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Kids 'R' Kids pioneered child care at Lakewood Ranch

Bradenton Herald - 8/24/2017

Aug. 23--LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Schroeder-Manatee Ranch reached out to Gregg and Debra Kinney in 1999 when Lakewood Ranch was still in its infancy and invited them to open a child care facility there.

The invitation resulted in Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy, Lakewood Ranch's first child-care facility.

"We came down from Atlanta and opened Kids 'R' Kids on Nov. 27, 2000," Gregg Kinney said. "SMR has been a great partner. The expectations have been exceeded."

Nearly 17 years after its opening, Kids 'R' Kids, located at 11520 Palmbrush Trail, can accommodate 296 children in its 13,500-square-feet building near the southeast corner of State Road 70 East and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

"Some of the first generation of kids that started here have returned to work for us or bring their own children," Debra Kinney said.

Kids 'R' Kids accepts children from 6 weeks old to 12 years old. Length of enrollment can vary from a year to 11 years, the Kinneys said.

The couple have built the business with a hands-on approach and insistence on quality over quanity.

"Sure you want to make money, but you also want a quality early learning experience for children," Debra said.

The Kinneys work to strengthen and encourage the child's emotional, intellectual, social and physical being through expert care and a partnership with parents.

"It's the cleanliness, too. Parents come in and say I can't believe your building is 17 years old. One of our top priorities is maintenance. We find some parents will drive a long distance if they find a day care they are comfortable with and have confidence in," Gregg Kinney said.

The Kinneys have taken Kids 'R' Kids from humble beginnings and built a strong reputation among parents.

"We opened, we cleaned, we unstopped toilets," Debra Kinney said.

Today, Kids 'R' Kids has a staff of 44 and is open from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Kids 'R' Kids is equipped with buses to transport children to and from area schools, has several fenced outside play areas, and serves hot meals and snacks.

The focus is on learning.

"The heart of our curriculum is developing the whole child. With love, care and an understanding of the individual educational and emotional needs of each child, quality teacher instruction and student learning is achieved," according to the daycare's web site.

Kids 'R' Kids recently was recognized as a 2017 Manatee Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year finalist in the category for those with more than $1 million in annual revenue. The nomination came as a surprise to the couple.

"It was totally unexpected. We have never been nominated before. It's a great feeling," Gregg Kinney said.

For more information, visit kidsrkids.net or call 941-727-9990.

James A. Jones Jr.: 941-745-7053, @jajones1

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(c)2017 The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.)

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