Adding your first child

Quick Add a child, invite a parent to fill in the details, and set the days they come.

Written byDaniel Broadhurst (Founder)|Published: 18 June 2026|
Ofsted Aligned

ℹ️Who this is for

Childminders adding a child for the first time. You only need the child's name to start. Needs the Standard plan or a free trial. It takes about five minutes.

Video Walkthrough

You don't need every medical and emergency detail before you add a child. Add their name, invite a parent to fill in the rest, and set the days the child comes.

1. Quick Add the child

Open the Children tab and tap +. Quick Add is selected. Enter the child's first and last name, and a preferred name if they use one, then save.

The child is on your register straight away.

2. Invite a parent

KinderStart then asks you to add a parent. Enter their name, relationship, email, phone and address, and switch on Send Invitation Email?. Tap save.

The parent gets an email with a link to create their account. The link lasts 7 days.

3. Let the parent add the details

Once they've joined, the parent adds their child's medical and emergency details from their own phone. When they submit, a Review Pending Registration banner appears on the child's profile for you to check.

4. Set the days they come

On the child's profile, open Contracts and tap +. Choose the days the child comes, then set your hourly rate and any consumables charge. These drive your register and your invoices.

Finishing and sending the contract is covered in Creating a childcare contract.

Why KinderStart does it this way

Parents know their child's details best, so letting them enter them saves you retyping a paper form, and there are fewer mistakes. You can start using the diary as soon as the child is added.

What to do next

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Track Your Progress
Don't get lost in the paperwork. Use our free interactive checklist to tick off each step as you complete it.

Next guide

Adding a full child profile

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KinderStart strives for accuracy. Competitor features and pricing comparisons are based on publicly available information as of May 2026. Details are subject to change by respective providers.

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