Kid Inventors' Day

Just because children have less knowledge of how the world works, that doesn't mean they can't come up with ideas for useful and practical inventions. In fact, many people believe that children are exceptionally creative for the simple reason that they do not yet know how many difficult things are and are therefore more imaginative than adults. In fact, there are many things we enjoy every day invented by children or teenagers. And what if their creativity doesn't deserve recognition? Kid Inventors' Day is the day we celebrate all the kids who have dared to challenge the world and come up with better solutions than all the adults before them.

Kid Inventors' Day History

Kid Inventors' day was established a few years ago to celebrate the achievements of the youngest inventors and encourage more children to be more and more creative.

The date chosen to commemorate this date, January 17, it's the anniversary of the birthday of the famous polytheist, politician, and children's inventor Benjamin Franklin. Due to his countless other achievements, many people don't know that when Franklin was 12 years old, he invented the world's first swimming flippers, making him a great role model for every kid. . Over the centuries, other children invented many other things we continue to use today, such as popsicles, trampolines, and earplugs. Perhaps one of the most impressive things invented by a child is the language of the blind today used all over the world, Braille. Louis Braille, its inventor, lost his sight in a tragic accident at the age of 3 and spent his early teenage years developing his new language while attending the National Institute for Blind Adolescents in Paris.

Nearly 200 years later, American teenager Ryan Patterson also improved the lives of people with disabilities when he invented a glove with special sensors that translate American Sign Language hand movements into writing on a digital screen.

How to celebrate Kid Inventors’ Day

If you have kids, Kid Inventors' Day becomes one of the most educational and fun days you'll ever spend together. Children's minds are not yet limited by the knowledge of what is possible and what is not, and sometimes just believing that something can happen is enough to make it happen. Really marvel at the ideas your kids come up with. Who knows, maybe you're unknowingly living under the same roof as a potential Ben Franklin? The Kid Inventors' Day website also offers lots of fun ideas on how to spend the day creatively and productively, such as entering a rubber band contest for young inventors. If you live near a museum, Kid Inventors' Day is also the perfect day to take your kids there to see all the amazing things people have created over the ages that can be an inspiration to them.

Whatever you decide to spend this day, remember to raise awareness of how much kids can achieve and encourage them to reach for the stars!

To encourage your students to make their own inventions, let try some interesting activities in your classroom.

1. Researching Children's Inventions

Popsicles, water skis and earplugs are all invented by kids! Assign a project in class and have each student choose one of their inventions to research and present to the class. From things created by famous children's inventors - Benjamin Franklin invented water skis at the age of 12 - to everyday inventors like your students, encourage your students to explore research many different inventions.

2. Learn about Patents

Children's Inventors Day Take the time to learn about the patenting process. For middle school students, have students sketch an invention in class and go through the patenting process. For high school students, design a more involved project and give them a few weeks to create an invention that reflects your class' specific material. Check out the US Patent and Trademark Office website for Children for information on the patenting process and lots of links for inspiration.

3. Inventing together

Build Rube Goldberg as a classroom. This is the perfect STEM activity that combines all the elements of STEM. This could be a class-wide project or a class competition with multiple building groups. See Teach Engineering for resources on how to make this activity engaging and educational.

4. Show the role of STEM

Children’s inventor day could be a popular chorus in your classroom. This holiday provides a great answer. Pick an invention and study deeper into the STEM elements to make its possible. Learn about the science behind electricity and light bulbs, or the engineering and math that make up world-famous monuments.

5. Plan a field trip

Planning is necessary. It is a better way to celebrate Children's Inventors Day than by checking out real-world inventions! Research museums in the area and focus on exhibits featuring inventors and inventors. If cost and logistics prevent you from taking a real field trip, consider taking your class on a virtual reality trip.