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Your Child's Spark

Spark [spärk] noun 1. an individual’s deepest passions and interests that give them meaning, focus, joy and energy.

Exploring Sparks

Whether your kids already know at least one of their sparks or not, exploring possibilities leads to a richer life of involvement in multiple activities. Consider these simple tips for helping you explore, identify, and develop your child's sparks:

Download this guide to help you explore sparks with your child.
 

 
          • Consider community education classes, museums, local parks, and city websites for new recreation options.
          • Check in with your children to make sure they are interested in the places where they are spending their structured out of school time.
          • Commit to making an effort to arrange for each child to do at least one thing that is all about exploring what he or she might become passionate about.
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Identifying Sparks

Start some “spark conversations” with your children. Talk about what a spark is, then ask whether they have one and what it is—you might be surprised at the answers. And notice especially if there is something new they would like to try; many of us learn and grow into our sparks. Be ready to share what your sparks are, too.

  • Discover the 10 most popular sparks >

    • Ask yourself these questions as you look for clues about your children’s sparks:

  • What is the activity you have to make them stop doing to get them to eat or go to sleep?
  • What activity are they doing when they seem most engaged and alive?
  • When they get to choose what to do on a free afternoon, what activity do they choose?
  • What did they really love to do when they were 3 years old? 5 years old?

    • Developing Sparks

    As a parent or caregiver, you have great influence on helping your children be confident in their identity and strengths. Encourage them intentionally about their interests and efforts. Your acceptance and coaching is priceless.

    But also remember that connecting a child with other caring adults, especially those who are experienced in their sparks, can give your child a boost in spark development.


     
     

    • A teacher at school who shares

      • my child’s fascination with Star Wars...

    • Do I have a neighbor who knows

      • how to fix bikes?

    • Our family friend who is an artist;

      • would she spend a day with my child?

    • Our community education center:

      • hip-hop dance classes!

    Make it a goal to find more spark supporters for your daughter or son. Get Tips for Connecting to Community >

    Your Spark

    Spark [spärk] noun 1. an individual’s deepest passions and interests that give them meaning, focus, joy and energy.

    Exploring and developing your own sparks is a lively way to make sure you get the me-time you need. You’ll also be giving your children a great role model to follow, especially when you show them how to work hard on your sparks and move through any disappointments or failures.

    Thinking about Your Own Sparks

    Remember that old childhood taunt of “It takes one to know one”? That certainly applies to sparks. In order to help your child explore and work on their sparks, it’s going to be helpful to be in touch with your own sparks, too. You can use these questions to guide you in some self-reflection about your own interests and passions or to help you spice up your own life with a new spark or a recharged spark from your past.

    Ask Yourself:

    • When you are not working, caring for children, or doing chores at home, how do you usually spend your time?

    • If you suddenly had a free weekend, with no work, no chores, no kids to take care of, what would you love to do? (besides take a nap!)

    • When you’re really busy with the basics of life, what are the activities you wish you had more time to do?

    • When you were your children’s ages, what were your sparks? Can you remember?

    • Did you get support for your sparks from the caring adults in your life when you were a child? What did they do that helped?

    • Do you and your children share any of the same sparks?

    • Are there any interests you had when you were younger that you’d like to do again?

    The word cloud below represents the most common answers to the question: “How would you describe your own spark?”, according to a recent Search Institute survey of parents, guardians, and other adults who care about young people. Learn more about the survey! >

    Your Family Spark Journey

    Spark [spärk] noun 1. an individual’s deepest passions and interests that give them meaning, focus, joy and energy.

    Adding Sparks to Your Vocabulary

    You’ve seen that there are many ways to help your children explore, identify, and develop their sparks. But all of that starts by having a spark conversation. Use the conversation starters below include helpful tips on finding the right moment to have the conversation, how to start (and keep) kids talking, and how to follow through afterward.

    Conversation Starter 1: You're really good at this!

    Conversation Starter 2: This seems to make you happy.

    Conversation Starter 3: Have you ever thought of?

    Conversation Starter 4: I had a really great day today!

    Watch the video in the right sidebar to see a family talking about their child’s sparks in three different ways. Ask yourself: What is different in each clip? How do you communicate about sparks with your family? Are you missing any opportunities?

    Take Action!

    “Our job as parents is to help our child discover her spark, awaken it, nurture it, celebrate it, make room for it.”—Peter L. Benson

    It’s exciting to think of parenting as awakening your child’s spark, and it’s important to your child’s well-being too. Keep the spark going in your family by trying the simple steps below.

    Sparks For Young Children

    Find books with characters in them who are discovering their sparks. Some examples:

    • The Gardener, by Sarah Stewart, 1997, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

    • Weslandia, by Paul Fleischman, 1999, Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick

    • Strong to the Hoop, by John Coy, 1999, New York: Lee and Low

    • Jamaica Louise James, by Amy Hest, 1996, Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick

    More Tips For Ages & Stages 0-2 >

    More Tips for Ages & Stages 3-5 >

    Sparks For Older Children and Tweens

    Have a family movie night to watch Akeelah and the Bee(2006) together (rated PG for some language). Discuss how Akeelah finds her spark and who her spark supporters are.

    Talk with them about which of their friends support their sparks, and what their friends’ sparks are.

    More Tips for Ages & Stages 6-9 >

    Sparks For Middle-Schoolers

    Help them connect their sparks to enliven their school experience. For example, a student whose spark is math could:

    • Read a biography of a famous mathematician
    • Study the history of math’s development in Egypt and elsewhere
    • Use proportions, ratios, and patterns in creating artworks
    • Seek uses of mathematics in a daily newspaper or a magazine
    • Explore the use of math in music
    • Create polls and resulting statistics for the school newspaper or yearbook

    More Tips for Ages & Stages 10-14 >

    Sparks For High-Schoolers

    Help your teens connect the idea of sparks to their plans for the future.

    While sparks may be hobbies or side interests, they can also become a career. For some ideas, see the Search Institute book for teens, Life Freaks Me Out: And Then I Deal with It; several chapters speak to finding your passions and finding work that you love to do.

    More Tips for Ages & Stages 15-18 >