I'm a blunt person, I'm really trying to nicely offer my opinion and suggestions, but it might sound meaner than I mean for it to be. I apologize in advance if I sound harsh. So, my thoughts are...

I looked at your pictures and, in my opinion, they are too... clean/plain/sterile... There's nothing really on the walls. The toys and tables, although great items, are not 'alive' nor intriguing. When I think of Reggio, I think of plants, outdoor life brought indoor for the kids to experience. I think you need plants, shells, modeling clay, a sand table, rocks, pine cones, etc. I think of things that spark kids' interest in ways that adults typically don't even think of. Meaning allowing kids' curiosity in the world, nature, getting messy with mud, etc. that many adults don't do.

My suggestion is that you wake it up in there. Hang some plants or put some plants on some tables/shelves. Get some of the items I suggested and either create a science/nature area or incorporate (better idea) some of the items in each area of the center. Put some posters of natural things such as sea animals, mountains, lakes, land animals, etc. on the wall. Bring nature inside and liven the place up.

You're right. No one wants their child to be the only kid in a center. You mentioned having a friend that has a child. Do you know a couple of people, family and/or friends (even if they are stay at home moms) who will basically lend their children to your care and let you watch them (for free if needed) for a few hours per day or all day for a week or two so that it looks like you do already have a few kids enrolled?

Or you could offer 1/2 price for the first month for the first 5 kids or something like that to entice people to enroll with you even though there aren't many other kids.

It sounds like you have advertised your butt off and have received a LOT of interest in people who might want to attend a new center. You just have to figure out what the people want in a new center.

You might want to research other centers and home daycares in your area to see what they have/offer. Again, if you want to think of it, it's ahhh... immoral, pulling the wool over people's eyes, and at times, bold faced lying. But.... trust me, Target has people checking out what Walmart's doing and Walmart has people checking out Target. It's business. You HAVE to KNOW your competition in order to know what they are doing right to get customers/clients, what they are doing wrong to lose/not obtain customers/clients, and what they offer that customers/clients want/expect, and then take all that information in and think of things that you can do/offer that goes above what the 'others' offer so you can let people know why they should hire you rather than the daycare down the street.

Since many people know your face and voice from the advertising and tours that you have done, in order to secretly check out your competition, you will need someone to do your 'research' for you. You need someone that is loyal to you and your daycare, but who no one knows is associated with you or your daycare.

Now, keep in mind, if anyone in the daycare world realizes that you have checked their daycare out in secret, you might make some enemies in the daycare world. But, if you do it right, they won't know you 'researched' them.

Or, if you don't want to lie, you can straight up tell other daycare providers and center owners that you need some suggestions and see what they suggest.

You could also ask people to fill out a form when they first enter your center or ask them over the phone, and get them to tell you what they are looking for in a daycare. Ask what they do and don't like about their current daycare. Ask what things, activities, and surroundings (environment) they want in their child's day. You could make a pre-made form that lists things and asks the level of importance those things are. Such as:
Activity/Surroundings Level of Importance
Block play 1 2 3 4 5
Organic Foods 1 2 3 4 5
Learning about Plants/Flowers 1 2 3 4 5

And then give a section for the parents to make their own suggestions on what they want a daycare to offer and how they want their child's day/surroundings to be.

If you get them to fill that form out before you take them on the tour, you will get their answers before they decide not to do paperwork and just walk off after the tour.

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