Running a kids’ activity business is a juggling act. You’re managing schedules across venues, keeping registers accurate, chasing late payments, replying to parent messages, and trying to grow—without letting admin swallow your week.

That’s exactly why more clubs are switching to kids club management software: a single system that handles online registrations, class bookings, subscriptions, automated payments, digital attendance registers, and parent communication in one place.

So what exactly is a kids club management software?

Kids club management software (also called class booking software or a club booking system) is a platform designed to run your classes end-to-end:

• Parents register their child and complete required details online
• They book sessions, courses, or subscriptions
• Payments are collected upfront or on schedule
• Attendance registers update automatically
• You can message families, manage changes, track reporting, and stay on top of operations
   

Modern platforms position themselves as “all-in-one” because standalone tools (spreadsheets, messaging apps, and separate invoicing) create double-entry, missed information, and admin overload.

Why clubs switch: the 5 biggest admin pain points

If you’re evaluating kids activity club software, the decision usually comes down to solving these problems:

1) Late payments and payment chasing

The biggest win is moving to automated payments—including upfront payments at booking and recurring billing for subscriptions.

2) Manual registers and attendance tracking

A platform that keeps bookings and registers synced prevents errors and saves time.

3) Paper forms, missing info, and messy safeguarding admin

Online registration forms matter because you can collect the right details consistently (medical notes, emergency contacts, consents, and more).

4) Parent communication overload

When families can self-serve (update details, view bookings, receive confirmations), you reduce inbound queries and free up your team.

5) Scaling across venues, teams, and franchises

Once you add more locations or coaches, you need consistent processes, centralised data, and role-based access.

The must-have features of great class booking software

Here’s what to look for when comparing class booking software or sports club management software.

1) Online registration forms (customisable)

Your system should let you:

• Create branded registration forms
• Collect student details once and reuse them
• Support siblings and families
• Keep info stored against the right child profile

2) Flexible class scheduling (classes, courses, terms, camps)

Most clubs run a mix of:

• Weekly classes
• Term blocks
• Camps with block booking options
• Recurring and ad hoc bookings or classes
• Trials and taster sessions

3) Online bookings that work on any device

At minimum, you want:

• Mobile-friendly booking
• Clear availability
• Waitlists for full sessions
• Automated confirmations

4) Automated payments and subscriptions (the real time-saver)

The strongest platforms reduce “money admin” by supporting:

• Pay-at-booking for sessions/courses
• Recurring subscription billing
• Automatic retries for failed payments
• Multiple payment methods (depending on your model)

5) Digital registers and attendance tracking

Look for:

• Attendance registers that match bookings
• Quick mark-in/out on mobile
• Exportable lists (when needed)
• Coach-friendly views

6) Parent/Member portal and self-serve experience

A proper portal reduces repetitive admin by letting parents:

• Manage bookings
• View receipts/transactions
• Update details
• Receive club messages in one place

7) Website integration (embed booking pages)

If your booking system embeds cleanly into your website, you reduce drop-offs and look more professional.

8) Discounts, coupons, and growth tools

To fill classes, you need levers like:

• Trial classes
• Discount codes/coupons
• Siblings/family pricing options
• Promotional campaigns

9) GDPR-ready data handling and safeguards

You’re storing children’s data—so GDPR readiness, secure storage, and role-based access controls matter.

The evaluation checklist: choosing the right club booking system

Use this scorecard when comparing providers:

Bookings

• Can parents book in under two minutes on mobile?
• Can you handle term bookings, subscriptions, camps and ad-hoc sessions?
• Are waitlists included?
• Are coupons and sibling discounts available?

Payments

• Is pay-at-booking available?
• Are subscriptions/recurring billing supported?
• Are automatic retries available for failed payments?
• Are multiple payment methods supported?

Operations

• Are digital registers synced to bookings automatically?
• Is the interface coach/staff-friendly?
• Does it support multi-venue scheduling?

Parents

• Is there a parent portal/self-serve experience?
• Are automated emails/notifications included?
• Is it easy for families to update important details (medical, emergency, contacts)?

Growth

• Are discount codes/coupons and vouchers included?
• Does it support trials and conversion tools?
• Is reporting useful for deciding what to run next?

Compliance

• Is GDPR/UKDPA positioning clear and credible?
• Does it support role-based staff access?

FAQs

Is sports club management software the same as kids club software?

They overlap heavily (bookings, payments, attendance), but kids-focused platforms usually put more emphasis on child profiles, safeguarding-related data capture, and parent communication workflows.

Do I need subscriptions?

If your club has recurring members (weekly classes, term blocks), subscriptions can stabilise cash flow and reduce admin—especially when combined with automated payments.

What’s the fastest way to reduce admin this month?

Start with:

• Online registration forms
• Pay-at-booking for new bookings
• Digital registers synced to bookings
• Automated confirmations and reminders

The best kids club management software doesn’t just store bookings—it removes daily friction: less payment chasing, fewer register errors, complete customer info, fewer parent queries, and more time spent coaching, teaching, and growing.

Choose a platform that fits your workflow and keeps bookings, payments, registers, records, and communication in one place. All this and more can be done with Bookiphy. Try Bookiphy at your club for free.