Renika grew up working with kids at her mother’s daycare in Ohio. She began performing in plays, musicals, and dance competitions at a young age and went on to get her B.F.A. in Acting from Wright State University. As she grew up, her love for children never wavered as she began to perform professionally; she carved out time to work as a teaching artist & assistant camp counselor for the Victoria Theatre Association Broadway Bound Theatre Camp with youth from 10 to 18 years old. At Curated Care, Renika specializes in infants from six weeks to 24 months, loving to do activities like tummy time, sing-a-longs, patty cake, as well as introducing basic sign language and story time, pulling from her experience working as a teaching artist for Montessori and private schools within the Tri-State Area. It’s safe to say that Renika has a ton of experience under her belt! Read on to hear more from her about her sessions and what her dreams are for the future.

Hi, Renika! Where are you from and what brought you to NYC?

Hi! I’m from Dayton, OH and I came to NYC to continue my career as an actor and teaching artist.

How long have you been working with kids?

All of my life! My mother has a daycare back home that she’s been running for 20 years! And I was also a teaching artist for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park for a year before moving here.

When you’re booked for a Curated Care session, what is your process in terms of preparation/items you bring?

With older kids, I always bring a Disney playlist to dance to and cookies to bake if I get the “okay” from parents. I like to turn baking into a fun, educational experience for the little ones.

You work with a lot of families with infants. Can you tell us what kind of projects you create for babies?

I love to bring books to read with the little ones! I also love to have tummy time with them that includes music, singing, and rhythm exercises.

What would you say is the value in hiring a Kid Expert for an infant?

I believe it’s important for infants to have other people in their lives that they can trust and learn from, other than their parents. It’s hard sending your toddler to daycare or school when they’ve never been cared for by anyone else other than you. There’s so much value in hiring a Kid Expert who can become like family to your infant… someone else to help them grow into the best little human they can be!

What has been the most rewarding part of being a Kid Expert at Curated Care?

The most rewarding part is giving working parents a chance to relax and have fun for a few hours knowing their baby is in great hands. I’m a firm believer in weekly date nights! LOL, my parents have been married 33 years and still have date nights! So, it works!

Can you tell us a little bit about a cool upcoming project that you’re working on right now?

I just got hired as a part time teaching artist with the Classical Theatre of Harlem! So, I’ll be teaching theater to some little ones… which I’m super excited about!

To book Renika, click here.