Philosophy
School can be tough, but learning shouldn't be. If we lay a solid foundation in a child's early years- before formal education begins- we can help children succeed and more importantly inspire a love of learning.

At Curious Kids our classes are designed to make learning relevant to a child’s world in a fun and innovative way while meeting children at their level. We lay a solid foundation that helps instill a love of learning and is designed to help propel them to future educational successes all while having fun, getting messy and making social emotional connections with friends and caretakers.
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Peggie Madden Marano and Kerri Smith have a combined 45 years of experience in Early Childhood Education. Peggie has a Masters in Administration, Curriculum and Instruction and before opening Curious Kids was an Adjunct Professor at NJCU in the Early Childhood Education Department. Kerri has a Bachelors in English Literature, K-12 Teaching Certification in the State of NJ and owns the Kerri Smith Academy of Irish Dance.
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Peggie and Kerri's shared experiences in various public schools and higher education settings inspired them to create an environment where children would not only learn the social emotional skills necessary for future educational success, but that would inspire them to embrace and love the process of learning; propelling their future education- wherever it may take place- to new heights!
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Curious Kids takes pride in hiring the best and brightest teachers to assist with programming. Check back for more information about the rest of our team!
Our Team
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING
My daughter, almost 6, has been attending classes at Curious Kids since she was two, she has gone to their small scientists and mess makers toddler and me classes, pre-k prep and summer camp. Everyone at Curious Kids has helped instill a true love of learning in my daughter about all subjects. I would recommend any of Peggie and Kerri’s programs to parents looking to nurture their child’s curiosity about the world.
-Leanne Kirby
Curious Kids has set the bar not only high, but truly broke through the glass ceiling. The dedication, invested time, and passion outpours each and every day from the activities to the daily thematic lessons. Curious Kids’ curriculum is based on the holistic child and not just teaching to a standard.
My daughters have been part of Curious Kids since they were two years old. I thoroughly believe through Peggie and Kerri's vision of active play combined with a clear pedagogical approach my daughters have grown, prospered, and developed exponentially in cognition and social/emotional areas. I am sincerely appreciative and thankful to have found Curious Kids.
-Dr. Aliana Desjardin
Our son is having a fantastic experience at the toddler program at Curious Kids. Peggie and Kerri have done an extraordinary job creating a warm, supportive, and stimulating environment for his young mind. With small class sizes and fantastic student/teacher ratios the students have an opportunity to explore the surrounding world through creative experiences. He begins every class with a smile on his face and returns home having learned new words and concepts, proudly displaying his newest project. We couldn't recommend this class more highly!
-Davis Harris Sandler