05/16/2026
Hey GK parents! Genoa-Kingston CUSD #424 was kind enough to welcome in the Genoa Public Library District and The Inventor's Lab of Genoa IL - STEM Club to get everyone excited for our Summer Reading Program! To go along with our planting/gardening theme, we brought in our very own invention, Chia Chicos! The team at The Lab wanted to think of a way to grow our chia seeds without dirt and without the need to water every day (like traditional Chia Pets). After LOTS of failed prototypes, we now have Chia Chicos! Our lesson that we brought to the kiddos was “Failure Fuels Growth.” In science, and in life, as long as we use our failures to learn something new and try again, we continue to grow and get better, just like our little chia seeds!
If your child is now the proud parent of a Chia Chico, here are a few tips:
1. Chia Chicos like to be warm and they like their enclosure (honestly, same. 💁🏽♀️), so put them in a sunny spot and leave them be for a few days.
2. In 2-3 days you should start to see little white roots and sprouts forming. You should see a full head of sprouts in about 7 days.
3. It should stay pretty healthy in the enclosure but if you see the sponge or seeds drying out, give the sponge a spray or dunk with fresh water.
4. And if all else fails, and you get some gnarly mold or parched seeds, wash that bad boy off and try again! All you need is a tablespoon of chia seeds that are soaked in water for about 10 minutes until a gel forms. Then, simply paint them on the sponge again. The Chia Chico can be used again and again.
Lastly, please feel free to share pictures of your Chia Chicos as they sprout! Bonus points if you share what your child named them. 😎
Thank you again to the the teachers, support staff and admins at KES and GES for being so welcoming. We had so much fun with your students and we truly appreciate the work you do every day to help our students grow. ❤️
