Spark Studio (Ages 5-7)

The goal of the Spark Studio is to learn to be an independent, curious learner, and to be kind to others. While there are always experiments and improvements to be made, evidence in our studio, and studios across the world, suggests our young heroes are developing curiosity, independence, deep focus, resilience, and kindness. These
strong foundational skills will prepare them for the increased responsibilities that will come as they grow within the studios, and eventually transition to the real world.

Spark Studio is ideal for children who:

• Light up when given the freedom to choose their activities.

• Learn best through doing—hands-on projects, experiments, and play.

• Benefit from a warm, supportive community that helps them gain confidence and independence.

• Are ready to start developing early goal-setting, time management, and collaboration skills in an age-appropriate way.

In Spark Studio, each day blends structure and freedom—balancing focused learning with unstructured play, hands-on projects, and leadership opportunities. Mornings  begin with a Socratic discussion and daily leadership roles, followed by tribe game, core skills work, Montessori-guided core skills activities and outdoor play. Afternoons include curiosity-driven projects like WOW in the world, more learner choice time, and studio maintenance before a reflective group close.

Want to see exactly what a day looks like for our Spark Peacocks?
Read A Day in the Life of a Spark Peacock

In Spark Studio, learners:

• Make choices within clear guardrails, developing independence while building mastery.

• Learn core skills through hands-on practice, self-pacing, and personalized challenges.

• Grow resilience through real-world problem-solving and the freedom to try (and fail) in a safe environment.

• Develop empathy, kindness, and community-mindedness through collaborative play and leadership roles.

• Choice + Structure: Freedom to choose activities with clear guardrails to practice accountability.

• Play as Powerful Learning: Structured & unstructured play time is valued as a core part of growth.

• Early Leadership Opportunities: Learners take real responsibility in the studio such as meeting organizer, litter patrol and time keeper.

• Real-World Relevance: Even our youngest learners work on projects that connect to their lives.

In most early elementary classrooms, the day is tightly scheduled, every subject is led by a teacher at the front of the room, and learners move at the same pace—regardless of their readiness or interest. Assignments are often one-size-fits-all, and progress is measured by test scores and grades.

Spark Studio takes a radically different approach:

• Choice and Ownership – Learners decide how to spend large portions of their day, choosing between Core Skills, projects, and play—within clear guardrails that keep them moving toward mastery.

• Real Responsibilities – Even our youngest learners take on leadership roles every day, from Meeting Organizer to Kindness Keeper.

• Mastery Over Memorization – Progress is based on demonstrating understanding, not just completing worksheets. Learners move ahead when they’ve truly mastered a skill.

• Play as a Learning Tool – Unstructured play isn’t “extra,” it’s an essential part of social, emotional, and cognitive growth.

• Small, Tight-Knit Community – Our mixed-age studio feels more like a creative workshop than a classroom, fostering collaboration, curiosity, and confidence.

Instead of preparing learners to follow directions, Spark prepares them to ask great questions, solve problems, and love learning—for life.

“We’ve watched our child transform from waiting for direction to confident and curious. She talks about the leadership roles she gets to take on and the fun games they play while learning. She raves about her friendships and is proud of the work she’s mastered. It’s truly magical.” — Parent of a Spark Peacock

Spark Studio is a warm, inspiring entry point into Apollo Academy’s learner-driven model.
We welcome Step Up Scholarships and have a private scholarship fund to help make Apollo accessible.

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