School may be out of session during the summer months, but IDEA Lab Kids offers a wealth of programs to make sure kids keep learning—and have fun along the way. The brand administers a fun and enriching summer camp program that also provides franchisees with major revenue potential. 

IDEA Lab Kids was first founded in 2011 as an after-school educational enrichment program that focused on the subjects of science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM). The brand started offering summer day-camp programs in 2014, which quickly became popular with parents and kids. 

“Summer camps at IDEA Lab Kids generate about 40% to 50% of our revenue,” CEO Devina Bhojwani said. “We start taking registrations as early as January and already have some sold-out camps.” 

Parents can opt to either enroll their children in an IDEA Lab Kids summer camp between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. or for extended hours, which run from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Parental feedback to the summer camps has been consistently strong. 

“Summer is a time when kids are out of school for anywhere between 12 to 16 weeks, and parents often look for meaningful activities to enroll them in,” Bhojwani said. “Overall, the parents love our summer camp program and ask for more technology-based opportunities. Minecraft Engineering and Coding, for example, are two very popular camps.”  

Idea Lab also makes sure to update programs to ensure continued engagement and fun for everyone involved. This year, summer camp attendees will be able to take advantage of the brand’s new learning opportunities in medical sciences and toy engineering. 

“Campers will be able to use objects such as batteries, magnets and old gadgets to design, build and fine-tune simple toys,” Bhojwani said. “We also have a new science-based opportunity that has to do with genetics, DNA and dissection. Campers will learn about the inner workings of the heart by building working models and dissecting a sheep’s heart, among other activities.” 

One IDEA Lab Kids franchisee who can attest to the profitability of the brand’s summer camp programs is Adam Gockley. The Austin-based franchisee was the brand’s first outside of its native Houston market. 

“IDEA Lab Kids was designed to operate when kids are out of school, so summer is a huge opportunity to provide our services,” he said. “Our summer camps are where we make the majority of our revenue for the year.” 

One factor that helps summer camp enrollment is the brand’s offering of short-term camps for periods when school is out of session. Parents can sign their kids up for short-term classes on school holidays such as Martin Luther King Day, Columbus Day, winter break, spring break and more. 

“Parents can make these smaller commitments and have their kids try us out before deciding whether to commit to the more long-term summer camp setting,” Gockley said. 

What sets IDEA Lab Kids apart from the competition and helps it stand out in the market is its focus on both learning and fun. 

“We’re an educational program focused on STEAM, which can have a stigma for kids, so we are constantly looking for ways to make our programs fun and engaging, as well as enriching,” Gockley said. “We do a great job of this by staying hands-on and making sure we give them really fun projects. For the most part, we’re introducing kids to some really unique things they haven’t done before, which keeps them engaged and makes life easier for their teacher.”

The brand is clearly doing something right, as students will tell their parents things along the lines of “I’m not ready to leave yet” and “Come back later” when their parents come to pick them up, Gockley said. 

“That’s the feedback we cherish the most,” Gockley said. “It means we are getting through to the kids and doing something that’s fun. That’s our biggest barometer.” 

Of course, parental feedback is also important. Parents often laud the program’s balancing of subjects and see IDEA Lab Kids facilities as comfortable and safe places in which their children can learn. 

“When a parent is able to engage with their kid about what they did during the day, it’s a huge win,” Gockley said. “We also get referrals, which are obviously a huge pat on the back for what we’re doing.” 

By constantly innovating its summer camp programs, IDEA Lab Kids ensures franchisees have incredible revenue potential all year long. 

The startup costs for an IDEA Lab Kids franchise range from $111,500 to $200,000. The franchise fee is $35,500. To learn more about franchising with IDEA Lab Kids, visit https://franchise.idealabkids.com/.