“We wanted to create a place where children aren’t told to ‘sit still and behave,’ but invited to grow,” says Naira Muradyan, co-founder of Smart Kids.
This is how our conversation began. And from this very idea, a school was born — a place where children are truly free to be children.
While the world tells kids when to “fit in” and how things “should be,” at Smart Kids, they are heard. Not judged. Not rushed. Not compared.
Each child has their own rhythm, interests, and discoveries — and that’s not a problem, but the greatest resource for learning.
🌿 How It All Started
This isn’t a story about business.
It’s a story about care.
One day, a mother felt something deeply: “This can’t go on.”
Too much pressure. Too little respect for children.
Together with a team of like-minded people, she began searching — How can we do it differently?
How can we preserve a child’s spark — not extinguish it before first grade?
That’s how Smart Kids was born — as an answer.
As an alternative.
As a quiet but confident protest against “golden standards,” grades, and comparison.
🧠 Montessori — and More
The center is based on Montessori principles.
But here, they aren’t just repeated like a mantra — they are lived every day.
Freedom within structure, respect for the child, learning through experience and independence — all of this isn’t theory. It’s real, living practice.
Here, no one hurries. No one forces. No one teaches “for the grade.”
Instead, they create an environment where kids want to try.
Where mistakes are welcome. Where searching is exciting.
👶 Why Mixed-Age Groups Are Genius
At Smart Kids, children learn in mixed-age groups.
The younger ones look up to the older ones, and the older children become caring mentors.
It’s like a big family where everyone matters.
It’s not just about knowledge — it’s about socialization, empathy, and self-confidence.
“We see children becoming calmer, kinder, wiser — not because we ‘teach’ it, but because they grow in an environment where it happens naturally.”
🎨 Learning Without Pressure
Smart Kids classrooms feel like cozy workshops: the child chooses what to do.
Sensorial zones, math, languages, creativity, life skills.
Want to solve problems? Go ahead.
Water the plant? Absolutely.
Set the table? Sure.
Time isn’t “killed” with lessons and breaks —
here, children are taught how to enter a state of flow — focused, engaged, alive.
🌱 Small Wins & Real Wonders
What inspires the team most is watching how children open up.
Those who once were shy or uncertain begin to reach for knowledge, speak English, explore the world.
But the most important part?
Their eyes start to shine.
And that’s worth more than any grade.
🏡 And At Home?
It turns out the Smart Kids approach works at home too.
Simple things help: low shelves, accessible toys, letting the child help with daily routines.
And above all — trust, no pressure, and the right to explore, make mistakes, and learn from them.
✨ In the End?
Smart Kids is not just about knowledge.
It’s about conscious childhood.
Freedom without chaos.
Respect without control.
Educators who don’t “instruct,” but walk beside the child.
In a world that often says “wait, not now” —
here, children hear: “I see you. Try. You can do it.”
(c) Material prepared by Naira Kosyan