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Home daycare starter kit

The 2-camera home daycare kit

A short Amazon shopping list, our pre-configured appliance, and about an afternoon of your time. Two care rooms live for parents, with your family's off-hours privacy guaranteed by schedule.

≈ $120–200 hardware from Amazon$349 appliance, pre-configured$49/mo · no contract
See the shopping listAsk us first

The shopping list (you buy on Amazon)

Three commodity items. Buying them yourself keeps the cost down and the hardware yours. We'll email you exact, current model links if you want them.

ItemWhat to look forTypical price
2× PoE IP camerasRTSP/ONVIF, 1080p+, H.264, we recommend Anpviz or Reolink≈ $40–90 each
1× unmanaged PoE switch4+ PoE ports (powers the cameras over the network cable)≈ $30–45
2× ethernet cablesCat5e or Cat6, length to reach each room≈ $8–20

No-wiring alternative (WiFi): 2× TP-Link Tapo plug-in cameras (≈ $25–50 each): skip the switch and cables entirely; each camera just needs a wall outlet. Wired PoE is the most reliable; Tapo is the cheapest and simplest. See Tapo cameras for daycare.

From us: the CareCam appliance: a small, silent, pre-configured box (~8 watts, $349 one-time) that pulls your cameras' streams and serves them securely to parents. It arrives ready: plug into your router and power, done. Software is $49/month for home daycares, parents watch free, no contract.

Get the exact shopping list

Want the exact Amazon links for your setup?

Tell us how many rooms you have (and whether you prefer wired or WiFi) and we'll email you the exact current model links, sized for your home, plus the printable setup sheet. Free, no call.

Free for parents · No spam · We reply by email

Prefer to talk it through? Call or text (302) 897-4610

Setup: five steps, no technician

  1. 1

    Order the parts

    Buy the cameras, PoE switch, and cables from Amazon (list above). Tell us your order so we ship your pre-configured appliance to arrive around the same time.

  2. 2

    Mount the two cameras

    One per care room, up high in a corner, angled to see the room, never bathrooms or changing areas. Run each camera's ethernet cable back to the PoE switch. The same cable carries power, so there's nothing else to plug in at the camera.

  3. 3

    Plug in the switch and the appliance

    PoE switch into your router, cameras into the PoE ports, CareCam appliance into the switch (or your router) and a wall outlet. No monitor, no keyboard, no router settings.

  4. 4

    We bring it live the same day

    The appliance phones home automatically. We detect your cameras, you confirm each room's name and your care hours by email, and we verify the streams end-to-end on a real phone.

  5. 5

    Invite your parents

    You get a ready-to-forward announcement for your families. Parents create free accounts and see only the care areas, only during your care hours, from any phone or browser.

Camera placement rules and the paperwork side (parent consent, handbook policy) are covered by our free home daycare camera policy & consent templates.

Kit questions

What does the whole 2-camera setup cost?
Roughly $120–200 in hardware from Amazon (two cameras, PoE switch, cables), plus CareCam's pre-configured appliance ($349 one-time) and the $49/month home-daycare plan. Parents always watch free. No contract, cancel anytime.
Why do I buy the cameras myself?
It keeps your cost down and the hardware yours. Cameras, switches, and cables are commodity items. Amazon sells them cheaper than we could bundle them, ships them fast, and handles returns. We supply the one piece that needs expertise: the pre-configured appliance, ready to stream the moment it's plugged in.
Do I need to configure anything technical?
No. The appliance arrives pre-configured for your program: plug it into your router or switch and power, and it connects on its own. We detect the cameras and finish the setup remotely. You never touch a router setting or a camera config screen.
Can I use WiFi cameras instead of running cables?
Yes. Two TP-Link Tapo plug-in WiFi cameras (≈ $25–50 each) skip the PoE switch and ethernet runs entirely. Each camera just needs a wall outlet. Wired PoE is the most reliable option, but on solid home WiFi the Tapo route works well and is the cheapest path.
What if I already own cameras?
Tell us the models before you buy anything. Wired Reolink, wired Eufy indoor models, Tapo, and most RTSP/ONVIF cameras work as-is. Many home daycares need zero new cameras.
Is my family's privacy protected outside care hours?
Yes, streaming follows the care-hours schedule you set. Evenings, weekends, and days off, the parent stream is off. Cameras go only in designated care areas, and viewing is limited to enrolled families with individual logins. See our home daycare camera policy templates for putting it in writing.

Already own cameras? Check your brand: Ring · Nest · Wyze · Eufy · Reolink · Tapo

Ready to set up your two rooms?

Tell us about your home and cameras. We'll send the exact shopping list and ship your pre-configured appliance.

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