The Curiosity Blog

Ideas, insights, and stories from the PopSmart Community

September 24, 2026Learning

Beyond the Textbook: How We Teach Kids to Actually Learn

Reading the chapter is not the same as understanding what is inside it.

September 10, 2026STEM

Wired to Wonder: How STEM Education Shapes the Way Children Think

What a collapsing bridge can teach a child about not knowing yet

Student writing in a notebook during a classroom assignment

August 27, 2026Writing

Why Struggling Through an Assignment is Actually Good for Students

Sometimes, the hardest part of learning is the part that looks like struggling.

August 13, 2026Learning

The Power of Someone Who Believes

Why the greatest investment we can make isn't in ideas — it's in children.

July 16, 2026Learning

A Place of Free Play

As a teacher and former child, I think it’s particularly fortunate that PopSmart Academy is so close to Pine Lake Park. It reminds me of the opportunities I had in my childhood.

July 2, 2026Community

Civic Responsibility and Independence: What July 4th Means for Modern Young Americans

Every July 4th, America does what it does best: gathers. Around barbecues, in parks, on front lawns and rooftops, watching fireworks burst against a summer sky. It is a celebration of freedom, loud, joyful, and well-earned.

June 29, 2026Community

America's Next 250 Years: A PopSmart Challenge!

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence introduced a powerful idea: that people have rights, freedom matters, and government should answer to the people.

June 18, 2026Writing

Writing as Play: How Journaling This Summer Can Transform Your Child's Thinking

A simple notebook. A few minutes a day. And a surprisingly powerful impact on how your child thinks, feels, and communicates.

June 11, 2026Learning

Stay Curious

What if one simple habit could help you learn faster, think bigger, and discover opportunities you never noticed before?

June 4, 2026STEM

Buzzers, Brains, and Big Moments: Recapping the PopSmart Science Bowl

There is a particular kind of electricity in a room full of young scientists who have prepared, who care, and who are ready.

May 28, 2026STEM

Coke & Mentos Experiment

Students learn that experiments start at home with observation. Here is the Mentos Coke experiment and explanation on why it happens!

May 21, 2026Entrepreneurship

From Ideas to Action: Every Big Idea Starts With a Simple Question

Every great business, invention, and social movement began the same way: someone noticed a problem and asked, "What if we did something about it?"

May 14, 2026Public Speaking & Debate

Respectful Disagreement

Respectful disagreement is a learned skill, not a personality trait. Students can hold strong opinions and still practice curiosity: ask clarifying questions, summarize the other side fairly, and separate people from ideas.

May 7, 2026Curiosity

Building Creative Confidence in Kids: Why the Process Matters More Than the Product

How shifting our focus from what children make to how they make it can unlock a lifetime of creative courage.