Digital Products for Your After School Care Business
Digital products create revenue that doesn’t depend on the number of children you can physically supervise or the hours you can operate. When you run an after school care business, you’re already developing systems, activity plans, and operational knowledge that other program directors, new business owners, and parents desperately need. Packaging that expertise into digital products gives you an additional income stream with minimal ongoing labor once the product is created.
The best digital products for this business align with what you already do: manage schedules, plan engaging activities, communicate with parents, and keep children safe and productive. Your real-world experience is the asset other people will pay for.
Printable Activity Planning Templates
What it is: A set of customizable templates that help staff plan daily activities by age group, skill level, and available time. These might include activity calendars, craft planning sheets, outdoor play schedules, and rainy-day activity checklists organized by grade level.
Who buys it: Other after school program directors, school-based coordinators, and home-based care providers who want to streamline activity planning without starting from scratch.
How to create it: Document the activity templates you already use, then organize them in a clear PDF or Google Sheets format. Add instructions for customizing them, and include examples of completed versions. This takes 8-12 hours the first time but requires no ongoing updates.
Where to sell it: Etsy reaches school administrators and program directors searching for care-related resources. You can also sell directly on your website or through Gumroad for easier delivery.
Realistic income: $15-45 per sale, with potential for 10-30 sales per month if marketed to the right audience. Annual income: $1,800-$16,200.
Parent Communication Templates and Scripts
What it is: Pre-written email templates, incident report forms, parent newsletter templates, behavior observation scripts, and communication frameworks for common situations like late pickups, behavioral issues, or program changes.
Who buys it: Program directors and coordinators who struggle with professional communication or want to ensure consistency across their team, plus new business owners building processes from zero.
How to create it: Compile the emails, forms, and scripts you’ve written over years of running your program. Anonymize specific names and dates, then organize by category. Add a guide explaining when and how to use each template. Expect 10-15 hours of compilation and organization work.
Where to sell it: Gumroad works well for this because it allows instant delivery of a PDF file. You can bundle it with other templates and offer updates over time.
Realistic income: $25-50 per sale with 8-20 monthly sales possible. Annual income: $2,400-$12,000.
Staff Training and Onboarding Manual
What it is: A complete guide for training new staff members, including job descriptions for different roles, safety protocols, discipline approaches, parent interaction standards, and day-to-day procedures specific to after school settings.
Who buys it: Program directors managing multiple locations or rapid hiring, franchise operators, and experienced coordinators opening their first program.
How to create it: Document your actual onboarding process, policies, and expectations. Write it as a readable manual with clear sections, checklists, and real scenarios. Include your approach to behavior management, safety, and child engagement. This is substantial work—plan 25-40 hours—but it becomes a signature product that sells repeatedly.
Where to sell it: Sell on your website to establish authority, or through Teachable/Kajabi if you want to bundle it with video training or live updates.
Realistic income: $75-150 per sale with 5-15 sales monthly for established programs. Annual income: $4,500-$27,000.
Daily Schedule and Routine Checklists
What it is: Printable or digital checklists that break down your daily after school routine hour-by-hour, including arrival procedures, activity transitions, snack time, pickup procedures, and cleanup routines customized for different age groups.
Who buys it: New program directors struggling to organize their day, assistants wanting to understand expectations, and parents wanting to know what happens during pickup hours.
How to create it: Write out your actual daily schedule and convert it into a visual checklist format. Create versions for elementary and middle school ages. Design it as a simple, printable PDF that staff can laminate or reference digitally. This takes 6-10 hours.
Where to sell it: Etsy is ideal for printable schedules since teachers and coordinators search there regularly. Price it lower than your larger products to drive volume.
Realistic income: $8-18 per sale with 15-40 monthly sales possible. Annual income: $1,440-$8,640.
Health, Safety, and Incident Documentation System
What it is: Ready-to-use forms for incident reports, allergy documentation, parent emergency contact management, health screening checklists, and accident reporting that meet state requirements for after school programs.
