Edmonton, Canada, has seen a sharp population increase, growing 3% from July 2024 to July 2025, the fastest rate in the country. The pressure is also evident in local schools, where enrollment has risen by 50% over the past 12 years. With more students in classrooms, STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) can be harder to fit in, which is part of the reason supplemental programs like IDEA Lab Kids have become a resource for local families. That growing demand for enrichment is what led local entrepreneur Ryan Baker to get involved.
“We never had IDEA Lab Kids in the Edmonton area,” said Devina Bhojwani, president and co-founder of IDEA Lab Kids. “Now, all of our classes are at capacity or running close to it. Our franchisee is running such a strong, quality program.”
IDEA Lab Kids in Edmonton is led by Baker, who spent more than a decade working in the oil and gas sector before moving into more corporate, business development and M&A-style work. Several years ago, he decided to resign from that career and start his own series of businesses. He wanted to invest in a franchise as one of those businesses, while also starting his own company and eventually acquiring other businesses. When he began looking at franchise opportunities, he came across IDEA Lab Kids by chance.
“We were in Houston visiting some good friends of ours who had relocated there from Alberta, and went to an IDEA Lab Kids birthday party at one of the locations in the greater Houston area,” Baker said. “Coincidentally, I happened to be in the market looking for something to invest in and it aligned very nicely with some of my business guiding principles. I love the concept and really felt that it would fill a gap here in our community.”
Baker opened the Edmonton center in July 2024 after seeing room for a different kind of enrichment option. At the time, many local programs were centered on technology and STEM. IDEA Lab Kids expanded that focus through STEAM, bringing the arts into the mix.
One of the biggest areas of adoption for the program in this region has come from its ability to support schools. Baker explained that STEAM is highly inclusive, allowing IDEA Lab Kids to offer a wide range of experiences.
“We have four or five different rooms that serve different programs, like a coding room, which holds tech robotics classes. We have a cooking room that's more like a kitchen,” said Bhojwani. “There's a wide variety, and there's something for everybody. So, a family with two different kids and two different varied interests can almost find anything that they're looking for at the IDEA Lab Kids Edmonton.”
In a classroom of 30 or more students, it can be challenging for teachers to provide the kind of small-group, hands-on engagement that deeper STEAM exploration requires. And when school systems are stretched, teachers are often expected to take on a wide range of responsibilities, particularly in early elementary years, where the primary focus is on reading and math. Rather than viewing it as a gap, Baker sees it more as a resource challenge that makes it difficult to fully empower each child to explore topics in depth.
“We’ve had tremendous success in the Edmonton area partnering with schools to support curriculum,” Baker said. “That includes opportunities to work alongside educators, offer unique in-school field trip-style experiences and launch in-school residency programs. We’re running lunchtime STEAM clubs and have already completed a full in-school residency where IDEA Lab instructors were present every day for several weeks, supplementing science curriculum for grade four, five and six students during class time. It’s not extracurricular, it’s fully integrated and aligned with the provincial curriculum.”
When funding is available through schools or parent associations, these partnerships can help enhance subject areas and give students more opportunities than they might typically receive in a standard classroom setting.
One approach IDEA Lab Kids uses is bringing in trained staff to lead hands-on STEAM instruction directly in schools, allowing educators to supplement their curriculum with interactive experiences. Another option allows schools to license IDEA Lab Kids’ curriculum for their own teachers to use. The curriculum is designed to make implementation easier through a video-based format.
“It’s kind of like a Netflix for education,” Bhojwani said. “The facilitator plays the video, but it’s not passive. Every minute or so, there’s a pause built in where the facilitator asks questions and keeps the class engaged, and then it moves into the hands-on portion of the activity.”
Baker wants more children to have access to hands-on STEM learning, even if their school or neighborhood has fewer resources. He has also worked with local schools on giveback programs. When families use a partner school’s code to sign up for camp, part of the fee goes back to the school’s parent association.
IDEA Lab Kids is in an exciting phase of growth, with several new initiatives in St. Albert and Edmonton. The biggest one is the upcoming launch of IDEA Lab STEAM Preschool this fall.
“This will be a fully licensed preschool with a dedicated STEAM focus, which is something we believe is a first for our area,” Baker said. “Most local preschool options are tied to childcare centers, with only a small handful of independent niche programs, so this represents a meaningful step forward in early learning here.”
In addition, Baker is launching an after-school STEAM Academy this fall, which pairs structured, instructor-led enrichment programming with direct school pickup three to five days a week.
“To my knowledge, this is a first-of-its-kind offering in the St. Albert and Edmonton area,” Baker said. “While school pickup and transportation are typically limited to childcare centers, we are redefining that model by using it to give families access to meaningful, skills-based after-school experiences without having to be a daycare.”
One of the reasons Baker has done so well in his market is his involvement in the local community. Rather than approaching marketing in a traditional sense, he views it as an extension of relationship-building.
