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Camp Invention at Coopers Elementary School

6833 NC Highway 58Elm City, NC 27822Website: Visit Website

For over 30 years, the National Inventors Hall of Fame® has inspired millions of children through its flagship summer program, Camp Invention®. The weeklong program is led by qualified local educators in your community and inspires children in grades K-6 to unlock their creativity and think like an innovator in fun, high-energy experiences.

Each year, Camp Invention® presents a brand-new STEM program designed to turn curious kids into innovative thinkers through hands-on learning. In the 2024 program, Illuminate, campers build confidence and work together to take on four exciting challenges, exploring innovation, creative problem solving and design thinking in an empowering environment, all while developing persistence and having a ton of fun!


Register Today!

Availability is limited, so visit invent.org/camp or call 800-968-4332 to learn more and secure your child’s spot today! 

Use promo code CIFUN25 to save $25 (expires 3/27/24) or CIFUN15 to save $15 (expires 5/16/24).


In the Game

In this athletic experience, sports, design, invention and business come together for the win! For inspiration, campers will explore the design features and specialized materials of a variety of sports balls, then create their own. They up their game by experimenting with inclined planes and gravitational pull to build a customized light-up game board, giving it a unique logo and a name. Finally, they’ll be inducted into The Game of Fame for their innovative thinking and award-winning skills.

Let’s Glow

Investigating the science of light through fiber optics, illuminating inventions and glowing animals, campers will make a one-of-a-kind Glow Box. They’ll wire a circuit to power light strips they install, then unleash their creativity by adding color for interesting visual effects. Using ultraviolet light, they uncover clues to reveal the mystery behind a creature with a glowing feature, and their big ideas shine bright!

Operation: HydroDrop

In this epic global adventure, campers embark on an operation to help solve water challenges around the world. They’ll learn about the important role water plays for people and the planet, then customize a robotic laboratory on wheels to assist in their exploration. They create their own model tiny homes complete with amenities and crops, and as they identify ways to hydrate their plants using recycled water, they become hydro heroes!

Prototyping Studio

Staring as contestants on a game show, campers mold, shape and transform their ideas into amazing inventions. Using a DIY toolbox, everyday materials and inspiration from Our Nation’s Greatest Innovators, National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees, they complete a series of exciting prototyping challenges to uncover the ultimate place to invent. While tapping into their imaginations, they discover that invention can happen anytime, anywhere!