In brief
- Brochures are an essential touchpoint in the parent decision journey: Whether digital or printed, a brochure provides families with a clear, visual takeaway. It builds trust and helps them compare settings after tours, open days, or online research.
- Effective content shifts from basic features to child-focused benefits: Rather than just listing facilities or room names, a strong brochure helps parents answer a vital question: “Would my child be happy here?” It does this by vividly describing daily experiences and learning outcomes.
- The most common mistake is overloading pages with too much information: A brochure is an introduction, not a parent handbook. It works best when it utilizes plenty of white space, concise headings, and warm, natural photography to remain highly scannable.
- Hybrid distribution ensures maximum local visibility: Combining digital versions for mobile-friendly online enquiries with printed versions for local community hubs and tour follow-ups creates a seamless, consistent pipeline. This naturally guides families toward booking a tour.
A nursery brochure is a printed or digital marketing material that helps parents understand what a nursery offers, why it is different and how to enquire.
For nurseries, brochures can be a valuable part of the parent decision-making journey. They give families something clear and useful to take away, whether they have visited the setting, attended an open day, seen the nursery at a local event or started researching childcare online.
Nursery brochures and print materials can help build trust, improve local visibility and support parents as they compare different settings. They work best when they are clear, visual, parent-focused and easy to act on.
In this guide, we’ll look at what to include in a nursery brochure, what makes a brochure effective and how to use one to support enquiries.
What should you include in a nursery brochure?
A nursery brochure should include the information parents want to know about your setting to feel confident that their child would be in good hands if they attended.
Parents want reassurance. They want to understand what daily life looks like, who will care for their child and why your nursery is the right choice for their family.
A nursery brochure checklist should include:
- Nursery name and location
- Contact details and website
- Age ranges cared for
- Opening hours and session options
- Your approach to childcare, learning and development
- Room information
- Facilities and outdoor spaces
- Meals, routines and settling-in support
- Staff experience and qualifications
- Parent communication approach
- Ofsted rating, awards or accreditations
- Parent testimonials
- High-quality images of your setting
The best brochures help parents picture their child at your nursery. For example, instead of simply listing “outdoor space”, explain how children use it:
“Children enjoy daily outdoor play through gardening, messy play and exploration activities that support confidence, curiosity and physical development.”
Room information can work in a similar way. Rather than only describing your baby, toddler and preschool rooms, show parents how each space supports children’s needs:
“Our toddler room encourages independence through age-appropriate activities, free exploration and support from a dedicated key person.”
Every section should help answer one question: “Would my child be happy and supported here?”
What does a good nursery brochure look like?
A good nursery brochure should be easy to scan and visually engaging. Parents are often comparing several settings, so clear design and strong imagery can make a big difference.
Effective nursery brochures usually include:
- Short sections of information
- Clear headings
- Warm, natural photography
- Plenty of white space
- Consistent branding
- Simple visual elements such as icons
- A clear call to action
The design should reflect your nursery’s personality. A setting that focuses on outdoor learning might use photographs of children exploring nature, with messaging around confidence, discovery and independence.
A community-focused nursery may highlight relationships and belonging, using images of staff interacting with children and families.
A strong brochure should guide parents through the decision journey:
- Who you are
- What you offer
- Why families trust you
- What makes your nursery different
- What they should do next
Examples of good nursery brochure ideas
Here’s a selection of examples and ideas that you can include in your nursery brochure to make it more effective.
A visual introduction to the setting
Instead of opening with a large block of text, use a welcoming image of the nursery environment alongside a short introduction explaining your values.
A “day in the life” section
Parents often want to know what their child’s routine will look like. A simple timeline can show meals, play, learning activities, outdoor time and rest periods.
Parent testimonials
A short quote from a current family can provide reassurance and show the experience other parents have had.
Clear next steps
A brochure should make it easy for parents to enquire. Include a phone number, website link, QR code or booking option.
The strongest examples combine practical information with visuals that help families imagine becoming part of the nursery community.
What are the common mistakes to avoid with nursery brochures?
