WGVU Kids Invention Contest

Contest is open to kids currently in grades 4 - 8 (public, private or home-schooled). Entries can be submitted electronically or mailed to WGVU Public Media, 301 Fulton St. W Grand Rapids, MI 49504 Winning inventors will have their invention featured on WGVU TV and be invited to personally appear on a WGVU TV program promoting their invention.

Who: Kids currently in grades 4-8 (public, private or home-schooled)

What: WGVU Kids Invention is an opportunity for kids to demonstrate their ability to “invent” a product or model that will solve a problem or show a new or easier way to do something.

When: Contest will run from September 12, 2016 – February 28, 2017.

Why: The WGVU Kids Invention Contest will foster designing, engineering and problem-solving skills that kids will be able to apply in their daily life. Plus, it will hopefully be a fun, creative way for kids to build and design their “own” product or model.

How: Kids will need to submit their name and grade along with either a video, or picture(s) of their actual invention model nomination. Kids will also submit a description explaining what the name of the invention is, what problem it solves or new/easier way to do something and how the invention works.

Prizes: Winning inventors will have their invention featured on WGVU-TV during kids programming and also be invited to personally appear on a WGVU-TV program promoting their invention.

Overview: The WGVU Kids Invention Contest is designed to promote problem-solving and creative thinking skills. Kids have a natural curiosity and this allows them the opportunity to apply critical thinking skills to “invent” a creative way to solve a problem. This program challenges students in grades 4-8 public, private and home schooled to identify a problem, brainstorm solutions and build/design and test their working prototype invention.

Goal: The goal of this program is to allow kids the opportunity to have fun designing, building, inventing a product, model or prototype of an invention they feel will solve a problem or be a different way to do something. Plus, the opportunity to realize the potential their invention could have in the world today or the future.