SPARK Discovery

15 minutes at the kitchen table — that's all it takes.

SPARK teaches kids to see a problem real people have — and build a real tool that helps them. This sheet is the first two steps of the builder's loop: Notice a problem, then Researchit by talking to someone who lives it. Do it with your kid, send it in, and we'll help them build the fix.

For the grown-up — read this first
  • ✦You're the scribe, not the answer key. Read each question out loud, then get quiet — and write what your kid actually says, in their exact words. Don't fix the grammar, don't suggest answers.
  • ✦There are no wrong answers, and blank ones are fine. You're not testing them — you're helping them notice.
  • ✦The goal isn't to answer everything. It's to find the one thing your kid lights up about. That's what we'll help them build.
  • ✦It's okay to skip the Research step if you're short on time — send what you have.
Step 1 · Notice

Problems are everywhere — builders notice them first.

Go through the four places a builder looks, closest to widest. Read the questions, and write what your kid says. You don't have to fill every one.

Yourself
What's hard for me — and who else feels it?
  • 1What's something that's hard or annoying for you right now? (school, a game, mornings, a hobby)
  • 2When you get stuck or frustrated, what's usually the reason?
  • 3Is there something you wish was easier or more fun?
  • 4Who else do you think feels the same way?
Home
What's hard for my family?
  • 1What's something that's hard for your family? (chores, mornings, remembering stuff, sharing)
  • 2What do people in your house stress or argue about?
  • 3If you could fix one thing about how your home works, what would it be?
  • 4Who in your family would that help the most?
School
What's hard for kids & teachers here?
  • 1What's something that's hard for kids in your class? (a subject, focusing, being bored, nervous)
  • 2What's something teachers always seem to have a hard time with?
  • 3Is there a part of the school day everybody complains about?
  • 4If you could make one thing at school better, what would it be?
Community
What's hard for people around me?
  • 1Who in your neighborhood or city has it hard? (older people, little kids, people without much)
  • 2Is there a problem you've seen outside — at the park, the store, on the street?
  • 3What would make where you live nicer or safer for everyone?
  • 4Who would that help the most?
Now pick ONE

Look back over the answers. Pick the one that showed up more than once — or ask, “which one bugs you the most?” Not the biggest problem — the one that's theirs.

Step 2 · Research

Interview someone who lives the problem.

The rule: the kid asks, then zips it and listens. Short on time? Skip this part and send what you have.

Goes privately to a SPARK coach. We'll follow up.

Curious what kids build from this? See the SPARK Sky — real tools, built by real kids.