About Us
The birth of a truly unique kids gym franchise concept
Our History
In 2004, Michael and Babz Barnett, parents of two young children, found themselves frustrated and disappointed in the variety and quality of kids gym franchises, in their hometown of Richmond, Virginia.
As busy parents, they spent too much time driving from place to place trying to fashion a rich set of experiences for their kids. One day, that frustration bubbled over into the early ideas for a place where parents and kids could find a variety of gym, music and art programs under one roof.
They called it Romp n’ Roll.
Ready to Get Started?
Learn more about our franchise opportunities & download our franchise information report.
Everything Tested Before Rollout
Activities, programs and play experiences are researched and tested in two company-owned locations before introduction to the Romp n’ Roll franchisee community in addition to the detailed training provided to instructors.
Romp n’ Roll’s first location opened in October 2004, offering a variety of high-quality kid gym classes led by enthusiastic, well-trained instructors and held in a clean, safe, whimsical center.
Michael and Babz opened their second location in 2005, less than a year later, and awarded their first franchise in 2007.
Michael and Babz Appear on Shark Tank
In 2010, Michael and Babz were invited to appear on ABC’s reality show, Shark Tank. They turned down offers from two of the sharks, so they could keep 100% of ownership and thereby control the growth and quality of their promising franchise.
Romp n’ Roll Opens Doors in China
Romp n’ Roll granted a “Master Franchise” license to a group in China in 2009, and subsequently opened over 300 centers there, exiting that business in 2015 to resume focus on U.S. expansion.
Why Romp n’ Roll?
Three things make Romp n’ Roll a premier franchise option
- Every world-class experience is exclusively focused on enriching the lives of their children aged 3-months to five years old. Romp n’ Roll isn’t a center for kids of all ages.
- A wide variety of activities, programs and classes can all be found under one roof; reducing wear and tear on parents and creating a safe, familiar place for their children to enjoy.
- Our whimsical centers are joyful and professionally designed to stimulate and motivate children to have fun, socialize and learn new skills without feeling like they’re learning at all.
