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Get hands-on with the history and the process of invention! Try all sorts of ways to get creative!

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  • DO Try This at Home!
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  • Spark!Lab Network
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An array of craft materials
DO Try This at Home!

At-Home Inventors

Lots of inventors worked from home – what will you invent?

Computer-generated drawing of solar panels in the shape of a houseplant charging a cell phone
DO Try This at Home!

Create a Solar-Powered Invention

Create a solar-powered invention with virtual materials—or design your own parts and pieces.

Rocket launcher made from wood and other materials
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Design a Spacecraft

Design a spacecraft with virtual materials—or create your own parts and pieces.

Computer-generated image of a shopping cart
DO Try This at Home!

Reinvent the Shopping Cart

Reinvent a shopping cart with these virtual materials—or create your own parts and pieces.

Computer-generated image of people in a mass transit vehicle
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Create a Mass Transit Vehicle

Create a mass transit vehicle (bus, plane, boat, train, spacecraft or something totally new) with virtual materials—or create your own parts and pieces.

U-Sketch pick your color green orange blue lavender purple black

Story Tags

  • Art (Relevance: 1.6129032258065%)
  • Behind-the-scenes (Relevance: 24.193548387097%)
  • DIY/Maker Movement (Relevance: 8.0645161290323%)
  • Design (Relevance: 4.8387096774194%)
  • Education (Relevance: 6.4516129032258%)
  • Industry and manufacturing (Relevance: 3.2258064516129%)
  • Invention at Play (Relevance: 9.6774193548387%)
  • Invention process (Relevance: 8.0645161290323%)
  • Kid inventors (Relevance: 12.903225806452%)
  • Kid-friendly (Relevance: 56.451612903226%)
  • Medicine, health, and life sciences (Relevance: 4.8387096774194%)
  • Mining and drilling (Relevance: 1.6129032258065%)
  • Music (Relevance: 3.2258064516129%)
  • Nature and outdoors (Relevance: 1.6129032258065%)
  • Photography, film, television, and video (Relevance: 3.2258064516129%)
  • Play (Relevance: 4.8387096774194%)
  • Sound recording and reproduction (Relevance: 1.6129032258065%)
  • Spark!Lab (Relevance: 100%)
  • Spark!Lab National Network (Relevance: 32.258064516129%)
  • Toys and games (Relevance: 3.2258064516129%)
  • Women inventors (Relevance: 6.4516129032258%)
A scooter made by a child
DO Try This at Home!

Invent a Toy

Invent a new toy with virtual materials—or create your own parts and pieces.

Computer-generated parts to invent something to help clean up the ocean
DO Try This at Home!

Help Clean Up the Ocean

Use virtual materials—or create your own parts and pieces—to build a 3D model of your invention that could help clean up the ocean.

Computer-generated object moving through a pipe
DO Try This at Home!

Invent a Device That Can Move Through a Pipe

Invent a device that can move through a pipe with these virtual materials—or create your own parts and pieces.

3 Sparky stick figures tumbling around a drawing of a light bulb.
DO Try This at Home!

Design a Stadium

Design a stadium with virtual materials—or create your own parts and pieces.

Sparky logo
DO Try This at Home!

Invent a Musical Instrument

You can invent an instrument using common items found around your house. What type of instrument will you create?

Cover of Let’s Go Shopping with Peter and Penny children’s book
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Let’s Tell a Story!

Stories tell us how inventions came to be and what inspired the inventors.

An adult man is working with a young girl on an activity in SparkLab
Spark!Lab

About Spark!Lab

Draper Spark!Lab is where museum visitors become inventors.

Computer-generated design work surface
DO Try This at Home!

Design an Innovative Voting Poster

Design a poster that will encourage people to vote in every election.

Sparky logo
DO Try This at Home!

Calling Young Inventors!

Spark!Lab’s 2020 Dr. InBae and Mrs. Kyung Joo Yoon Invent It Challenge needs you!

Now What? game graphic
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Spark!Lab's Now What? Invention Game

Unexpected problems often call for inventive solutions.

A young girl works on the Invent a Skate Park activity
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Spark!Lab Activities

You can explore the history and process of invention through Draper Spark!Lab activities at home, too!

Sparky logo
Spark!Lab

Frequently Asked Questions about Spark!Lab

Draper Spark!Lab is a hands-on invention activity center where visitors learn that invention is a process and that everyone is inventive.

A toy mouse in a yellow, wedge-shaped car
DO Try This at Home!

The Power of a Challenge

Some famous inventions have come about because of a competition. What will you invent if challenged?

An outline of a gear, pictured in solid orange, with the words (in white lettering): Think about a new invention that enhances the daily lives of older adults.
Encouraging Innovative Thinking

The 2019 Spark!Lab Dr. InBae Yoon Invent It Challenge

It's time for the annual Invent It Challenge!

A facilitator works with a young girl on a Spark!Lab invention activity (Michigan Science Center)
Spark!Lab Network

About the Spark!Lab National Network

The Spark!Lab National Network brings hands-on invention learning to the nation.

See More Stories

VIEW 2679 Matching Results

Found 2679 Stories

  • Agriculture and horticulture (Relevance: 5.1138484509145%)
  • Air and space (Relevance: 6.6069428891377%)
  • Chemistry (Relevance: 2.9861888764464%)
  • Food and drink (Relevance: 3.0608435983576%)
  • Industry and manufacturing (Relevance: 7.2788353863382%)
  • Medicine, health, and life sciences (Relevance: 4.5912653975364%)
  • Military technology (Relevance: 3.2474804031355%)
  • Mining and drilling (Relevance: 3.471444568869%)
  • Patents and trademarks (Relevance: 11.422172452408%)
  • Photography, film, television, and video (Relevance: 3.5834266517357%)
  • Power generation, motors, and engines (Relevance: 3.471444568869%)
  • Spark!Lab (Relevance: 3.3594624860022%)
  • Telegraph, telephone, and telecommunications (Relevance: 3.0608435983576%)
  • Textiles and clothing (Relevance: 3.2848077640911%)
  • Transportation (Relevance: 5.8603956700261%)
  • Women inventors (Relevance: 2.9861888764464%)
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