2011
Matt Barinholtz founded FutureMakers in Baltimore in 2011 as a mobile workshop program for young people. He came to it after years of leading vocational and art programs for youth at Covenant House Washington and the Maya Angelou Academy.
2011 to 2019
For our first years, we led every program ourselves, side by side with kids and their teachers.
That time showed us what makes a build work. Every learner needs their own materials. The project has to really work. And the adult leading it needs to feel ready. Every Spark is built on those lessons.
2020
In 2020, we started designing and making our own kits so more groups could do what we used to bring in person. Those kits became Sparks: a complete project each learner builds and keeps, plus a free guide for the adult leading it.
In December 2023, our studio moved into Union Collective in Baltimore. Today, groups in more than 30 states build Sparks.
Today
Every learner gets their own kit, builds something that really works and takes it home. Sparks are priced for whole groups, and every guide lists the standards it supports.
Each Spark includes project materials and printed learner instructions. You get a free educator guide, coaching video, slide deck and printables to lead it.
Educators shouldn't have to choose between joyful and purposeful. The play matters, and so do the skills it builds: confidence, teamwork, patience, problem-solving and the courage to try again.
Hands-on projects make room for different kinds of learners to show up. Some kids talk through ideas. Some test quietly. Some notice patterns. Some help a neighbor. When the room is working, learning feels social, active and real.
We work out of Union Collective in Baltimore, Maryland. We design, test, assemble and pack every Spark here, and keep improving them based on what educators and learners tell us.
Sparks are hands-on, screen-free engineering kits for Pre-K through 8th grade. Every learner gets their own materials, builds something that really works, like a drawing robot or a wind-up car, and takes it home. Every guide lists the NGSS and Common Core standards it supports. Browse all Sparks →
Most Sparks take 30 to 45 minutes. Some take 45 to 60 minutes, and the shortest takes 20 to 30. Each Spark's page lists its time.
Any adult can, with no STEM background needed. Each Spark has a step-by-step visual guide, and a free educator account adds a coaching video and slide deck. Teachers, librarians, camp staff, parents and volunteers all lead Sparks.
Pre-K through 8th grade. Most Sparks run from early elementary through middle school, and a few are made for kindergarten through 5th grade. Each Spark lists its grade range, so you can match it to your group.
Yes. Request a free sample and try a Spark with your group before you order for everyone. Samples ship free by UPS within the US and Canada, one request per person. Get a free sample →
By card in our online shop, or build an instant quote to pay by purchase order (Net 30), ACH, purchasing card or check. Tax-exempt organizations can order tax-free, and a W-9 comes with your quote. Get a quote →
Still have questions?
Contact us →Ready to build with your group?
