Rumson-Fair Haven Moms Launch KidGooRoo

RUMSON, NJ - The idea for KidGooRoo was born from the frustration Alex Skove felt while researching lacrosse programs for her children.

"I have three boys and one girl with differing interest levels in the sport, so finding a program that was the right fit for each was a time-consuming exercise in one-on-one phone calls," said Skove, who lives in Rumson with her family. "I realized that I could easily find 15 different reviews of a toaster oven, but when it came to getting comprehensive feedback on my kids' activities, there was nothing. From there, KidGooRoo was born."

On KidGooRoo, parents can search for an activity for their child — be it a sporting team, dance lessons, science camp or driving lessons — plug in their ZIP code, and access hundreds of reviews from real parents. Where to find the highest-rated gymnastics lessons in your area? Or what about the best SAT prep courses? Similar to Yelp for restaurants, the website aims to provide busy parents with real, honest feedback.

Skove worked with another local mom, Cathy Goldin of Fair Haven, and a third partner, Alden Miles, who is based in California, to launch the site. "We've created a single place parents can go to get all the information they need to make the best choices for their children,” said Goldin. “As mothers, we know how hard it is to find honest feedback of activities.”

The KidGooRoo database is strongest in New Jersey, eastern PA, and parts of Long Island but they currently are rolling out in Maryland and Texas, as well. It's mostly expanded by word of mouth: The only marketing they've done is in Monmouth County.From their launch in September 2016, they are now on pace to hit 1,000 reviews this week. The site has over 3,300 unique monthly users.

And like Yelp or Google, business owners can "claim" their business.

“KidGooRoo is a great way for me to connect with local parents, read what they have to say about my business, and respond online to each review," said Chris Dudick, founder of Small Factory Productions in Fair Haven and Manalapan. "KidGooRoo was created by local parents, just like the parents of my students. They understand what parents and kids need before making a decision to commit to a program."

This February, they're officially launching KidGooRoo Camp Search. Parents will be able to search for camps by interest (like performing arts) AND by dates (say, July 10 - 14).

Pictured are Alex Skove and Cathy Goldin, KidGooRoo founders