“I would say marketing success has come from connecting with the families and getting familiar with the schools,” he said. “We're in a business that provides educational enrichment for children. Your primary market is the schools. Those are where all of your potential customers are. That's where all of your potential families are. So I have focused a lot of time and attention on making sure that we cater to the schools.”
Trust is very important in a children’s enrichment business since parents are deciding where to send their children and invest time and money. As a parent himself, Baker understands the importance of feeling confident and safe in those decisions.
“Ryan is very aware of his customers' needs,” Bhojwani said. “I think that speaks to how strong a franchise should be, just being aware of the needs in your environment in your market. Edmonton might be different than Calgary or Calgary might be different compared with Toronto. All our markets serve a different niche and Ryan is definitely doing a great job.”
ABOUT LYRICOS® LEARNING, LLC:
Lyricos® Learning, LLC is the home to IDEA Lab Kids and is also the creator of STEAM on Demand, a leading provider of streaming interactive content and tools for planning and leading standards-aligned, engaging and fun TK-8 STEAM hands-on lessons.
ABOUT STEAM ON DEMAND®:
STEAM on Demand® is a technology platform that offers science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) interactive lessons “on demand” which are designed to be used in a collaborative classroom setting or online. Hundreds of interactive video lessons have been developed as part of the platform’s core content. These kid-tested videos spotlight topics that align with national and state level curriculum standards across all STEAM subjects and guide teachers and students through hands-on projects. Also included is access to a variety of coding pathways for students of all levels. The platform provides all the content and tools needed to plan and conduct entire afterschool programs.
ABOUT IDEA LAB® KIDS:
IDEA Lab® Kids was founded as a way for kids to explore their love of science, technology, engineering, art and math subjects. The award-winning Houston-based education franchise system offers after-school classes, camps, birthday parties, open labs and much more to children. The brand has positioned itself to be a leader in the growing STEAM education space with franchises in the U.S., Canada and internationally. IDEA Lab Kids franchises are only offered or sold in states where they are registered or compliant with applicable franchise laws.
The franchise fee of $35,500 provides an assigned territory for establishing a location and for offering IDEA Lab On-the-GoSM. The startup costs for an IDEA Lab Kids franchise can range from $163,000 to $465,000. To learn more about franchising with IDEA Lab Kids, visit https://1851franchise.com/lyricoslearning/info.
Lyricos Learning
SPONSORED
IDEA Lab Kids has seen an overwhelming response in the Canadian city where franchisee Ryan Baker has built partnerships with schools and families to expand access to hands-on STEAM education.
Edmonton, Canada, has seen a sharp population increase, growing 3% from July 2024 to July 2025, the fastest rate in the country. The pressure is also evident in local schools, where enrollment has risen by 50% over the past 12 years. With more students in classrooms, STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) can be harder to fit in, which is part of the reason supplemental programs like IDEA Lab Kids have become a resource for local families. That growing demand for enrichment is what led local entrepreneur Ryan Baker to get involved.
“We never had IDEA Lab Kids in the Edmonton area,” said Devina Bhojwani, president and co-founder of IDEA Lab Kids. “Now, all of our classes are at capacity or running close to it. Our franchisee is running such a strong, quality program.”
IDEA Lab Kids in Edmonton is led by Baker, who spent more than a decade working in the oil and gas sector before moving into more corporate, business development and M&A-style work. Several years ago, he decided to resign from that career and start his own series of businesses. He wanted to invest in a franchise as one of those businesses, while also starting his own company and eventually acquiring other businesses. When he began looking at franchise opportunities, he came across IDEA Lab Kids by chance.
“We were in Houston visiting some good friends of ours who had relocated there from Alberta, and went to an IDEA Lab Kids birthday party at one of the locations in the greater Houston area,” Baker said. “Coincidentally, I happened to be in the market looking for something to invest in and it aligned very nicely with some of my business guiding principles. I love the concept and really felt that it would fill a gap here in our community.”
Baker opened the Edmonton center in July 2024 after seeing room for a different kind of enrichment option. At the time, many local programs were centered on technology and STEM. IDEA Lab Kids expanded that focus through STEAM, bringing the arts into the mix.
One of the biggest areas of adoption for the program in this region has come from its ability to support schools. Baker explained that STEAM is highly inclusive, allowing IDEA Lab Kids to offer a wide range of experiences.
“We have four or five different rooms that serve different programs, like a coding room, which holds tech robotics classes. We have a cooking room that's more like a kitchen,” said Bhojwani. “There's a wide variety, and there's something for everybody. So, a family with two different kids and two different varied interests can almost find anything that they're looking for at the IDEA Lab Kids Edmonton.”
In a classroom of 30 or more students, it can be challenging for teachers to provide the kind of small-group, hands-on engagement that deeper STEAM exploration requires. And when school systems are stretched, teachers are often expected to take on a wide range of responsibilities, particularly in early elementary years, where the primary focus is on reading and math. Rather than viewing it as a gap, Baker sees it more as a resource challenge that makes it difficult to fully empower each child to explore topics in depth.
