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☀️ Summer is here… and so is the “I’m bored!” every 5 minutes 😅
That “I’m bored…” season is officially on its way! Did you know- on average, kids can lose up to 2–3 months of what they learned during the school year over the summer. What if you had something that kept your kids learning, exploring, and asking “WHY?” all summer long—without extra stress on you? ✨ We Are Scientists was created with one goal in mind: Keep children of ALL ages curious, thinking, and discovering—even when school is out. Each lab activity is intentional, engag
Erica Benjamin
Apr 181 min read


Mini Medicine Makers: How Do Scientists Make Things Safe to Use?
This week’s Tiny Sparks activity helps kids explore chemistry and medicine , inspired by Amanda, a Quality Assurance Specialist who helps make sure medicine is safe for people to use! Have you ever taken medicine when you were sick and started to feel better? Before that medicine gets to you, scientists and specialists like Amanda work very carefully to test, check, and make sure everything is safe . They mix ingredients, observe changes, and double-check their work—kind of l
Erica Benjamin
Apr 172 min read


⭐ Tiny Sparks: My STEM Story
Hi, I’m Amanda—and this is my STEM story! Hi Tiny Scientists! My name is Amanda, and I’m a Quality Assurance Specialist . That means I help make sure medicine is safe and ready for people who need it to feel better. Have you ever taken medicine when you were sick? Before that medicine gets to you, people like me work behind the scenes to make sure it is made the right way. I help check that everything is safe, clean, and working just how it should—so your body can heal! When
Erica Benjamin
Apr 172 min read


⚡ Family Sparks Friday: Body Detectives!
Body Detectives: How Does Your Body Move and Feel Better? This week’s Tiny Sparks activity helps kids explore the human body and anatomy , with a special focus on the spine —the part of your body that helps you stand tall, move, and stay balanced! Your body is always working, even when you don’t notice it. From running and jumping to sitting and resting, your body depends on different systems working together—especially your bones, muscles, and spine . That’s exactly what doc
Erica Benjamin
Apr 32 min read


⭐ Tiny Sparks: My STEM Story
Hi, I’m Dr. Bowman—and this is my STEM story! Hi Tiny Scientists! My name is Dr. LaTanya Bowman , and I’m a Chiropractic Physician . That means I use my hands to help your body move the way it’s supposed to so you can feel your best! Have you ever had a sore back or felt stiff after playing too hard? I help people feel better by gently helping the bones in their back move properly. When your spine is happy, your whole body can work better! When I was younger, I was curious ab
Erica Benjamin
Mar 312 min read


⚡ Family Sparks Friday: Tech Detectives!
Tech Detectives: How Do Computers Make Decisions? This week’s Tiny Sparks activity helps kids explore how computers and AI make choices by looking for patterns—just like real data scientists and AI engineers! Technology may seem complicated, but at its heart it’s really about finding patterns and solving problems . When companies want to understand what people like—whether it's favorite snacks, songs, or games—they look at data to help them decide what to do next. That’s ex
Erica Benjamin
Mar 132 min read


🌟 Family Sparks Friday: Engineering Everywhere!
This week at Tiny Sparks Lab, we’re exploring engineering and technology—because building, designing, and problem-solving are all around us! 🛠️ Family Sparks Friday Activity: Digital Engineer at Work Today’s activity invites your Tiny Scientist to explore how engineers use technology to create, test, and improve ideas —just like real software engineers! Try this together: Look around your home for digital tools (tablet, phone, laptop, TV, smart devices) Talk about how engin
Erica Benjamin
Feb 61 min read


Happy Black History Month from Tiny Sparks Lab!
This Black History Month, we’re focusing on representation that matters—because when children see themselves reflected in books, illustrations, and learning spaces, they begin to imagine themselves in those fields with confidence and possibility. At Tiny Sparks Lab, that intentionality shows up everywhere. In We Are Scientists, the characters are thoughtfully designed to reflect the brilliance, curiosity, and everyday experiences of Black children—so science feels familiar, w
Erica Benjamin
Feb 11 min read


Discovery Sparks: Nature Explorer
Today’s Discovery Sparks activity invites your Tiny Scientist to slow down, observe, and create. 🎨 Discovery Sparks Activity: Nature Explorer Use the coloring sheet to: Color plants, animals, and insects Circle the living things Talk about what living things need to survive (air, water, food) 🗣️ Conversation Starters for Families: “Which living thing is your favorite?” “What do all living things need?” “Where might this living thing live?” Children learn best when they can
Erica Benjamin
Jan 311 min read


Discovery Sparks: Listen to Your Body
This week’s Discovery Sparks activity is all about slowing down, moving your body, and noticing the amazing changes happening inside you. Whether you’re jumping, running, or dancing in place — your body is always working hard to keep up! 💪🏾✨ Print today’s Listen to Your Body Coloring Sheet and give your Tiny Scientist a chance to color, move, and discover how their body responds to exercise. 🎨 Color + Explore As your child colors, talk about what’s happening in their body
Erica Benjamin
Jan 31 min read


