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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a The Little Gym Franchise

The Little Gym is a children’s enrichment and physical development franchise serving kids from four months to 12 years. Founded in 1976 and franchising since 1992, the brand runs a non-competitive, instructor-led gym model built around a proprietary “Three-Dimensional Learning” curriculum that blends movement, problem-solving and social skills across its Get Moving, Brain Boost and Citizen Kid programs.

Revenue comes from membership-based classes alongside camps, birthday parties and parent’s-night-out events, giving each unit a recurring base tied to a local catchment of families. Locations are brick-and-mortar and territory-based, with the owner running a fixed gym space and a team of trained instructors.

With more than 400 locations open or under development worldwide, The Little Gym is one of the larger names in children’s fitness and enrichment. It operates as part of Unleashed Brands, a family-focused franchising group whose portfolio also includes Urban Air and Snapology, giving the brand parent-network scale in curriculum, marketing and technology.

Latest Resales

  • There are currently no The Little Gym resales available

Why buy a The Little Gym Franchise?

For buyers drawn to family-focused, community-rooted businesses, The Little Gym offers an established brand with nearly five decades of operating history and strong recognition in children’s enrichment. The membership-led model creates repeat visits and a recurring customer base, while camps, parties and events add complementary income beyond core class enrollment.

To buy a The Little Gym franchise is to step into a proprietary curriculum and operating system rather than build a children’s program from scratch, backed by Unleashed Brands’ shared marketing, IT and franchisee-support infrastructure. The non-competitive, developmental positioning gives the brand a clear identity with parents and can support premium membership pricing in the right market.

The Little Gym Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1976

    • Franchising Since

      1992

    • New Startup Cost

      $519,265 – $756,995

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $59,500

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $29,750

      50% Initial Franchise Fee; 25% to existing; $3,500 non-controlling

    • Royalty Fee

      8%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      1%

      of Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      219

    • New Units Opened *

      39

    • Units Transferred *

      22

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $743,272

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

The Little Gym – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    New owners complete an initial week of training at corporate headquarters, supported by The Little Gym's "Launch Day" onboarding and a proprietary curriculum and operating system. Ongoing support spans business consulting and mentoring, marketing, IT, HR and finance resources, performance dashboards for tracking unit results, and an annual convention with workshops and training. Resale buyers should confirm with the franchisor what transfer training and system access are provided to incoming owners and how existing instructor certifications carry over.

  2. Ideal Owner

    The model suits hands-on, community-minded operators who enjoy working around children and families and are comfortable leading a team of instructors. No background in gymnastics or education is required, but owners should be strong on customer relationships, local marketing and membership retention, and willing to be an active presence in the gym rather than absentee. People skills, organisation and a genuine interest in early childhood development matter more than industry experience; the day-to-day centres on staffing, scheduling, member experience and local visibility among parents.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    The Little Gym ranks consistently on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, most recently #125 in 2026 (up from #134 in 2025), its seventh straight year on the list and well above earlier placements such as #118 in 2019. It has also been named a Top Global Franchise (#30 in 2020), a Top Franchise for Veterans (#93 in 2020), a Franchise Business Review Top 50 franchisee-satisfaction brand, and Best Global Children's Center by Wealth & Finance International. For resale buyers, brand recognition should be weighed alongside the specific gym's local reviews, membership reputation and community standing.

  4. Industry / Market

    The Little Gym sits within the US youth sports and children's activity economy, valued at roughly $40 billion, with family spending on youth sports and enrichment rising steeply over the past decade (Aspen Institute Project Play). Demand is driven by dual-income households, growing parental investment in early development, and concern over childhood activity levels and screen time. The category is discretionary and can soften in downturns, though programs for young children tend to keep loyal local followings. For resale buyers, territory demographics, birth rates and family density are key demand indicators.

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