History of Camp Invention®
Camp Invention® was founded in 1990 by the USPTO in partnership with the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF). It has since grown to become one of a series of educational programs for young students of all ages. Inspired and informed by NIHF Inductees, NIHF educational programs are hands-on STEM and innovation programs for children. These programs not only promote creativity, entrepreneurship, and inventive thinking and also educate children with age-appropriate introductions to the workings of the USPTO and the value of patents, trademarks, and copyrights. The programs are taught by local, certified teachers who receive professional development training.
Serving more than 250K children nationwide
Since 1990, NIHF programs have reached more than 2.5 million students, teachers, and inventors across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Collectively, these programs provide more than one million hours of invention education and reach more than 250,000 children in 2,500 schools and districts nationwide each year. Both the USPTO and NIHF are dedicated to expanding access to STEM education, aiming to inspire greater interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Camp Invention strives to nurture the next generation of innovators and build a brighter, more innovative future through America’s youth.
Jump into more fun!
Check out more activities and resources to help your ideas come to life.
Young Inventor Spotlights
Read these inspirational stories of how some young inventors are changing the world around them.
Videos and activities for grades K-12
Activities, invention challenges, and other fun ways to explore invention and intellectual property.
Inventors change the world
Explore how visionaries and their inventions shaped the world we live in today.