Bright ideas
Kids are inventing more than ever, and they're coming up with some great ideas and even getting patents for their inventions. Inventing is creative and entertaining. A child doesn't have to be a genius or be good at math and science to invent something. An invention can be as simple as toilet paper. When kids are looking for invention ideas, they should consider their interests or hobbies, then look at ways to make improvements.
Games
You can invent either a new board game, outdoor game, or, if you're good on computers, a new computer game. There are lots of ways to approach the board game idea. It can be a simple "follow the squares" game for young kids, but create a unique theme. You can invent a new word or dictionary game, or a trivia game with subjects just for kids. For outdoor games, think of your favorite sport and if there's some way to make it newer, better or more fun. For instance, you could invent a completely new type of ball, perhaps an amoeba shape that bounces out of control when it lands on the ground. Computer game creation programs are available that give you the format for inventing your own games.
Fashion
This can be a fun area for inventions for either girls or boys. Think about the clothes you wear, also hats, shoes, gloves, jewelry and sunglasses. Maybe you can invent a new way to close your pants, shirts or jackets. Someone invented Velcro shoes to replace shoelaces. You could create clothes that use Velcro instead of zippers or buttons. Jewelry is available that uses LEDs (light emitting diodes) to make it blink or light up, but the jewelry is mostly of the gag-gift variety. Invent a higher quality line of jewelry that uses the LEDs. You could also invent a product line of clothes that incorporates the LEDs, including shoes, hats, and even sunglasses.
Pets
Observing and caring for your pets can give you ideas for inventions. You can invent a way to take a crawling tick off a dog without touching it---maybe a hand tool that uses tape to catch the tick. People buy scratching posts for their cats, but they can eventually wear out or look unsightly. Invent a scratching post that dispenses new material, perhaps something like a lint roller. Make it easy to spot your dog or cat in the dark---and let them make a fashion statement at the same time---by inventing a collar with embedded LEDs.
