{"id":608929,"date":"2026-08-18T09:54:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T09:54:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olympiajournal.com\/news\/story\/608929\/little-tykes-receives-2026-visionary-care-award-marking-30-years-serving-lodi-bergen-county-families.html"},"modified":"2026-08-18T09:54:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T09:54:32","slug":"little-tykes-receives-2026-visionary-care-award-marking-30-years-serving-lodi-bergen-county-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pennsylvania-magazine.com\/news\/story\/608929\/little-tykes-receives-2026-visionary-care-award-marking-30-years-serving-lodi-bergen-county-families.html","title":{"rendered":"Little Tykes Receives 2026 Visionary Care Award, Marking 30 Years Serving Lodi & Bergen County Families"},"content":{"rendered":"
Family-Owned Early Education Center Celebrates Three Decades of Care While Evolving for the Next Generation of Bergen County Families<\/div>\n

LODI, N.J. – August 18, 2026 –<\/strong> Little Tykes Early Education Center<\/a>, a family-owned, state-licensed early education provider serving Bergen County families since 1996 and now spanning three generations of the Garrone family, has been named the recipient of the Consumer Ratings Institute’s 2026 Visionary Care Award<\/a>. The center offers full-day infant,toddler, and preschool programs for children six weeks through five years old, designed around the schedules of working families.<\/p>\n

A New Generation of Family Leadership<\/strong><\/p>\n

In recent years, Little Tykes has continued to modernize its approach to early education while staying true to the values that have guided it from the start. Beatrice Garrone spent years growing the program and shaping the personal, hands-on approach to care that families have come to know and trust.Her son, Ian Garrone, now serves as President & Director of Operations, guiding the center’s expanded use of technology for family communication and school operations, strengthening its curriculum and educational programming, modernizing its website and digital marketing presence, developing new community and public-school partnerships, and repositioning the organization as Little Tykes Early Education Center to reflect its broader focus on early learning and family support. “I grew up in this building and some of my earliest memories are here — watching my mom greet families at the door, learning every child’s name,” said Ian Garrone, President & Director of Operations at Little Tykes. “A few of the teachers who work here today are the same ones who taught me when I was a child myself. That’s the piece I never want to lose. We’ve grown since then — we’ve had the honor of being part of hundreds of families’ lives across Lodi and Bergen County. But what hasn’t changed is the reason parents trust us in the first place: teachers who stay long enough to really know your child, and a team that treats this community like family because, for a lot of us, it is. This award isn’t mine — it belongs to the teachers and staff who’ve poured years into this place, and to the families who let us be part of raising their children. I’m just proud to be carrying it forward.”<\/p>\n

Built to Grow Without Losing the Personal Touch<\/strong><\/p>\n

As Little Tykes has grown, that commitment to families has extended beyond the classroom. What started as a small operation is now a two-floor, home-style learning environment whileholding onto the personal, family-centered feel that defined the center from day one.Open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., Little Tykes accepts New Jersey’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)<\/a> and Work First New Jersey (WFNJ), and offers before and after school care with coverage during early dismissals, school breaks, and summer —making high-quality early education more accessible and affordable for working families.In the classroom, developmentally appropriate, research-based learning experiences help prepare children for kindergarten, supported by bilingual English and Spanish-speaking staff, including teachers who have spent more than a decade at the center. A parent communication app keeps families connected with daily updates, photos, and messaging from their child’s classroom.<\/p>\n

Recognized for the Care Bergen County Families Already Know<\/strong><\/p>\n

Little Tykes has spent recent years modernizing — expanding its technology, curriculum, and community partnerships — without losing the personal, hands-on care that’s defined it for three generations. That same combination of forward thinking and personal care is reflected in the center’s most recent honor: the Consumer Ratings Institute named Little Tykes Early Education Center the recipient of its 2026 Visionary Care Award.Little Tykes Early Education Center continues to welcome new families for tours and enrollment at its Lodi location. Families can book a visit and learn more about its early childhood education programs on littletykesnj.com<\/a>. As Little Tykes looks toward its next chapter, the center is also exploring strategic growth and partnership opportunities with qualified early education operators, investors and organizations that share its commitment to high-quality early learning through littletykesnj.com\/grow-with-us.<\/a><\/p>\n

About Little Tykes Early Education Center<\/strong><\/p>\n

Little Tykes Early Education Center is an award-winning, state-licensed, family-owned early childhood education provider in Lodi, New Jersey, serving hundreds of Bergen County families across three generations since 1996. The center offers full-day infant, toddler, and preschool programs for children six weeks through five years old, along with before and after school care, bilingual English and Spanish-speaking staff, extended hours, and family support for working families. Little Tykes is the 2026 recipient of the Consumer Ratings Institute’s Visionary Care Award.<\/p>\n

Media Contact<\/span>
Company Name:<\/strong> Little Tykes Early Education Center<\/a>
Contact Person:<\/strong> Ian Garrone
Email:<\/strong> Send Email<\/a>
Phone:<\/strong> (973) 340-8470
Address:<\/strong>84 Corabelle Ave
City:<\/strong> Lodi
State:<\/strong> New Jersey 07644
Country:<\/strong> United States
Website:<\/strong> https:\/\/littletykesnj.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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