Ranked in the top 100 statewide across all North Carolina licensed childcare centers scored in our 2026 rankings.
Top 10 in Durham
Ranked in the top 10 overall across all 11 quality dimensions among every licensed childcare center in Durham.
Best Safety
Earned the highest safety score in Durham. This dimension evaluates facility maintenance, staff-to-child ratios, emergency preparedness, and parent-reported safety perceptions.
Best Curriculum
Earned the highest curriculum score in Durham. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.
Most Compassionate
Earned the highest compassion score in Durham. This dimension captures warmth, emotional attunement, and the degree to which parents feel their child is genuinely loved and seen.
Best Culture
Earned the highest culture score in Durham. This dimension captures a sense of community, inclusivity, staff morale, and the feeling families describe when they walk through the door.
Full Ranking Detail
childcarepreschool
Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP is a maximum 5-star NC-rated, SACS-accredited childcare and preschool serving infants through school-age children at its spacious 17,000 sq ft campus on Presidential Drive in Durham's Research Triangle Park corridor (27703). Founded on a philosophy of 'Hugged First and Then Taught,' the center is owner-operated daily by Lynn Rasmussen and Kevin Skousen, offering a STEAM-integrated curriculum, live classroom video streaming, and full wrap-around programs including summer and track-out camps. Its combination of top state licensing credentials, on-site ownership, and strong parent testimonials makes it one of the most established independent childcare operations in southwest Durham.
Safety8.0
Curriculum9.0
Art / Music7.0
Infant care8.0
Kindergarten readiness8.0
Teacher quality8.0
Compassion9.0
Management7.0
Culture9.0
Class sizes6.0
Extracurriculars8.0
What parents say
“We've had an absolutely awesome experience with Kids R Kids! From day one, the staff has been warm, professional, and genuinely caring toward our kids.”
“The staff are caring, professional, and truly dedicated to the children. The facility is always clean, safe, and welcoming.”
“The teachers and the Administrative staff are by far the best. I have never complained about them because they treat my children with so much love.”
Programs & curriculum
Curriculum & approach: Proprietary theme-based curriculum including Brain Development, STEAM AHEAD, and ABCmouse integrated technology with developmental stage-specific learning activities.
Programs & activities: Infant through school-age care, before/after school care, and summer camp with field trips, teamwork lessons, and extracurricular programs.
What sets it apart: North Carolina 5-Star rated, Double Platinum Accreditation, live stream cameras for parents, security code entry, operates 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
🏆 For Center Directors
Your center has earned independent recognition based on verified parent reviews. You are welcome to display this badge on your website. Paste the snippet below into your site's HTML — it links back to this verified recognition page.
Top 100 in NC
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/durham/kids-r-kids-learning-academy-of-rtp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/rank-100-state.jpg" alt="Top 100 in NC - Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP - Durham, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Top 100 in NC</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Ranked in the top 100 statewide across all North Carolina licensed childcare centers scored in our 2026 rankings.</span>
</span>
</a>
Top 10 in Durham
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/durham/kids-r-kids-learning-academy-of-rtp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/rank-10-city.jpg" alt="Top 10 in Durham - Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP - Durham, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Top 10 in Durham</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Ranked in the top 10 overall across all 11 quality dimensions among every licensed childcare center in Durham.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Safety
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/durham/kids-r-kids-learning-academy-of-rtp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-safety.jpg" alt="Best Safety - Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP - Durham, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Safety</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest safety score in Durham. This dimension evaluates facility maintenance, staff-to-child ratios, emergency preparedness, and parent-reported safety perceptions.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Curriculum
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/durham/kids-r-kids-learning-academy-of-rtp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-curriculum.jpg" alt="Best Curriculum - Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP - Durham, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Curriculum</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest curriculum score in Durham. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.</span>
</span>
</a>
Most Compassionate
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/durham/kids-r-kids-learning-academy-of-rtp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-compassion.jpg" alt="Most Compassionate - Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP - Durham, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Most Compassionate</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest compassion score in Durham. This dimension captures warmth, emotional attunement, and the degree to which parents feel their child is genuinely loved and seen.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Culture
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/durham/kids-r-kids-learning-academy-of-rtp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-culture.jpg" alt="Best Culture - Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academy of RTP - Durham, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Culture</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest culture score in Durham. This dimension captures a sense of community, inclusivity, staff morale, and the feeling families describe when they walk through the door.</span>
</span>
</a>
This recognition is awarded independently by Creative Minds Montessori based on publicly available parent reviews and public records. Centers do not pay for or request these rankings. Scores reflect editorial synthesis of verified parent experience — not center marketing materials. Rankings are updated periodically as new reviews are analyzed.
