Exploring Ideas at Camp Invention

Ideas make the world go round. They lead to inventions that transport, move and support us — and sometimes they even save lives. Have you ever thought about all the ideas that do not get actualized simply because they were not given the right attention or space to grow and transform into groundbreaking solutions? With the National Inventors Hall of Fame® (NIHF) Camp Invention® program, we work to make sure children are given the right space and support to allow their dynamic ideas to come to life.

To cultivate an idea, we must transform a simple thought into a product or system that can be seen or visualized, manipulated and tested. To help children accomplish this task, Camp Invention introduces them to the valuable art of prototyping. Three of the most powerful words we consistently hear are, “I made this.” While there is a certain amount of pride a child experiences when they make this claim, what they are often really saying is, “I can design solutions to problems.” This is the heart of engineering. When we give children the opportunity to realize they can invent solutions to challenges around them, they are empowered to shape both their environment and their reality.

Through the process of prototyping, using engaging materials like DC motors, pulleys, LEDs and recyclables, children gain valuable skills in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics), intellectual property (IP) and entrepreneurship. They take ownership of their ideas and they realize the value in their own IP. Like Edison and his muckers in Menlo Park, they discover that it is not only important to have novel ideas, but that the ideas are useful and have market value.

As children learn about various elements of IP, they see it is not about hoarding one’s ideas, but about protecting them in a manner that allows them to serve as stepping stones of progress for society. In fact, sharing the specific designs of one’s invention is an important part of the patent process once the protection is secured.

Imagine if the Wright brothers had not shared their plans for an airplane in 1906. Perhaps we would not have reached the moon as quickly and efficiently, just a short 63 years later in 1969. The inventors who came along after the Wright brothers improved upon their design and invented new ways of flight that carried us all the way to the stars in just one lifetime. Today, we fly in massive jet-powered commercial airliners instead of small wooden airplanes; and the less efficient automobiles of the past have advanced to the more energy-efficient cars of today — including self-driving vehicles.

In the Camp Invention program, children are both inspired and directly challenged (often via video messages) by the nation’s greatest innovators — NIHF Inductees. These individuals offer insights on their path to invention, including insights on creating detailed sketches to support the patent application process and beta-testing their inventions with various audiences. Nearly every inventor’s story is a natural tale of the combined power of STEAM, IP and entrepreneurship.

In Duct Tape Billionaire™, one module that has been a part of our Camp Invention curriculum, children hear from NIHF Inductee Jonathan D. (JD) Albert, co-inventor of Electronic Ink (think e-readers). JD speaks directly to Camp Invention participants about the importance of working as a team, being able to clearly communicate your ideas in a manner that gets other people excited, and exploring the business side of your invention.

Not only is JD Albert an innovative inventor, but he has also made smart business and marketing decisions along the way. Connecting children with real inventors and entrepreneurs like JD brings an authenticity to the Camp Invention program that encourages the next generation of innovators.

At Camp Invention, children are immersed in various engaging scenarios where they can explore activities like seeding a start-up and pitching to angel investors in relation to their invention ideas. Through this playful process, they are increasing their entrepreneurial literacy skills while building their STEAM skills as they refine their inventions.

One parent shared an anecdote with us shortly after their son’s Camp Invention experience: 

“He is definitely thinking about promoting and selling his inventions more than before Camp Invention. He picked fruit from a tree and tried to sell it back to the owner while we were traveling abroad!”

We know, through sports and music for instance, that children develop skills through practice. Camp Invention provides a safe environment for children to experiment with building 21^st-century skills while taking safe risks and stretching their imaginations. Even if they start out by trying to sell a piece of fruit back to its owner, they may eventually take after NIHF Inductee Luther Burbank (inventor of the Freestone peach) and plant an entire orchard that is the result of their ideas turning into a reality!

Learn more

To find out more about how NIHF’s education programs can help young innovators bring their ideas to life, we encourage you to visit our website.