If you want your little engineer to bring their big ideas to life, here is an interesting collection of invention ideas for kids. These ideas would make your child think out of the box and help them with school projects.
10 Invention Ideas for Kids
Here are some fun invention ideas for kids to unleash their creative skills.
1. Fruit-LED lights
Did you know fruits can be used as a conductor to generate power and light? Try this fun science experiment to learn how fruits can be a source of power. What you need:
Lemons Dimes or pennies Copper wire Paper clips LED light bulbs
How to do:
Squeeze the lemons gently to release their juices but without breaking the skin. Cut two slices at both the ends of a lemon and add a dime/penny at one slice and a paper clip on the other. Now, connect these lemon slices using copper wires in such a way that one end is attached to the dime and another to the paper clip. Connect the last wire to the LED light bulb from both negative and positive ends.
2. Egg drop holder
Do you get upset when an egg breaks accidentally? Here is an easy invention that can help you get rid of that mess. What you need:
Eggs Eggs carton Cardboard Bubble wrap Cotton
How to do:
Cut out one egg’s portion from the carton. Place the egg inside the carton and wrap it using a bubble wrap until you get an inch-thick layer. Make a container cut out of cardboard and place the wrapped egg in it. Fill the space inside the container with tissue papers, cotton balls, and bubble wrap. Close the container and fix it with masking tape. Now practice dropping this container from various heights. Your egg will stay intact.
3. Duct-tape purse
Duct tapes can be used to make funky wallets, tote bags, purses, makeup kits? Let’s see how! What you need:
Duct tape A pair of scissors Ruler Adhesive gum
How to do:
Cut four strips of 9” long duct tape and stick them to each other in a parallel manner. Similarly, form another set and stick both sheets together. Trim the edges to make them straight. Fold the strips vertically and stick them together on the edges with transparent tape, leaving one side open.
4. Smartphone projector
In this simple activity, your child can learn the basics of physics by turning an old shoebox into a projector. Sounds fun? What you need:
Shoebox Magnifying glass Tape A pair of scissors Black sheet of paper Smartphone
How to do:
Take the shoebox, remove the top cover, and cut out a hole at one end of the box. Fix the magnifying glass in the hole you just cut. Darken the interior of the box using black paper. Build a phone stand behind the magnifying glass and fix the smartphone there. Now cover the lid and start the show.
5. Kaleidoscope
The invention of a kaleidoscope is sure to get your little scientist excited. What you need:
Paper towel rolls A pair of scissors Tape Mirrored sheets Straw White cardstock
How to do:
Color the paper towel rolls as you like and let them dry. Cut the mirrored sheets into three equal strips. Place the mirrored strips one after the other, leaving a thin line gap in between them, and tape them over the gap. Fold it into a triangular prism and join the top edges. Fit this prism into the paper roll Now cut out a circle from white cardstock and decorate it. Make a hole at the center of the circle and fix it to the kaleidoscope with a straw.
6. Christmas ornaments
Who doesn’t enjoy decorating the Christmas tree? This activity uses Popsicle sticks to make decorative ornaments for your Christmas celebrations. What you need:
Popsicle sticks Glue A pair of scissors Pom poms Jingle bells Glitter
How to do:
Paint the popsicle sticks using your favorite color. Make a 3D craft with those sticks. You can make a mini house, x-mas tree, or just hang them as it is. Give a final touch of glitter and pompoms to give them a jazzy look. Tie a thread to these ornaments and hang them to the Christmas tree.
7. Balloon powered car
Most children enjoy playing with toy cars. Let’s give it a fun twist by adding an air-filled balloon and putting kinetic energy to the test. What you need:
Cardboard Wooden skewers Four plastic bottle caps Masking tape A few straws Deflated balloon
How to do:
Take rectangular cardboard. Cut two straws and paste them under the cardboard to form the axles. Place two wooden skewers in the straw, attach the bottle caps to the ends, and form the wheels. Attach the open end of the balloon to a bendy straw, tighten it, and then fix the straw to your DIY car. Now blow the balloon from the other end of the straw. Close the open end, set the car on the ground, and release the air. Your balloon-powered car is all set to go.
8. Stethoscope
If your child enjoys playing the role of a doctor and the stethoscope is their favorite instrument, here’s a fun invention idea to try. What you need:
Funnel Balloon Duct tape A transparent tube A pair of scissors
How to do:
Connect the smaller end of the funnel with one end of the tube and tighten it with duct tape. Stretch out the balloon, spread it over the funnel’s open end, and fix it with duct tape. Now, place the funnel’s open end on the heart and listen to the heartbeat from the other end of the tube.
9. Ocean in a bottle
Let your child’s imagination run wild with this idea. In this fun learning activity, they get to explore the ocean and its creatures. What you need:
Plastic bottle Water Funnel Blue-colored paint Edible oil Glitter Toy fish or other water animals Seashells
How to do:
Fill a clean plastic bottle with water up to half. Add a few drops of blue color and mix well (do not add excess color as it would darken the water). Add edible oil to the remaining space in the bottle. Add glitter, toy creatures, and seashells. Fasten the bottle’s cap to secure it tightly.
10. Water xylophone
A water xylophone is a perfect invention for children to understand the science of sound. When the glass bottles are hit, their vibrations produce a sound. And, with the varying levels of water, the beats change too. What you need:
Glass bottles Food color Metal spoon Water
How to do:
Fill all the bottles with water in varying quantities. Now, add separate food colors to each of the bottles. Tap the bottle with a metal spoon to check for sound and arrange them in a line from the lowest sound to the highest. If any of them sounds similar, then change the water level. Your water xylophone is ready to play a song.