Who buys it: Program directors needing compliant documentation systems, coordinators at schools or centers building their first formal record system.
How to create it: Review your state’s regulations for after school care and create forms that meet those standards. Include sample completed forms and instructions for usage. Research state-specific requirements so buyers can adapt it to their location. Allow 12-18 hours for thorough, legal documentation.
Where to sell it: Sell directly from your website with clear disclaimers that it’s a template requiring professional legal review. You can also list on education resource sites.
Realistic income: $35-75 per sale with 5-12 monthly sales. Annual income: $2,100-$10,800.
Seasonal Activity and Lesson Plan Bundle
What it is: Complete activity plans for each season or holiday, including STEM projects, arts and crafts, outdoor games, and indoor enrichment activities designed for after school time constraints and multi-age groups.
Who buys it: Program directors wanting fresh content ideas, teachers running extended day programs, and coordinators who want quality activities without planning time.
How to create it: Compile your most successful activities from each season. Write clear instructions, list materials needed, and explain modifications for different ages. Include photos if possible. Organize into a downloadable PDF or Google Drive folder. Plan 20-30 hours for a comprehensive bundle.
Where to sell it: Sell on Teachers Pay Teachers, which has a built-in audience for education resources, or bundle on your website alongside other products.
Realistic income: $20-45 per sale with 15-35 monthly sales. Annual income: $3,600-$18,900.
Parent Handbook and Program Policies
What it is: A complete parent handbook covering program philosophy, daily schedules, fee policies, discipline approach, communication methods, what to bring, behavior expectations, and frequently asked questions—ready to customize and use immediately.
Who buys it: New program owners, franchise operators, and coordinators taking over existing programs and needing to formalize policies.
How to create it: Convert your actual parent handbook into a template other directors can customize. Keep it detailed enough to be immediately useful but flexible enough for different program philosophies. Include version control so you can update it periodically. Expect 15-25 hours of writing and editing.
Where to sell it: Sell on your website as a premium product, or offer it as a bundle with other templates at a discount.
Realistic income: $40-85 per sale with 4-10 monthly sales. Annual income: $1,920-$10,200.
Getting Started With Digital Products
- Start with printable activity templates or daily checklists. These are the easiest to create because you already have working versions in your program. Simply organize what you use, add clear instructions, and format it as a PDF. You can have this ready to sell within two weeks.
- Research your specific audience. Decide whether you’re selling to other program directors, coordinators at schools, franchisees, or parents. Visit the platforms where they shop (Etsy, Teachers Pay Teachers, Gumroad) and see what similar products already exist and how they’re priced.
- Create a simple landing page or store section. You don’t need a complex website. Gumroad, Podia, or even a simple PayPal button on your existing website works fine for initial sales. Your website or email list to existing parents and partners is your first market.
- Format professionally but simply. Use clear headings, bullet points, and consistent fonts. A well-organized PDF or Google Doc is professional enough—you don’t need fancy design tools unless you’re targeting designers or corporate buyers.
- Price based on value, not time spent. Your templates save buyers significant planning time and represent years of experience. Don’t undercharge because the creation was fast.
- Test with your existing network first. Offer early versions to directors you know or program coordinators in nearby areas. Get feedback and testimonials before broader marketing.
- Plan for regular updates. If you create staff training materials or activity plans, commit to updating them seasonally. This keeps products fresh and gives you a reason to market them repeatedly.
Pricing Your Digital Products
Program directors and coordinators operate on tight budgets, but they also understand that quality resources save them significant time and money. Price your products based on the value they provide—how much time they save and how much expertise they represent—not just the hours you spent creating them. A staff training manual representing five years of program development is worth $75-150 even if you spent only 30 hours writing it.
Bundle complementary products to increase perceived value and average transaction size. For example, combine activity templates, daily schedules, and parent communication scripts into a “New Director Startup Pack” priced higher than any single product but lower than buying them separately. This appeals to new business owners with immediate needs and increases your revenue per customer.