Engineer Opens Performing Arts Preschool In Howard County

COLUMBIA, MD — An electrical engineer who has spent nearly a decade working for Amazon has expanded his preschool business in Maryland, offering an early childhood education program that combines traditional academics with music, theater and dance.

Josh Thomas, a Baltimore-area resident and Building Kidz School franchisee, opened his first location in Columbia in August 2023, followed by a second school in Temple Hills in May 2025. He plans to open a third location in Odenton.

The California-based Building Kidz School franchise has approximately 60 locations across 11 states, serving children from infancy through kindergarten, along with after-school programs for elementary-age students.

Thomas, who has a degree in electrical engineering and works in operations at Amazon, began exploring franchise opportunities in several industries before deciding to invest in early childhood education, he told Patch.

His wife, Hasina Thomas, spent more than a decade working as an educator and helped shape the couple's decision to enter the childcare industry.

The couple also recognized the potential benefits of incorporating music, dance and performing arts into children's education based on their own experiences as parents.

Their Columbia location at 9270 Homespun Drive offers infant, toddler, preschool and after-school programs. The Temple Hills school at 5001 Saint Barnabas Road serves infants, toddlers and preschool-age children.

Unlike traditional preschool programs that offer performing arts as an occasional activity, Building Kidz incorporates the arts into its regular curriculum.

"Building Kidz School takes a unique approach to early childhood education, putting performing arts front and center in the curriculum. They have built a community where children are challenged intellectually with thoughtful academic programming coupled with the arts to help grow their confidence, commitment and character," Josh Thomas told Patch.

The school has a proprietary Learning Through Life Experiences program that all operators are trained on before their school opens. The program emphasizes the importance of social and emotional development alongside traditional academics. All students participate in five performing arts classes weekly including music, theatre, dance and art.

The curriculum focuses on six areas of childhood development: emotional, social, cognitive, physical, communication and academic growth.

Infants participate in age-appropriate activities designed to encourage sensory development and exploration. As children advance into toddler and preschool programs, lessons place greater emphasis on language, math, science and social skills.

Students also have opportunities to participate in theatrical productions.

"Through everything we do at Building Kidz, performing arts is front and center. Our curriculum includes a minimum of five weekly classes in music, theatre and dance, building to two Broadway-style productions every year. We see first-hand how these types of creative outlets inspire children and build confidence in the academic world," Thomas told Patch.

For Thomas, the decision to expand beyond the Columbia location came after the success of his first school and feedback from participating families.

"The first school has been highly successful with enrollment and family feedback, so the desire and need to grow in the community was immediately recognized," Thomas told Patch.

An opening date for the Odenton location has not yet been announced.