TL;DR
Arvind Aravindhan, a former professional tennis coach, has opened Kiddie Academy of Downingtown, an early childhood education center, with his partners Dr. Karpagam Aravindhan, Srini Manickam, and Indhu Manickam. The center, located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, offers a well-rounded education with physical activities like tennis, soccer, and taekwondo.
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 Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care center, 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.
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This story was originally published in Franchising.com on July 24, 2026. Burnaze summarizes and links to the original reporting.
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