As a Filipino-American mom to my curious toddler, Gemma, one important goal of mine is to provide her with an upbringing that is surrounded by her rich Filipino cultural background, including the Tagalog language. This is a challenge because my husband and I are not fluent in Tagalog and there are very limited Filipino children’s resources available where we live. This led to our search for Filipino children’s books and other educational resources whenever we would get the chance to visit the Philippines. 

After sharing the educational products we found with our friends and family, we realized that there was a demand for them and that we had an open opportunity to share the resources and products we’ve discovered during our travels. This realization sparked the idea for Tiny Sari Sari.

In the Philippines, sari-sari stores can be found in small neighborhoods selling a variety of products, from snacks and toys, to household necessities like laundry detergent. At Tiny Sari Sari, my aim is to share the variety of fun, creative, and educational children’s items that have helped me nurture Gemma’s love and curiosity for her Filipino heritage.