Former tennis pro follows passion for teaching into early childhood education
PHILADELPHIA, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — For Arvind Aravindhan, the path to opening an early childhood education center began on the professional tennis circuit. Kiddie Academy of Downingtown, the new franchise location of nationally recognized Kiddie Academy® Educational Child Care, is now open, born from Aravindhan’s realization that his true calling wasn’t just coaching athletes, but shaping the minds of young children. Kiddie Academy of Downingtown, which officially opened in November 2025, is owned and operated by Arvind and Dr. Karpagam Aravindhan as well as Srini and Indhu Manickam.
“When I look back at my tennis career and the opening of two tennis academies, the most rewarding moments for me weren’t during matches, but when I was coaching young children,” said Arvind Aravindhan. “Discovering a love for teaching is exactly what inspired us to transition into early childhood education with the Manickam family.”
Drawing on his experience, Aravindhan has helped incorporate age-appropriate extracurricular physical activities to enhance Kiddie Academy’s Life Essentials® Curriculum.
“Through activities like tennis — modified for young learners with foam balls and smaller rackets — soccer and taekwondo, we create opportunities for our students to develop physically and intellectually,” added Aravindhan.
At Kiddie Academy, the mind-body connection starts early, laying the foundation for hands-on, tactile learning through Life Essentials.
“Our goal is to provide a well-rounded education that nurtures both the mind and body of our students,” added Aravindhan.
Kiddie Academy of Downingtown, which is located at 595 Bell Tavern Blvd. in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, is licensed to serve 149 area children. The 10,000-square-foot Academy features 11 classrooms, including a 5,000-square-foot playground designed with three age-appropriate play areas, along with a VersaCourt for basketball, tennis and soccer.
For more information, visit kiddieacademy.com/downingtown.
About Kiddie Academy®
Since its inception in 1981, the Kiddie Academy system has been recognized as a leading brand in educational child care. The company, headquartered in Maryland, serves families and their children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old, offering full- and part-time care, before- and after-school care, and summer camp programs, through the Kiddie Academy system. The Kiddie Academy brand’s proprietary Life Essentials® Curriculum, supporting programs, methods, activities, and techniques help prepare children for life. The company’s philanthropic efforts, including support of national nonprofit Family Promise and multiyear sponsorship of John Hopkins Community Center, take character education lessons learned in the classroom beyond Academy walls. Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising, LLC has also received corporate accreditation from the globally recognized Cognia accreditation system, signifying its commitment to quality education and the highest standards in child care. For more information, visit kiddieacademy.com or find Kiddie Academy on Facebook at Facebook.com/KiddieAcademy.
About Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising, LLC
Kiddie Academy Domestic Franchising, LLC is based in Abingdon, Md. There are currently more than 375 open Academies in the Kiddie Academy system, located in 40 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 40,000 children. Each franchised location in the Kiddie Academy system is an independently owned and operated business. For more information, visit franchising.kiddieacademy.com.
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SOURCE Kiddie Academy