Science at Home

A booking marketplace for short, science-themed events — birthday parties, classroom visits, library demos, scout meetings. Same shape as League Pods, but for one-off bookings instead of multi-session pods.

The problem

Parents planning a kid’s birthday will happily pay someone to show up with volcanoes, robots, or a portable planetarium for an hour. Teachers and librarians want the same thing for a classroom or after-school slot. There are providers who do exactly this work — moonlighting science teachers, robotics clubs, the occasional small business — but finding them is mostly word of mouth and Google. Booking is usually email tag.

A focused marketplace just for short, science-flavored events would solve both ends of the problem: providers get a listing and a booking calendar, and parents and teachers get a quick way to find and book someone for a specific date.

Users

  • Parents planning birthday parties or backyard events.
  • Teachers, librarians, scout leaders booking demos for groups.
  • Providers — science educators, robotics enthusiasts, makers, college students with kits — who’ll show up with materials and run a 60–90 minute session.

What the app does

  • Lists providers and their offerings: “volcano chemistry, ages 5–8, 60 minutes, $200, serves up to 12 kids.”
  • Shows provider availability — a calendar with bookable slots.
  • Lets families and teachers request a booking for a specific date and address.
  • Handles confirmation, basic logistics (number of kids, ages, space available, power outlets, who brings what), and a follow-up review.
  • Optionally collects a deposit or payment.

Core pieces to build

  • Provider profile and offering catalog.
  • Booking-request and confirmation flow.
  • A calendar / availability model per provider.
  • A booking object with logistics fields, location, status.
  • A search and filter UI by topic, age range, location, price.

Possible stretch features

  • Geographic search and travel-fee calculation.
  • Reviews and ratings.
  • Provider self-onboarding with verification.
  • Package deals (e.g., a science-themed birthday includes demo + party favors + a printable invite kit).