Children are immersed in the wondrous world of science fiction as they use their creative and critical-thinking skills to keep themselves safe and nourished after crash-landing on a strange planet. They first work together to “reassemble” their crashed spacecraft from a variety of common objects. Then, children determine relevant weather data to design shelter and clothing during their stay on Planet ZAK and use problem solving to reach an unusual, hard-to-find food source. Finally, they design ways to launch their spacecraft in time for the countdown to blastoff.

Spills and Chills™

Two leading manufacturers have recruited the Camp Invention team to design better safety features for their newest line of transportation vehicles. As engineers, children first improve the design of a skateboard. Their new safety enhancements are put to the test as they use crash-test dummies created from recycled materials to determine their efficacy. Over the next several days, children work in teams to build and crash-test cars using physics. Their quest for safety continues as they test the structural components of their cars and design a three-point safety belt to protect an egg. On the last day, the spills and chills roll on as children send their cars down a ramp and into a wall with crash-test dummies in place!

Working as interns for the world’s newest and largest amusement park, Imagination Point, children are introduced to the basic principles of motion through hands-on activities related to amusement park rides. Children use their discoveries and imaginations to create prototypes of roller coasters and other rides. Before construction begins, they first investigate the science behind these thrill rides by exploring Sir Isaac Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. They perform a magician’s trick to understand inertia, discover that mass matters when two objects collide, learn the thrill of centripetal force, and create bumper-car paintings to illustrate that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Imaginations run wild as children take part in two different versions of the I Can Invent module. During the first two days, both younger and older children take apart broken household appliances that they’ve brought from home. Younger children continue taking apart on Day Three, while older children begin building complicated machines that will launch a water balloon at a target. On Days Four and Five, younger children build fantasy inventions using the pieces/parts of their take-apart items, as well as other supplies and items from the recycle room. Older children continue using pieces/parts of their take-apart items and other supplies to build their complicated machines. Finally, older children set their multi-step machines in motion to launch their water balloons! All children then display their inventions at the Inventor’s Showcase.

Recess Remix™

Combining physical activity with creative problem solving, the Recess Remix module invites children to participate in fun, energetic games that require teamwork, cooperation, coordination, and inventive thinking. In the Recess Remix module, children use their inventiveness and creativity to modify aspects of familiar games and then play their new versions!
Different from other Camp Invention curriculum modules, Recess Remix allows the instructor to choose the games to play depending on factors such as the age of players, whether games are to be played indoors or outdoors, and whether children are to get wet or stay dry. Each day, children invent and play a different game to demonstrate their creativity and originality!