Families planning a January start are choosing a centre right now. If your marketing goes quiet over the holidays, they’re still making that decision, and they’ll choose a different centre. That’s why the weeks before Christmas are a critical window for childcare enrolments in January. The work you do now shapes how full your rooms are in the new year.
The centres that recover fastest are the ones that kept talking to families while everyone else wound down.
Why the weeks before Christmas are so important
Families planning a January start usually have a reason for making their decision now. A parent might be returning to work after parental leave, a family may have recently moved into the area, or their child could be starting kindergarten in the new year. Others might be looking to change centres after a disappointing experience.
These families have moved beyond browsing. They have a start date in mind and want to book a tour, see the room and secure a place before the break. That means they need an answer while they’re making their plans. If they can’t get one from you before Christmas, they’ll look elsewhere.
There’s also a new group of families worth reaching. Since 5 January 2026, the 3 Day Guarantee has given families eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) access to at least 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight, regardless of how many hours they work or study.
This matters for families who assumed they wouldn’t qualify for much support. Some may now be weighing up care for the first time.
1. Know exactly which places you can fill
Before you spend a dollar on advertising, get specific about your vacancies. Start by answering these questions.
- Which rooms and age groups have places available from January?
- Which days have availability? Families often prefer certain days, so knowing where the gaps are helps you focus your enrolment efforts.
- How many children are leaving for school, and when is their last day?
- Which families have mentioned reducing their days next year?
Your answers give you a clear starting point for your marketing. Telling parents you have toddler places available on Mondays and Fridays from January is far more useful than a generic “Now Enrolling” message. It gives families the information they need and helps your advertising reach the right people.
2. Turn your advertising up, not off
Many centres pull back on advertising in December, assuming things will be quiet over the holidays. But parents are still looking at childcare options for the new year, so it’s important to stay visible while they’re actively searching.
Keep your Google Ads running for the terms parents are actually searching, like childcare in your suburb or places for specific age groups. Facebook and Instagram ads can also help you get in front of local families who might not have started looking yet, giving them a reason to book a tour.
Just make sure those ads are taking parents somewhere useful. Your landing page should show current availability, real photos of your centre and an easy way to enquire. There’s little point spending money on advertising if parents click through only to find a page that says “waitlist only”.
Keep an eye on your budget too, so your ads don’t stop halfway through the month.
If you’re offering a January enrolment incentive, be clear about what it includes and when it ends. If you set a deadline, stick to it. Extending an offer after telling families it’s ending can damage trust and potentially create issues under Australian Consumer Law.
3. Make your Google Business Profile holiday ready
Many parents will check out your centre on Google Maps before making an enquiry, often straight from their phone. Make sure what they find is accurate and gives them a good first impression.
Start by updating your holiday closure dates and opening hours. You don’t want a parent ringing an empty office and assuming your centre is difficult to reach.
It’s also worth adding a few recent photos of your rooms and outdoor areas, responding to any outstanding reviews and sharing a quick update about January availability. Make it easy for families to see what’s on offer and how they can book a tour.
Our childcare local SEO guide walks you through these checks in more detail.
4. Plan who answers enquiries over the break
This is where many January enrolments are lost. A family enquires on 20 December, nobody replies until 6 January, and by then they’ve toured two other centres.
You need a clear plan for who’s handling enquiries while the centre is closed. Make sure someone is responsible for responding and has the information they need to answer questions about availability, fees and tour bookings.
Set up an automatic reply that thanks families for getting in touch, lets them know when they can expect a personal response and gives them the option to book a January tour.
Ensure you have tour times available in the last two weeks before you close and the first week you reopen. Keep a simple record of each enquiry, including the child’s age, the days they’re looking for and when someone needs to follow up.
A quick, personal reply matters more at this time of year than any ad. Families are trying to lock in their plans before the holidays, and your response forms part of their decision.
5. Don’t overlook the families you already have
Some of your easiest January enrolments could come from families you already know. They might have a younger sibling ready to start, a friend looking for care or be considering adding another day. It’s worth having those conversations before the Christmas break.
Check in with current families about their plans for next year and confirm their days in writing. While you’re having those conversations, let them know where you still have availability. You might find a family looking for an extra day or someone who knows another parent searching for care.
If you have a referral program, now is a good time to remind families about it.
Don’t forget the families on your waitlist or those who toured earlier in the year but never enrolled. Circumstances change, and a quick follow-up might be all it takes to restart the conversation
6. Get your January follow-up ready now
January can get busy quickly, so having your follow-up messages ready before you close is one less thing to worry about when you return.
Start with the families who enquired in December. Have a short email or text ready to send in January, inviting them to book a tour. You can also prepare a friendly reminder for families who have already toured but haven’t returned their enrolment forms.
And for families who are starting in January, a simple welcome message goes a long way. Confirm their start date, what they need to bring and who they should ask for when they arrive.
None of this needs to be complicated. It’s about making sure families hear from you at the right time, even when things get busy.
Your next steps this week
- List your January vacancies by room, age group and day.
- Make sure your ads are running and directing parents to a page with current availability.
- Update your holiday hours on your Google Business Profile.
- Decide who’s handling enquiries over the break and set up an automatic reply.
- Lock in tour times for the last two weeks before you close.
If you’re looking to fill more places in January and want to make sure your marketing is working as hard as it should, get in touch. We work with childcare and early learning centres across Australia and can help you make the most of the enrolment opportunities ahead.
