2023 Camp Invention Inspires Kids to Explore Summer STEM Fun at the Skate Park and With Animatronic Robots

NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Nov. 15, 2022 — For more than three decades, Camp Invention® has developed confidence and problem-solving skills in young innovators through authentic, hands-on STEM activities. In the newly announced 2023 program, Wonder, campers will design their own mini skate park; throw a party celebrating creativity and innovation; transform a robot that mimics sounds into a one-of-a-kind animatronic stuffie; and design their own mini pop-up business!

Camp Invention, a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame® (NIHF) in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, provides a unique experience for children to make discoveries about the importance of intellectual property while exploring, creating and designing. Camp promotes STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning; builds leadership, perseverance and resourcefulness; and encourages entrepreneurship — in an exciting and engaging environment.

“The core learning experience that my girls received and the inspiration to look at items innovatively, pushing the boundaries of their imagination, and bringing it to life was awe-inspiring,” said the parent of recent campers. “They have benefited tremendously, learning they can make a difference in creating for the world they live in.”

Each year, the program features a new curriculum inspired by some of our nation’s greatest innovators — the NIHF Inductees. For 2023, the Wonder curriculum features exclusive video content from these Inductees encouraging children to be confident in their ideas and explore their ability to innovate. These hands-on modules include:

• Catching Air™: Taking a confidence-building ride through physics, engineering and art, children design and build their own skate park. Throughout the week, they gain momentum and build perseverance by taking on ramps and other features with their mini skateboards and practicing tricks of creativity and invention.
• Invention Celebration™: Campers take on the role of event planners as they throw a party celebrating creativity and innovation! They invent a Party Assistant to help with their plans, explore the science of color with bubble art banners and experiment with sound vibrations as they make their own musical instrument.
• MimicBot™: Children show their unique style when they transform a robot that mimics sounds into a one-of-a-kind animatronic stuffie. They explore biomimicry, genetics and adaptive creativity, and they learn how to use both inspiration from nature and the power of intellectual property to protect their creation from the idea-stealing Copy Cat.
• Pop-Up Venture™: Big ideas pop up as children design their own mini pop-up business! Building their entrepreneurship skills, campers learn how to make strong financial decisions as they use their startup funds. Then they develop creative marketing strategies to attract customers and achieve their business goals.

Local programs are facilitated and taught by certified local educators. Annually, Camp Invention programs benefit more than 130,000 children and partner with 1,800 schools and districts across the nation. Educators and school districts can partner with Camp Invention in 2023 by visiting invent.org/camp.

About Camp Invention

Camp Invention is the only nationally recognized summer program focused on creativity, innovation, real-world problem solving and the spirit of invention. Through hands-on programming, Camp Invention encourages children entering kindergarten through sixth grade to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum inspired by some of the world’s greatest inventors. Camp Invention is a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. This nationwide, nonprofit organization is committed to the curious minds and innovative spirits of the past, present and future. Since 1990, our education programs have served more than 1.9 million children, and 210,000 teachers and Leadership Interns. For more information, visit invent.org/programs/camp-invention.

Media Contact:
Ken Torisky
National Inventors Hall of Fame
[email protected]
234-901-6085