Camp Invention® is a confidence-boosting STEM summer camp where kids build creative inventions and lasting friendships. During camp, your child will learn through hands-on activities that encourage curiosity and collaboration as they think, create and learn that their ideas are important. This camp’s longstanding traditions are rooted in a belief that children can build the same innovative mindset the world’s greatest inventors have used to transform our society for the better.
History of Camp Invention
The National Inventors Hall of Fame®, founded in 1973, built its first museum in 1987, which was originally located in Akron, Ohio. The purpose of the original Hall of Fame was to honor the nation’s greatest inventors, but also included the nation’s first makerspace, which aimed to promote curiosity and inspire future generations of inventors.
Camp Invention was inspired by the thousands of children who visited the Hall of Fame and demonstrated their imagination and creativity in this space. This program grew from a few local school districts into a national STEM program, encouraging over 1.5 million young innovators across the country to explore, learn and create.
The National Inventors Hall of Fame was moved to its current location in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2008, but the mission of Camp Invention has remained unchanged: recognizing inventors and invention, promoting creativity, and advancing the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Focus on the I Can Invent Mindset
Activities and education at Camp Invention focus on instilling the I Can Invent® Mindset in kids. This mindset is crucial to meaningful and lasting educational experiences that establish a foundation for learning and growth. Hands-on, experiential learning plays an integral part of developing this mindset and the activities at Camp Invention.
In collaboration with National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees, they have identified nine essential skills and traits that unlock creative potential:
- Design Thinking
- Confidence
- Creative Problem Solving
- STEM
- Persistence
- Innovation
- Intellectual Property
- Entrepreneurship
- Collaboration
Importance of STEM/STEAM Education
Camp Invention participants will engage in activities that build their STEM/STEAM knowledge and skills. While STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and/or STEAM (STEM disciplines with :”art” added) has become a focus of many educational programs. Studies show significant gaps in exposure to innovation, a key driver of STEM/STEAM education.
Camp Invention aims to help close these gaps by exposing children to innovation at a young age. Through introducing children to inventors, and the invention process, we can inspire children’s curiosity and increase their confidence. This can help to address the race, gender and economic disparities while helping children to unlock the potential they didn’t know they had, and teach them how to dream big.