A Year of Sparks: What We’ve Learned from Our Tiny Scientists
When we look back on this year at Tiny Sparks Lab, one thing is clear: our Tiny Scientists have been teaching us just as much as we’ve been teaching them. Through coloring sheets, family conversations, kitchen experiments, and quiet moments of observation, we’ve seen curiosity show up again and again — not loud or flashy, but thoughtful, persistent, and powerful. This year wasn’t about perfect experiments. It was about sparks . What Our Tiny Scientists Showed Us Over and over
Erica Benjamin
Jan 12 min read


Tiny Scientists Take the Lead: Letting Kids Ask the Questions – Child-Led Learning in Action
When you watch children explore, something magical happens. Their eyes widen, their hands reach, and suddenly the world is full of possibilities you didn’t even notice. And the truth is — our Tiny Scientists don’t need us to give them all the answers. They just need us to create space for their questions! Child-led learning isn’t about giving up control. It’s about giving children the confidence to notice, wonder, and ask, “What happens if…?” That’s where science truly begin
Erica Benjamin
Dec 2, 20252 min read


🌈 Family Sparks Friday: The Magic Skittle Color Spread
Skittles don’t just taste like a rainbow — today we’re going to make one. 🌈👀This colorful kitchen experiment shows your Tiny Scientist how sugar, water, and a little patience can turn a plate of candy into a swirling masterpiece. Let’s explore the sweet science behind melting colors! 🍬✨ 🗣️ Talk About It Ask your Tiny Scientists: ⭐ What do you predict will happen when the warm water touches the Skittles?⭐ Why do you think the colors move but don’t mix right away?⭐ Which
Erica Benjamin
Nov 29, 20252 min read


Meet Dr. B: The Scientist Sparking a Whole Movement
Dr. Erica Benjamin Williams — affectionately known as Dr. B — is an educator, coach, and science-lover whose mission is simple: spark curiosity, confidence, and joy in every child she encounters. With over a decade of experience teaching and supporting teachers, Dr. B has dedicated her career to making science feel accessible, affirming, and exciting for all families — especially those who don’t always see themselves represented in STEM spaces. Her work blends deep education
Erica Benjamin
Nov 25, 20252 min read


🎶 Family Sparks Friday: The Sound of Gratitude
Sound isn’t just noise — it’s vibration , movement, and tiny waves traveling through the air. And just like sound, gratitude can spread from one person to another with one small “good vibration.” Today, we’re exploring how sound travels by making a simple homemade guitar. 🎸✨ 🗣️ Talk About It Ask your Tiny Scientists: What happens to the pitch when you stretch the rubber band tighter or looser? How does the vibration make the sound louder or softer? What does the sound remin
Erica Benjamin
Nov 21, 20252 min read


Why Representation Matters in Science (and How Tiny Sparks Is Changing That)
Seeing Yourself in Science When I first started teaching, I quickly noticed something that broke my heart a little. My students — bright, curious, and imaginative — rarely saw themselves in the science materials we used. The scientists in the textbooks didn’t look like them. The lab photos, posters, and videos were missing faces that reflected our classrooms. And when my students went searching online, they saw more “white coats” than they did people of color . Representatio
Erica Benjamin
Nov 18, 20253 min read


❄️ Family Sparks Friday: The Melting Magic of Salt + Ice
Ice doesn’t just melt — sometimes it rushes to melt… especially when salt enters the chat. 🧂👀Today we’re exploring a fun, chilly mystery your freezer already knows: Why does salt make ice melt faster? Let’s investigate this cool little chemistry trick together! ❄️✨ 🗣️ Talk About It Ask your Tiny Scientists: Why do you think the ice cube with salt melts faster? What do you notice happening to the surface of the salty ice? Where have you seen salt and ice used together in r
Erica Benjamin
Nov 14, 20251 min read


Science in the Kitchen: 5 Things You Can Do Before Dinner’s Ready
The Kitchen: Where Curiosity Meets Cooking Let’s face it — if your family’s anything like mine, the kitchen is where everything happens. Homework at the counter. Dinner bubbling on the stove. Somebody sneaking snacks. Somebody else spilling them. But here’s a secret most people don’t realize: your kitchen is one of the best science labs in the world. Every day, there’s chemistry, physics, and biology happening right between the fridge and the sink. So before dinner’s ready,
Erica Benjamin
Nov 11, 20253 min read


🌈 Family Sparks Friday: The Colors of Light
Light isn’t just white — it’s full of hidden rainbows waiting to shine through! 💡✨When light bends, it splits into all the colors that make our world so bright and beautiful. Let’s explore how! 💭 Talk About It Ask your Tiny Scientists: What colors do you see when sunlight shines through a glass or a puddle? Why do you think we can see different colors? What happens when you mix colors on paper versus when you mix light? Encourage them to make predictions and explain their
Erica Benjamin
Nov 7, 20251 min read


From Messy to Magical: Every Spill Is a Science Moment!
The Beautiful Chaos of Learning Let’s be honest — science can get messy. Between the vinegar volcanoes, the flour explosions, and that one glitter incident we don’t talk about anymore (R.I.P. my favorite rug), I’ve learned that every mess tells a story. And if you lean in just a little closer, you’ll realize that story is all about discovery. That “oops” moment when the water overflows? Observation. That curious poke into the slimy goo? Experimentation. That wide-eyed “Whoa,
Erica Benjamin
Nov 4, 20253 min read
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