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Camp Invention – STEM Summer Camps That Turns Curious Kids Into Innovative Thinkers
Spark New Ideas at the All-New 2026 Camp Invention®
For over 35 years, the National Inventors Hall of Fame® has brought hands-on STEM experiences to K-6 students across the country through our flagship summer program, Camp Invention®. This weeklong camp sparks creativity and boosts confidence as campers tackle fun STEM challenges inspired by real-world inventors.
This nationally acclaimed program is full of open-ended, hands-on exploration of science, technology, engineering and more! Each year, Camp Invention delivers an all-new program to ignite the spirit of innovation. As campers collaborate to take on fun, hands-on challenges, they uncover their potential to become creators, innovators and entrepreneurs while building persistence and creative problem-solving skills. In our all-new 2026 program, Spark, campers explore everything from adorable robotic capybaras to inspiring space exploration in four dynamic experiences.
What is Camp Invention?
- Who: Curious kids entering grades K-6.
- What: A confidence-boosting STEM summer camp where kids build creative inventions and lasting friendships. Led by qualified local educators, our camps offer new and exciting hands-on activities every year.
- Where: Over 1,000 Camp Invention camp programs run nationwide in schools, community centers and other local facilities!
Camp Invention has various locations throughout the Houston area!
- When: Our day camp’s dates and hours vary by location. Some locations also offer before and after care to fit busy parents’ schedules. If your local camps don’t offer dates and times that work for you, we can also send an at-home camp experience directly to your doorstep.
- How Much: Pricing for this weeklong STEM summer camp, complete with take-home materials and limitless inspiration, starts at $270. See your local camp for exact pricing.
- Why: To help your child grow their confidence, build problem-solving skills, reduce summer learning loss, improve academic achievement, discover innovative role models & more.
The all-new Camp Invention 2026 program will spark the imagination of both new and returning campers with an adventure full of inspiration, innovation and unforgettable discoveries!
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!
Fur-ensics™
Campers sharpen their detective skills and team up with their very own robotic capybara to investigate a series of mischievous pranks. After exploring the inner mechanics of their capybara, children build sleuthing gadgets to support their epic animal investigation. From animal tracks to DNA and fingerprints, children practice persistence and creative problem-solving as they collect curious clues and conduct hands-on forensic science techniques to solve an animal mystery.
Make Waves™
Surf’s up! Campers dive into the exciting world of entrepreneurship and catch their first big break. Inspired by National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee Tom Blake and his surfboard innovations, children build confidence as they splash into hands-on physics experiments, paddle their way through salty challenges and pitch their prototypes to hook investors. As they transform inventions into popular products, campers design an innovative billboard boat to “make waves” in the market with ocean advertising.
The Infringers™
Campers spark their innovative superpowers and team up with the Innovation Force™ – National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees – to identify and solve challenges in their community and around the world. Exploring innovative security tools, from reCAPTCHA to iris recognition, children miniaturize top-secret inventions, create a wearable cryptography device and learn how to safeguard their designs through intellectual property against the Infringers, who are duplicating inventions!
Space Morphers™
Children stretch their imagination and launch a mission to transform a new planet’s atmosphere, terrain and ecosystem for future habitation. Igniting their creativity, campers build a DIY space rocket and experiment with trajectory. After a high-energy Rover Race to collect important data and samples, they design and build inventions for navigating the intense conditions of their planet. In their space lab, campers make new discoveries and record observations as they hatch an animal egg and grow a dazzling crystal tree.
Register Today
Led by qualified local educators, Camp Invention combines hands-on learning and unforgettable fun. Children find a fresh take on STEM each time they join us. We can’t wait to see campers spark new ideas this summer!
Early registration discounts are available! Register using MYCAMP25 to save $25 off the registration fee. Families with multiple campers can share in the savings! Bring on the sibling love and save $60 using SIBFUN30 when you enroll two campers or save $120 or more using code SIBFUN40 when you enroll three or more campers. Spots are limited!
Visit invent.org/save/summer-camp or call 800-968-4332 to secure your child’s spot today! Interest-free payment plans are available at check-out to make camp affordable for all families.
STEM Activities to Turn Your Classroom into a Collaborative, Creative Space!
A Year-Round Education Project For Educators
Camp Invention offers unique education programs designed to meet the needs of students and educators. All of our STEM curricula meet national and state standards, qualify for several funding sources and provide students with authentic life skills experiences.
With over 30 years of experience developing innovative invention education programming for school districts across the country, the National Inventors Hall of Fame® (NIHF) is a leader in developing hands-on curricula that ignites children’s natural curiosity.
This pedagogy is designed to meet the immediate needs of school districts across the country who are working hard to both help their students catch up academically and ignite their natural curiosity. By crafting experiences that challenge students to solve real-world problems through the act of invention prototyping, participants are invited to take risks and build confidence in an encouraging and supportive environment.
Camp Invention has a flexible, in- and out-of-school PreK-8 programs are designed to engage and energize both educators and students throughout the whole year. We can help you build the right solutions, from enrichment add-ons to complete, multiweek STEM curricula that includes everything you need for stress-free implementation.
