van Reenen, The Little Gym Amsterdam franchisee

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Starting a The Little Gym franchise unit

The Little Gym is one of the best franchises to open if you’re passionate about working with kids.

Although you’ll receive detailed lesson plans for your movement-based learning and imaginative play sessions, you’ll also need certain skills to open a The Little Gym franchise unit. The brand is looking for investors with good business sense and a ‘can do’ attitude.

You must be able to remain calm and work well under pressure, and you should have a passion for developing and leading a team. Most importantly of all, you need a natural ability to build relationships with children, staff, parents and your local community.

The Little Gym franchise model is in operation across the world, as the brand is currently focussing on international expansion. There are territories available in North, Central and South America, as well as Europe, Australia, Africa and the Middle East.

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Becoming a The Little Gym franchisee:

The opening process for The Little Gym franchise units is fairly straightforward. Your journey to becoming a franchisee starts with an initial call so you can find out more about the opportunity. The franchise team will explain what they’ll expect from you as a franchisee and how they’ll manage the selection process.

If you meet The Little Gym’s franchisee criteria and you’re happy to proceed with your application, you’ll be invited to the company’s Europe headquarters in Brussels. During this visit, you'll find out more about the business and meet the team behind the brand.

Once you’re back home, you’ll find out within just a few days whether you’ve been awarded the franchise territory you were after. There’s no lengthy process or red tape, so you should be able to get your business up and running fairly quickly.

How much you need to invest:

The amount of money you’ll spend on your The Little Gym franchise branch will depend on several factors, but the company has released some figures as a guide. You should expect to part with between £223,500 and £310,500 in total, and you’ll need between £25,000 and £45,000 for working capital. You should also have up to £35,000 available for a lease deposit.

As a franchisee, you’ll pay an eight percent service management fee on your gross monthly income. This charge gives you access to the ongoing support you’ll receive from your business consultant and the support team. You’ll also be given all the tools and guidance you need to develop your business.

The Little Gym franchise will also ask you to contribute one percent of your gross monthly income to its centralised marketing fund. In return, you’ll get innovative marketing tools so you can continuously grow your business unit.

What you get for your investment:

You don’t need any experience of running your own business or working with children to join The Little Gym franchise - you’ll complete a comprehensive training programme before you get started.

The induction scheme covers everything from financial training and support to help with recruitment, so you’ll only hire the best candidates for your business. The franchise team will also be able to guide you as you select your premises and it’ll deliver hands-on, in-gym coaching as you develop your pre-prepared lesson plans.

Plus, there are online refresher courses available at times convenient to you. And if you have any questions or concerns, The Little Gym franchise’s UK team can give you the help you need.

Start a childcare business in the franchise world

There’s a huge range of childcare franchises out there. If you love working with kids, investing in one of the opportunities in this sector could be your ticket to personal fulfilment and job satisfaction. Why not browse the options currently on offer with children’s franchises?