Inventions made real by Little Inventors

Little Inventors, a UK-based educational non-profit organization, is dedicated to giving “children across the world the opportunity to develop and showcase their creativity and problem-solving skills, build their confidence, curiosity and resilience to become caring citizens of our planet”. The kids’ assignment, as profiled by this Science Friday video: “Invent something that would solve a problem and then draw it.”

Although it may seem overly simple, according to the program’s manager and founders, its simplicity is its secret weapon. Little kids are often intimidated by being asked to detail a scientific or engineering process or to express themselves artistically. Asking a child to present their ideas to audiences can be equally off-putting.

However, by blending whimsical yet problem-solving ideas of invention with the intimacy of drawing, the threshold for engagement is significantly lowered. From this basic inquiry, comes a fount of whimsy and creativity… Little Inventors then works with a team of engineers, designers, and artists, to bring some of the inventions to life and present them to wider audiences.

Some of the realized kid inventions include The Worry Shredder, as seen below, A Push-Up Machine, this space suit for cats, The Love Heart Jacket, The Miracle Chair, and more.

Do you have an idea for a problem-solving invention? Share it with Little Inventors here. As artist, designer, and Chief Inventor Dominic Wilcox explains:

“Invention and creativity is like a muscle, and if you stop using it… you lose it in a way. And that’s the thing about creativity—that’s why it’s so important to encourage children to be creative, and then to get through to adulthood where they can really do things that make the world a better place.”

Follow this with Wilcox’s wonderfully creative inventions in The Reinvention of Normal: Dominic Wilcox’s quest for new ideas.

Plus, explore more videos about innovation and problem-solving.