Camp Invention - A Weeklong STEM Experience They'll Never Forget!
Secure a spot by May 15 to SAVE $15 using code INVENT15.
Registering siblings? Save $120+* on 3 or more registrations when you use code SIBWEB40 or save $60* on 2 registrations when you use code SIBWEB30*!
What is Camp Invention?
- Who: Curious kids entering grades K-6.
- What: A summer day camp filled with fun, hands-on STEM adventures led by qualified local educators, designed to spark creativity, build confidence and ignite a lifelong love for learning.
- Where: Over 1,500 camp programs run nationwide in schools, community centers and other local facilities.
- When: Camp dates and hours vary by location. Some locations offer Extended Day hours to fit families' busy schedules – check your specific site for details.
- How Much: Pricing starts at $275 or ~$8/hour plus we offer many ways to save and pay. See your local camp for exact pricing.
- Why Choose Us: Kids thrive at camp as they jump into hands-on fun and grow through enriching STEM experiences carefully crafted to spark joy and ensure the development of persistence, adaptability and creative problem-solving skills.
This year’s exciting new program inspires curiosity and helps kids build essential STEM skills through collaboration with friends and one-of-a-kind creative problem-solving experiences. Campers explore hands-on challenges and open-ended adventures designed to encourage new discoveries and bring big ideas to life!
Campers step into the mesmerizing world of optical illusions, where things aren’t always as they seem! They discover how special effects work in art, movies, theater and animation, and they invent moving props with inspiration from real-life inventors behind special effects technology. Tapping into their curiosity, they build their own spinning animation device and become illusion experts, ready to design entertainment experiences of the future.
Campers unleash the power of creativity as they construct their own functional claw machine, exploring physics concepts in easy-to-reach ways. Finding inspiration from claws in nature, they build, test and adapt their clawsome machine, then fill it with novel prizes. Along the way, they pick up entrepreneurship skills and uncover how to hook investors on their awesome new arcade experience!
Campers unlock their imagination as they head to Antarctica to explore penguin habitats in snowy landscapes. With the help of a Snow-ver – a rover equipped with a robotic research penguin – they glide across icy surfaces to enter penguin colonies undetected. To deliver planet-saving eco-messages, they design launchers to propel their own magnetic, wearable plush penguin across the South Pole and beyond!
Campers hit the road for the ultimate trip! They assemble a custom control panel complete with a transmitter and receiver, reference a travel map and explore the use of artificial intelligence in everyday items such as the GPS. While inventing their way out of bumps in the road, they build confidence, overcome obstacles, and find joy in both the journey and the destination.
Payment Plans
Camp Invention payment plans are simple and stress-free with three interest-free installments. Pay just one-third of the program cost when you register, and your remaining balance will be automatically charged in two consecutive monthly payments. Best of all, discount codes can be combined with payment plans to reduce your total cost!
Registration for the payment plan option must be done by debit or credit card and received no later than 12 weeks before the start of your camp. Please ensure your card expiration date remains valid before your final scheduled payment date.
Company Reimbursement, Tax Savings and State Programs
Many insurance plans offer reimbursement on child care and extracurricular programs. Ask your employer if it offers benefits packages that include reimbursement on summer enrichment programs like Camp Invention.
Your registration confirmation can be used as a tax receipt. National Inventors Hall of Fame, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and our federal tax ID number is 34-1580038.
Also, be sure to check out your state’s education websites to see if there are state-level programs that offer savings or reimbursement on summer enrichment programs.
Our Parents Say It Best
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“[My daughter] went to visit Purdue University today to see the polytechnic school. I shed some tears today thinking about her experiences at Camp Invention. You all introduced her to another world she may have never even visited.”
Alana D.Dyer, IN
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“The staff was so welcoming and inclusive, and my son made so many friends at camp. He loved the whole experience and was so proud to bring home and show off everything he made. I would highly recommend this program to everyone.”
Kayla E.Manorville, NY
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“Camp Invention had a huge impact on both my children who attended! They came home with very detailed explanations of ‘symbiosis’ and how they built things. It was amazing! It was a wonderful experience from beginning to end.”
Heather P.Harrison, AR
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“My son has not stopped talking about camp since day 1 … He had a creative mind going into camp, but has found so many fun, new and interesting ways to repurpose so many household items.”
Caitlin O.Manhattan, IL
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“Every single day my child got in the car she told me so many exciting stories about the learning that happened that day. Her self-confidence was boosted in the way she made friends, and grew in her problem-solving skills and perseverance.”
Alicia L.Denton, TX
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“My son adores Camp Invention and begs to go every year! He has made new friends from other schools and loves the creative process, learning all kinds of skills he proudly brings home to teach us about!”
Amanda L.Arlington Hts, IL
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“Each afternoon, our son came home pumped about his day of camp. Love how it had his gears turning. We'll definitely recommend this camp to all of our friends!”
Danielle G.Bellingham, WA
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“Long ago I participated in Camp Invention. It taught me crucial social skills, but more importantly it gave me critical thinking skills that I’d have struggled to gain otherwise. Please keep providing amazing experiences for kids, it changes lives!”
Jaden S.Brainerd, MN
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“We have two kids in camp (9 and 7), and they talk about what they did in camp nonstop when they get home and build things together. They are always showing each other things that can be ‘repurposed’ for something else and building gadgets together.”
Dan O.Lowell, IN
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“My son is quite the engineer and inventor. When a neighbor raved about this camp, my husband and I immediately signed him up. We appreciate how kind, thoughtful, fun and safe the teachers all kept the entire camp.”
Sonya I.Indianapolis, IN
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“[My daughter] absolutely loves going to Camp Invention. She asked all year round, ‘When is it time for Camp Invention?’ The only complaint she has is it is not long enough; one week isn’t enough for her. She wishes it would never end.”
Tammy M.Dickinson, ND
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“My kiddo loves Camp Invention! He is extremely smart and creative but struggles in school due to his disability. He just finished his second summer at Camp Invention and had an amazing time without one issue.”
Leslie S.Cresson, TX
Here’s what an action-packed day looks like with Camp Invention
Morning Experiences
Led by qualified local educators, campers kick off each day with high-energy morning games that encourage creativity and teamwork. Next, they tackle two of the all-new experiences above to stretch their imagination and explore hands-on STEM challenges.
Games & Lunch
Campers refuel with packed lunches and head outside – or to the gym – to enjoy action-packed games with friends.
Afternoon Experiences
Campers keep the learning going in two confidence-boosting afternoon activities where they explore innovation and world-changing inventors. As their fun-filled day wraps up, children keep the inspired ideas coming as they wind down with problem-solving games before pickup.
The learning doesn’t end when camp is over! Camp Invention has long-term benefits, including better school attendance, a higher GPA, improved test scores and helps build essential skills like creative problem-solving and collaboration. Read the stories below to learn how campers have gone on to win national STEM challenges, become published authors, emerge as patented inventors and more!
The following sponsors help make our education programs possible:
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Overdeck Family Foundation
Army Education Outreach Program (AEOP)
Nordson
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) STEM, Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC)
The Red Backpack Foundation by Sara Blakely
Walton Family Foundation
Burton D. Morgan Foundation
General Motors
Grainger
Camp Invention Parent Donations
John Deere
Shurtape
The Weissman Family Charitable Fund
H.B. Fuller Company Foundation
Community Foundation Lorain County
TE Connectivity
ABB
APS Foundation
Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
The Anschutz Foundation
National Inventors Hall of Fame Endowment Children's Education Fund