“We’ve had tremendous success in the Edmonton area partnering with schools to support curriculum,” Baker said. “That includes opportunities to work alongside educators, offer unique in-school field trip-style experiences and launch in-school residency programs. We’re running lunchtime STEAM clubs and have already completed a full in-school residency where IDEA Lab instructors were present every day for several weeks, supplementing science curriculum for grade four, five and six students during class time. It’s not extracurricular, it’s fully integrated and aligned with the provincial curriculum.”
When funding is available through schools or parent associations, these partnerships can help enhance subject areas and give students more opportunities than they might typically receive in a standard classroom setting.
One approach IDEA Lab Kids uses is bringing in trained staff to lead hands-on STEAM instruction directly in schools, allowing educators to supplement their curriculum with interactive experiences. Another option allows schools to license IDEA Lab Kids’ curriculum for their own teachers to use. The curriculum is designed to make implementation easier through a video-based format.
“It’s kind of like a Netflix for education,” Bhojwani said. “The facilitator plays the video, but it’s not passive. Every minute or so, there’s a pause built in where the facilitator asks questions and keeps the class engaged, and then it moves into the hands-on portion of the activity.”
Baker wants more children to have access to hands-on STEM learning, even if their school or neighborhood has fewer resources. He has also worked with local schools on giveback programs. When families use a partner school’s code to sign up for camp, part of the fee goes back to the school’s parent association.
IDEA Lab Kids is in an exciting phase of growth, with several new initiatives in St. Albert and Edmonton. The biggest one is the upcoming launch of IDEA Lab STEAM Preschool this fall.
“This will be a fully licensed preschool with a dedicated STEAM focus, which is something we believe is a first for our area,” Baker said. “Most local preschool options are tied to childcare centers, with only a small handful of independent niche programs, so this represents a meaningful step forward in early learning here.”
In addition, Baker is launching an after-school STEAM Academy this fall, which pairs structured, instructor-led enrichment programming with direct school pickup three to five days a week.
“To my knowledge, this is a first-of-its-kind offering in the St. Albert and Edmonton area,” Baker said. “While school pickup and transportation are typically limited to childcare centers, we are redefining that model by using it to give families access to meaningful, skills-based after-school experiences without having to be a daycare.”
One of the reasons Baker has done so well in his market is his involvement in the local community. Rather than approaching marketing in a traditional sense, he views it as an extension of relationship-building.
“I would say marketing success has come from connecting with the families and getting familiar with the schools,” he said. “We're in a business that provides educational enrichment for children. Your primary market is the schools. Those are where all of your potential customers are. That's where all of your potential families are. So I have focused a lot of time and attention on making sure that we cater to the schools.”
Trust is very important in a children’s enrichment business since parents are deciding where to send their children and invest time and money. As a parent himself, Baker understands the importance of feeling confident and safe in those decisions.
“Ryan is very aware of his customers' needs,” Bhojwani said. “I think that speaks to how strong a franchise should be, just being aware of the needs in your environment in your market. Edmonton might be different than Calgary or Calgary might be different compared with Toronto. All our markets serve a different niche and Ryan is definitely doing a great job.”
ABOUT LYRICOS® LEARNING, LLC:
Lyricos® Learning, LLC is the home to IDEA Lab Kids and is also the creator of STEAM on Demand, a leading provider of streaming interactive content and tools for planning and leading standards-aligned, engaging and fun TK-8 STEAM hands-on lessons.
ABOUT STEAM ON DEMAND®:
STEAM on Demand® is a technology platform that offers science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) interactive lessons “on demand” which are designed to be used in a collaborative classroom setting or online. Hundreds of interactive video lessons have been developed as part of the platform’s core content. These kid-tested videos spotlight topics that align with national and state level curriculum standards across all STEAM subjects and guide teachers and students through hands-on projects. Also included is access to a variety of coding pathways for students of all levels. The platform provides all the content and tools needed to plan and conduct entire afterschool programs.
ABOUT IDEA LAB® KIDS:
IDEA Lab® Kids was founded as a way for kids to explore their love of science, technology, engineering, art and math subjects. The award-winning Houston-based education franchise system offers after-school classes, camps, birthday parties, open labs and much more to children. The brand has positioned itself to be a leader in the growing STEAM education space with franchises in the U.S., Canada and internationally. IDEA Lab Kids franchises are only offered or sold in states where they are registered or compliant with applicable franchise laws.
The franchise fee of $35,500 provides an assigned territory for establishing a location and for offering IDEA Lab On-the-GoSM. The startup costs for an IDEA Lab Kids franchise can range from $163,000 to $465,000. To learn more about franchising with IDEA Lab Kids, visit https://1851franchise.com/lyricoslearning/info.
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