Parent Guide

Everything you can do in BrightBadge as a parent at a daycare, preschool or after-school program. BrightBadge is free for parents. Just invited? Start with Parent Onboarding.

1. Signing in

Sign in at bright-badge.com/auth/login with the email your center invited and the password you created during setup. You can also sign in to the BrightBadge app under Parent Portal (see section 8).

2. Your dashboard

• Your Pickup Code — your six-digit code for the kiosk
• Your Children — whether each child is checked in or out right now, and the last check-in or check-out: what time and who did it
• Notify Site — I'm On My Way and Report Absence
• Announcements — messages from your center, like closures, reminders or picture day
• Health Information — keep allergies, medications and medical notes up to date (View/Edit)
• Authorized Guardians — the other people allowed to pick up your children (Manage)
• My signature — an optional saved signature for QR check-in (see section 9)

3. Your pickup code

Your pickup code is six digits. Together with your email, it's how you sign in at the kiosk.

• It's permanent and works for both drop-off and pickup, any time.
• It's always on your dashboard and in the app.
• Treat it like a house key: don't post it or share it. If someone else needs to pick up, add them as an authorized pickup (section 6) — they get their own code.
• If you think someone else knows your code, tell your center right away.

4. Checking in and out at the kiosk

Drop-off

1. At the kiosk, enter the email you registered with and your six-digit pickup code, then tap See My Children. You'll only see your own children.
2. Tap the green check-in button for your child.
3. Sign on the screen with your finger (Clear to start over), confirm that you're dropping off, and tap Complete Check In.
4. Tap Next Parent when you're done, so the screen is ready for the next family.

Pickup: the same steps — tap the check-out button, sign, confirm that you're picking up, and tap Complete Check Out.

More than one child? Tap Select Multiple, choose the children, and check them in or out together.

Every check-in and check-out is saved with the time and your signature.

5. I'm On My Way and absences

I'm On My Way

1. Tap I'm On My Way.
2. Choose about when you'll arrive: now, or in 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes. Please send it when you're 15 minutes away or less.
3. Tap Send Alert. Your center knows you're coming, so your child can be ready.

Report Absence

1. Tap Report Absence.
2. Choose your child (or children), the start and end dates (up to 30 days), and a reason: Illness, Vacation, Appointment, Family Event or Other. Add a note if you like.
3. Tap Submit. Your center is told — no phone call needed.

6. Authorized pickups

You decide who else can pick up your children — grandparents, a nanny, a neighbor. Your center doesn't add them; you do.

1. On your dashboard, under Authorized Guardians, tap Manage.
2. For the child, tap Add Guardian.
3. Enter their first name, last name, email, phone (optional) and relationship, then tap Add Guardian.

They get a welcome email. Its link works for 24 hours; they confirm their details, create a password, and get their own six-digit pickup code. At the kiosk they sign in with their own email and code. If they missed the email, tap Resend.

For your children's safety, a guardian you add can only be removed after 7 days. After that, use Remove Guardian.

BrightBadge allows up to 3 authorized pickups per child; keep any additional authorized people on your center's written list.

7. Health information

Tap View/Edit under Health Information to keep each child's allergies, medications, dietary needs and medical notes up to date. Your center's staff can see this information while caring for your child.

8. The BrightBadge app

Download BrightBadge from the App Store or Google Play. Tap Parent Portal and sign in with the same email and password. Authorized pickups sign in here too.

• Home: your pickup code, your children, Show QR Code, I'm On My Way and Report Absence
• QR Code: your check-in QR code
• Messages: your center's announcements
• Guardians: manage who can pick up
• Profile: turn on push notifications

9. QR check-in and your saved signature

If your center scans QR codes — on a tablet running the BrightBadge app, or on a staff member's phone — you can skip typing.

1. Open the app and tap Show QR Code. The code refreshes every minute, so a screenshot won't work.
2. Hold it up to be scanned.
3. Tap your child to check in or out, and confirm.

Save your signature (optional). If you save a signature, it's applied to your child's sign-in and sign-out only when your own BrightBadge QR code is scanned. If you don't, you sign on screen each time.

• On the website: on your dashboard, find My signature, tap Add a signature, sign, agree to the consent box, and tap Save signature. You can Replace or Withdraw it at any time.
• Or, the first time your QR code is scanned, check Save this signature for next time (optional) after you sign.

10. English or Spanish

BrightBadge works in English and Spanish. Use the language menu on the website and kiosk, or switch language in the app.

11. Privacy

You only ever see your own children's information, and other families can't see yours. Your center's owner and staff can see your children's information so they can care for them. To learn what BrightBadge collects and how it's used, read our Privacy Policy.

12. Common questions

I forgot my pickup code. Sign in on the website or the app — it's on your dashboard.

The kiosk says my code is wrong. Check that you're using the email your center invited, and all six digits. Still stuck? Ask the staff at the front desk.

My child doesn't appear at the kiosk. Your account may not be linked to that child yet. Ask your center.

I never got my invitation, or it expired. Ask your center to resend it, or get help connecting.

How do I update my child's information? Health information is under Health Information on your dashboard. For anything else, contact your center.

Need help?

Your center is your first contact for anything about your child. For problems with the app or website, email support@bright-badge.com.