The Little Gym
Education & Child Enrichment · Youth Fitness
- Active units
- 218
- Avg unit volume
- $699k
- Royalty
- 8.0%
Franchised, year-end 2024
of weekly Net Sales
About The Little Gym
This children's fitness franchise operates through brick-and-mortar centers offering a variety of structured classes such as gymnastics, dance, and karate. The curriculum uses physical activity to support motor skills, social interaction, and cognitive development in a non-competitive setting. Franchise locations also provide additional services including seasonal camps, enrichment clubs, and hosted birthday parties. The business model serves families seeking extracurricular activities that focus on holistic child development through movement and play.
Key terms
- Existing franchisee multi-unit
5% discount off the Development Fee for existing The Little Gym and Affiliated Brands franchisees who purchase additional units
- Brand fund
2.5% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
5.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
2,800 – 4,200 sq ft
- Development Agreement - 2 Gyms
$113k
- Development Agreement - 3 Gyms
$161k
- Veteran discount
5.0% off franchise fee — 5% reduction of the Development Fee for active-duty U.S. military and honorably discharged veterans with 51% ownership through initial term
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing); filings on file: 2024, 2025, 2026.
Growth
- Total locations—
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings—
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate—
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR—
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio—
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)$634k
Item 19 cohort year 2025
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)$425k
25th percentile of Gross Sales
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)$842k
75th percentile of Gross Sales
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate-1.9%
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$572k
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open11 months
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
↓ Lower is better - Royalty rate8.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio1.1×
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.