National Kid Inventors’ Day (January 17)
Every year on January 17, we celebrate National Kid Inventors’ Day, a fun and inspiring holiday that recognizes the creativity and ingenuity of young minds.
Kids have come up with some of the most incredible inventions, from popsicles to trampolines, proving that age is no barrier to innovation.
This special day encourages children to think outside the box, explore their ideas, and develop new creations.
It’s also a great time to reflect on the impact of young inventors throughout history. Plus, it’s one of the many weird holidays in January!
When is the Holiday?
National Kid Inventors’ Day is celebrated annually on January 17th.
The date was chosen in honor of Benjamin Franklin’s birthday, as he was an inventor from a young age, famously creating swim flippers when he was just 11 years old.
Who Invented It?
The holiday was created by Lee Ward to shine a spotlight on the incredible inventions made by kids and to inspire future generations of young inventors.
Each year, children and teens come up with thousands of new ideas, from simple gadgets to life-changing innovations.
The History of the Holiday
Kids have been making remarkable inventions for centuries! Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s founding fathers, started young with his swim flippers.
Other famous kid inventors include Frank Epperson, who created the popsicle at just 11 years old, and Louis Braille, who invented the Braille reading system while still a teenager.
More recently, children have continued to innovate, creating toys, tools, and even technological advancements that change the way we live.
Top 5 Facts About the Holiday
- Benjamin Franklin’s Influence. The holiday is celebrated on his birthday because of his contributions as a young inventor.
- Kid Inventors Make an Impact. Over 500,000 new gadgets and games are created by kids each year.
- Popular Kid Inventions. Trampolines, water skis, earmuffs, and even televisions were all invented by young minds.
- Recognition for Young Innovators. The day highlights the importance of encouraging kids to pursue STEM and creative fields.
- Schools and Organizations Celebrate. Many educational institutions host invention fairs and creative challenges on this day.
Activities to Celebrate
Encourage the kids in your life to embrace their inner inventor with these fun and hands-on activities:
- Host a DIY invention challenge where kids brainstorm, design, and build their own unique creations using household materials. Encourage them to think of solutions to everyday problems.
- Explore famous kid inventors by reading books or watching videos about young innovators who changed the world with their ideas.
- Build simple STEM projects like stomp rockets, paper circuits, or marshmallow towers to engage kids in hands-on learning while developing problem-solving skills.
- Organize a family or classroom invention fair where children can showcase their creative ideas and explain how they work.
- Encourage storytelling through invention journaling, where kids can sketch, describe, and improve upon their ideas over time, just like real inventors do.
- Take apart old electronics or toys (with adult supervision) to see how they work and brainstorm ways to repurpose or improve them.
**This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a participant in other affiliate programs, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases.**
Links to Resources
Looking for more ways to celebrate? Check out these fun activities and resources:
- Kid Innovators: True Tales of Childhood from Inventors and Trailblazers. This engaging book explores the childhood stories of famous inventors and how their early experiences shaped their groundbreaking ideas.
- I Can Be an Awesome Inventor: Fun STEM Activities for Kids. A fun activity book filled with puzzles, challenges, and creative exercises to inspire young minds to think like inventors.
- DIY Stomp Rockets & Stomp Rocket Launcher. Kids can’t build a real rocket, but they can build and launch their own stomp rockets! This hands-on project helps children learn about aerodynamics and physics in an exciting way.
- Make a Kid-Safe DIY Lantern from Recycled Supplies. This upcycled craft teaches kids about sustainability and creativity while making a functional lantern. A great project for both artistic and engineering-minded children.
- Hexagon Marshmallow STEM Building Challenge. A fun and edible way to introduce children to architecture and engineering. This challenge encourages kids to explore different structures while improving problem-solving skills.
- DIY Nature Explorer Kit. Perfect for young adventurers, this project transforms an ordinary shoebox into a nature exploration kit, inspiring kids to investigate the world around them and document their discoveries.
Related Holidays
If you love celebrating kids’ creativity, here are a few more unique holidays that encourage innovation and curiosity:
- National Science Fiction Day on January 2nd is a day to explore imaginative ideas and futuristic inventions through books, movies, and storytelling.
- National Puzzle Day on January 29th is a great opportunity for kids to engage in problem-solving activities and think critically about how things work.
- Bunsen Burner Day on March 31st is a day dedicated to celebrating the iconic laboratory tool that has fueled scientific experiments for generations, making it perfect for young science enthusiasts who love experimenting and discovering new things.
Pin it!
Share this post about kids and their inventions on Pinterest!
