Spark Imaginations With Phenomena at Camp Invention 2026

Personal experiences with phenomena, from seemingly ordinary occurrences to dynamic events, create a baseline for learning about the physical and natural world. Phenomena are observable events that students can actively investigate through scientific methods. For example, observation and inquiry are often used to study and explain phenomena through evidence-based scientific theories.

Whether it’s the first time looking through a microscope or witnessing the spectacular colors of the Northern Lights, STEM powers each glimmer of possibility that captivates children and their imaginations. By anchoring engaging education experiences with scientific phenomena, they have the unique opportunity to observe, investigate and learn through hands-on, open-ended exploration at Camp Invention^® — uncovering each new discovery with enthusiasm and delight.

Designed to boost youth engagement, creativity and problem solving, Camp Invention’s all-new 2026 program, Spark, inspires rising K-6 students to make connections with everyday STEM and innovation. From launching an awe-inspiring space mission to introducing the fascinating world of forensic science, phenomena are thoughtfully woven into each experience in next summer's camp curriculum. Read on to learn exactly how campers will explore STEM phenomena in epic new ways.

The Infringers

In The Infringers^™, children spark the superpowers of the I Can Invent^® Mindset as they team up with the Innovation Force^® — National Inventors Hall of Fame^® Inductees who are real-life heroes — to identify and solve challenges in their community and around the world through invention! From reCAPTCHA to iris recognition, children explore different security tools to keep their ideas top-secret from The Infringers, who are duplicating inventions. Using a cryptography wheel, children create their own secret code to add to their wearable device. After writing their code with a special UV marker, they use a black light to reveal it. As campers explore how technology has enabled inventions to be miniaturized, they invent small but impactful prototypes. Learning how to best protect their intellectual property, campers apply for a patent, and then make a trip around the sun to explore the phenomena of time.

Make Waves

Diving into Make Waves^™, children catch their first big break as they ride the waves of entrepreneurship! Inspired by National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee Tom Blake, who helped make surfing more popular through his surfboard innovations, campers pitch prototypes to investors, conduct market research and design eye-catching billboard boats to advertise their innovative products. Along the way, they discover wave phenomena and explore physics through hands-on buoyancy experiments that feature flotation, mass and surface tension concepts. As their billboard boat glides across the water to hook new customers, students observe potential energy converting into kinetic energy and experiment with the direction and momentum of their boat. Like surfers moving from the safety of the shore to the rush of breaking waves, children take calculated risks as they commercialize their product.

Fur-ensics

In Fur-ensics^™, children sharpen their detective skills at the Camp Invention Biopark as they discover how real-life investigators use forensic tools to solve crimes! Inspired by the inner mechanics of their robotic capybara, they use creative problem-solving skills to invent a sleuthing gadget to support their epic investigation. As they collect curious clues and evidence, children use deductive reasoning to explore the “who” and “how” behind animal antics, take a close-up look at fur and feathers under a microscope and uncover the science behind analyzing fingerprints in an interactive activity. With help from Captain E. Bara and their robotic capybara sidekicks, campers discover a mysterious burrow where they find nests, gather eggs and swab them for DNA evidence before the results from the lab analysis are revealed.

Space Morphers

Space Morphers^™ invites children to stretch their imagination and launch a mission to terraform a new planet’s atmosphere, terrain and ecosystem for future habitation. As they explore materials science, design engineering and cutting-edge space innovations, campers build a DIY space rocket and experiment with launch angles and trajectory to simulate rocket flight. Next, children unleash their creativity and problem-solving skills to make a model of a planet to support life and future exploration, discovering phosphorescence and adding a glowing effect to their planet models using UV light and glow-in-the-dark paint. After children collect important data and samples in a high-energy rover race, they record scientific observations in their space lab as they hatch a mysterious animal egg model and watch dazzling crystals form. Gleaning inspiration from National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees, they create their own solar-sail-like prototype to keep a satellite orbiting their planet, monitoring the changes over time.

Bring the All-New 2026 Camp Invention Program to Your District

The brand-new Camp Invention program brings enriching, hands-on STEM experiences that engage students and combine summertime fun with exploratory learning. Learn more about the upcoming 2026 program, Spark!