The biggest mistake nurseries make is trying to include too much information.
A brochure shouldn’t replace your website or parent handbook. Its purpose is to introduce your setting, answer key questions and encourage parents to find out more.
Keep the design simple by avoiding too many fonts, colours or competing messages. Your brochure should feel consistent throughout and reflect your nursery branding.
Images should also be chosen carefully. If photo permissions aren’t in place for children, then pictures of your setting, resources, and staff can still give a strong visual impression.
For digital brochures, consider how parents will view them. Many families will open them on a phone, so keep text readable and make sure the file is easy to access.
You can use QR codes on digital brochures, but be mindful that QR codes won’t work if the brochure is opened on a phone. You will want to also include clickable hyperlinks where possible.
Your brochure should also be reviewed regularly. Update details such as staff information, opening hours, funding guidance and session options so the content continues to be accurate to your setting.
Is a print or digital brochure better for a nursery?
Both print and digital brochures can support nursery marketing, depending on where parents are in their decision journey.
A printed brochure works well during:
- Nursery tours
- Open days
- Local events
- Community partnerships
It gives parents something physical to take away and revisit after their visit.
A digital brochure is useful for:
- Website visitors
- Email follow-ups
- Online enquiries
- Sharing information quickly with families
Digital brochures are easier to update, but they should still be designed with the parent experience in mind. They need to be mobile-friendly, easy to download and simple to navigate.
Using both formats can create a smoother journey. A parent might first download a brochure online before visiting, then receive a printed version during their nursery tour.
Whichever format you choose, make sure your branding, messaging and call to action are consistent.
Where should you place your nursery brochures?
You should place nursery brochures where local parents and carers are likely to see them.
The best locations will depend on your nursery’s catchment area, target families and local partnerships. A brochure is more likely to drive enquiries when it is placed somewhere relevant, visible and trusted by families.
Potential locations include:
- Open days and parent events
- Local libraries
- Children’s centres
- Baby and toddler groups
- Soft play centres
- Health visitor or family support settings, where allowed
- Local events and fairs
- Partner businesses or community organisations
Always ask permission before placing brochures in local venues. It is also worth checking them regularly so they stay tidy, visible, and up to date.
Think carefully about where your ideal families spend time. For example, if many of your enquiries come from new parents, baby groups and health visitor settings may be useful. If you support children preparing for school, local community events and school partnerships may be more relevant.
The aim is to make your nursery visible in relevant places, rather than simply distributing brochures widely.
How can nursery brochures support open days and enquiries?
Brochures help parents remember your nursery after a visit, open day, or first conversation.
During a tour, parents get given a lot of information at once. They learn about rooms, staff, routines, settling in, meals, fees, availability. And that’s just the start of the information they have to process to choose the right setting for their child. A brochure gives them something clear to take away and revisit later.
A good brochure can summarise your key selling points, answer common questions and give parents a clear next step. It can also help your team give the same information when they speak to prospective families.
Nursery brochures can be included in:
- Open day welcome folders
- Enquiry packs
- Tour follow-up emails
- Local event packs
- Parent information displays
- Waiting list communications
Your brochure should signpost parents to the next stage of the enquiry journey. This might be booking a tour, joining a waiting list, attending an open day, or contacting the nursery team.
Brochures also work best when used alongside other marketing materials, such as posters, flyers, and social media posts. Each material should have a clear purpose, but the message should feel consistent.
Bringing it all together
A nursery brochure is a practical tool for building trust, explaining your nursery’s offer and encouraging parents to take the next step.
Strong nursery brochures are clear, visual, parent-focused and easy to act on. They should help families understand what makes your setting different, while giving them the practical information they need to enquire with confidence.
Once a brochure encourages a parent to register their interest, eyenquiries can support the next step. eyenquiries manages the entire pipeline from parent interest to enrolment. It tracks visits, manages waitlists, and registration. eyenquiries helps teams keep enquiries organised, follow up efficiently, and avoid missed opportunities. Contact us today and schedule a free one-to-one demo with our product specialists and see how eyworks can help support your nursery setting.