Small questions. Big discoveries.

Notice → Wonder → Ask

The story ends. The questions don’t have to. Watson & Sherlock is a children’s science world built around curiosity. Try this little investigation with a grown-up—after a story, a video, or something you noticed today.

Take a few minutes. No book purchase, supplies, account, or email needed. You can talk, point, draw, or write. A grown-up can help put your idea into words.

1 · Notice

Choose one small thing that catches your attention. Start with: “Something I noticed was…” Describe what you saw or heard. You don’t need to explain it yet.

2 · Wonder

What would you like to understand? Start with: “Now I wonder…” Choose the question that interests you most. It’s okay if you don’t know the answer.

3 · Ask

Share that question with your grown-up. Together, choose one next step: talk about what you already know, look for an answer in a children’s science book, or save the question for another day.

Here is one example

Notice: “I saw a dog asleep.”
Wonder: “I wonder what happens in its brain.”
Ask: “What does a brain do during sleep?”
Our next step: “Let’s look for a children’s book about sleep at the library.”

That is enough for today

You noticed something, chose a question, and decided what to do next. You don’t have to solve the whole mystery now. Keep any drawing or notes at home.

Grown-ups: want to share the question or tell us how this went? No name or email required.

Share a question or feedback →

For grown-up detectives

In The Mystery of Sleep, the investigation continues after the story. Children can notice something, wonder about it, and ask a question. Grown-ups can also notice patterns and bring questions about their child’s sleep to their healthcare team.

Notice → Connect → Ask

Notice what you actually see or hear. Connect what happens at night with what you notice the next morning or during the day. Ask your child’s healthcare team about persistent or concerning changes. You do not need to stay awake monitoring everything or know the cause before asking for help. An observation is a starting point, not a diagnosis.

Keep personal notes for your family and healthcare team. Our question form is for general topics you would like us to explain—not your child’s medical history.

What should we investigate next?

We’re developing grown-up resources around questions families bring us: settling at bedtime, scary sleep experiences, snoring, and mornings or daytime energy. These resources are still being developed and reviewed. Which would be most useful to you—or what have we missed?

Share a question or feedback →

Why this activity starts with a question

This is a short invitation to notice, wonder, and talk together. Let your child choose the detail and the question. “I don’t know yet—let’s find out” is a useful place to begin.

Studies of young children show that they actively seek explanations in conversations with adults [1]. Research also connects children’s explanations of surprising events with how they explore those events [2]. Those findings inform our choice to make room for children’s questions. They do not establish that this particular activity improves learning or sleep.

This activity offers practice putting an observation and a question into words. It is not a sleep assessment or treatment. If a question concerns your child’s health, bring it to their clinician rather than sharing personal details in our feedback form.

[1] Frazier, Gelman & Wellman: questions in adult–child conversation
[2] Legare: explanation and exploration in young children