Running a children’s activity business as a busy mum is no small feat—you’re juggling family life, work, and your passion for helping little ones learn and grow. One of the biggest ways you can make life easier for yourself (and for the parents booking with you!) is by having the right booking system in place. It saves time, cuts down the admin headaches, and makes everything smoother for your customers.

I know it can feel overwhelming when you start looking at booking platforms—there are so many out there! But after working with a range of them, here’s my honest take on which ones are best for mums in business like us:

For Events and One-Off Sessions

If you run holiday clubs, workshops, or ad hoc events, you’ll want a booking system that handles one-off sessions brilliantly:

• Bookwhen – Reliable and flexible, great for ad hoc events.
• DigiTickets – My top pick for events! The pay-as-you-go option means no big monthly fee hanging over you, and it’s super simple for both you and your customers.

For Weekly Classes and Regular Sessions

If your business is all about weekly classes or recurring activities, you’ll get the most from systems that are designed specifically with children’s activity providers in mind:

• Class4Kids – Very popular and already well known with parents.
• Pebble – Handy for keeping on top of timetables and regular attendees.
• Book That In – My absolute favourite for children’s activity businesses! It’s easy to use, affordable, and parents find it really straightforward. The customer service is brilliant, and the cherry on top? You get free advertising through their sister site, Toddle About. That means more parents discover your classes without you even trying.

Why Your Booking System Matters

It’s not just about making your admin life easier (though let’s be honest, that’s a huge win). The right booking system also:

• Attracts the right kind of customers.
• Makes it quick and simple for parents to book.
• Saves you precious time so you can focus on the fun stuff—running amazing activities for children.

My Recommendations

For regular classes: Book That In. For events: DigiTickets.
These two tick the boxes for usability, affordability, and making life easier for both you and your customers.

At the end of the day, running a children’s activity business as a mum is all about balance. Choosing the right booking system is one of those behind-the-scenes decisions that makes everything else flow so much better. Trust me—you’ll thank yourself later!