SPARK PA

04/01/2026

Happy April Families!

We got another amazing month ahead with classes, workshops, chess + art club and more.....See info below!

Spark Nature Forest School -->
https://www.thespark.nyc/pa-nature/

FREE Chess + Art Club -->
https://www.facebook.com/share/17FY5StADK/

Wednesday, Thursday + Saturday Classes -->
https://www.thespark.nyc/pa-classes/

Open Studio Night for Teens -->
https://www.facebook.com/share/14SDieAGk6m/

Carpentry Workshop (SOLD OUT) -->
https://www.thespark.nyc/spark-carpentry/

Sewing Workshop -->
Details Coming SOON!

It Takes a Village Wednesdays -->
https://www.itavhomeschool.org/enrichment-wednesdays.html

Drum Birthing Workshop (Make Your Own Drum with Christopher Gebiya) -->
https://www.facebook.com/share/17JJV5KeNX/

And though it's still a few months away, SUMMER CAMP IS COMING!

Carpentry Camp -->
https://www.thespark.nyc/spark-carpentry/

Art + Nature Camps -->
https://www.facebook.com/share/17JJV5KeNX/

03/31/2026

03/31/2026

Kids need this.

Not perfectly clean, structured, always-contained play but real, sensory, full-body experiences.

Mud between their toes.
Water moving around them.
Balance, risk, laughter, connection.

The kind of play where they don’t have to perform, they just get to be.

This is how they learn.
This is how they regulate.
This is how they build resilience, confidence and trust in their bodies.

This is how they root into themselves and into the earth.

And maybe most importantly…this is what childhood is meant to feel like.

Whole child education - that’s our driving principle 💚 and what we choose to prioritize each week at Spark Nature.

03/30/2026

What a beautiful spring day and perfect for our soil study: What’s Beneath Our Feet? 🌱

Our main focus this week was exploring soil pH and why it matters. We tested three different areas on the land the garden, stream, and cove, using both a digital meter and pH strips.

We took turns collecting soil, mixing it with water, and carefully testing each sample. They recorded their findings in field journals and compared results between the two methods.

This led to a great discovery: our readings were different because the water we used was slightly acidic, such a powerful, real-time lesson in how variables can affect results.

We talked about how pH impacts plant growth and what it means for our garden as we prepare for planting.

Of course, we still made plenty of time for creativity and play like stream exploration, tree climbing, biking, and a peaceful moment of deep breathing in the sun.

Next week, we’ll apply what we learned as we begin planting in the greenhouse and growing our Spark garden!

03/26/2026

What does real learning actually look like?

This week at Spark, we turned recycled milk jugs into mini greenhouses and in the process, something much bigger unfolded.

Kids got their hands dirty, worked together, and learned concepts like stratification, pollinators, keystone plants, and invasive species, not from memorizing, but from doing.

Each child planted milkweed, echinacea, and goldenrod, helping bring pollinator plants into over 20 homes to support bees, butterflies, and the ecosystems we all depend on.

But beyond the lesson…
there was curiosity
problem-solving
creativity
and wonder

This is what learning looks like when kids are part of the process.

🌱 Want to try this at home? Let us know how it goes in the comments!

👍 Like, comment, and subscribe to follow along
✨ Help us spread the Spark

03/26/2026

For the kids who are always drawing… the ones filling sketchbooks, noticing details, and wanting to get better....this is for them.

This Saturday at 11am, we’re diving into the world of pen + ink, where patience, precision, and creativity come together.

Young artists (ages 10+) will learn how to sketch with intention, build depth through shading, and develop intricate details that bring their work to life.

Each student will design and illustrate their own animal, walking away not just with a finished piece, but with stronger skills, sharper observation, and a deeper understanding of their craft.

This is more than just an art class. It’s a space for growing artists to focus, refine, and create something they’re truly proud of.

Message us to sign up or follow the link here:
https://www.thespark.nyc/pa-classes/

03/26/2026

Most people think learning looks like worksheets and lesson plans.

But this is what it looked like for us this week….

Kids turning recycled milk jugs into mini greenhouses.

Hands deep in soil while learning words like stratification, pollinators, and keystone plants, not from memorizing, but from doing.

And maybe the most powerful part…

Watching them realize that from a tiny seed, something entirely alive can grow. It never ceases to amaze even us adults!

Each child planted milkweed, echinacea, and goldenrod, sending pollinator plants home to over 20 families, which ultimately supports the ecosystem our food supply depends on.

This is hands-on learning.
This is how we teach the next generation to care for the earth.
This is what connecting kids and nature looks like.
This is education, reimagined.

Give it a try and let us know how it goes!

03/25/2026

Today at It Takes A Village Homeschool Hybrid Community, we stepped into the vibrant, imaginative world of Antoni Gaudí, where light, color, and nature come alive through design.

Inspired by the breathtaking stained glass of Sagrada Família, our young artists explored how sunlight can transform space, mood, and emotion. Gaudí didn’t just build structures, he painted with light.

We visited the chapel onsite and watched as sunlight poured through the windows, shifting colors across the walls and floor. You could feel the moment something clicked as inspiration moved from observation into creation.

Using color, layering, and intention, the children created their own stained glass pieces, each one a reflection of their inner world.

We explored how color holds emotion, how patterns can tell stories, and how small pieces come together to form something powerful and whole.

There is something truly special about witnessing children see the world this way, where art is not separate from life but woven into everything around them.

This is one of the reasons why we love being an enrichment provider for ITAV. We get to bring inspiration to life and trust what unfolds. ✨

03/25/2026

They didn’t ask for face paint.
There were no supplies set out. No instructions.
Just dirt. Stones. Water.

And a group of girls who got curious.

They started experimenting by scraping, mixing, noticing color…and before long, they were painting their faces with pigments they created themselves.

And this is exactly why we do what we do.

When kids are given open-ended time in nature, their creativity doesn’t just show up… it expands. It becomes inventive.
They stop looking for what’s been handed to them and start seeing what’s already around them.

This is sensory play. This is connection to the earth.

And maybe most importantly it’s kids remembering that everything they need to create… is already here. No kit required.

03/24/2026

We plan. We prepare. We create and curate the experience…..

And yet so often, magic happens on its own.

A lost boot
A stuck tree
A team of kids who refused to give up

You can script moments like these 🙏🏼

The unexpected. The unplanned.
The epic missions in the stream.

We put so much intention and thought into what we create at Spark but this is also why we protect unstructured time in nature.

No constant direction, interruption or even suggestions.

Kids figuring out how to be resourceful, to take ownership, to rise and meet the moment.

And to think it all started with a lost boot!