Invent the Summer

08/27/2026

953 young engineers. Eight challenges. Hundreds of creative solutions. Workshops across Connecticut and beyond. And SO many moments that made us smile.

Our 2026 Year in Review is here! Take a few minutes to look back at the creativity, perseverance, spectacular failures, ingenious solutions, and big ideas that made this our biggest summer yet. 💡🚀

A huge thank you to everyone who invented with us, cheered on our young engineers, hosted workshops, volunteered, supported our programs, and helped make this incredible summer possible.

🎥 Watch our 2026 Year in Review!

08/27/2026

🎉 That’s a wrap on Invent the Summer 2026!

Eight weeks of inventing, building, testing, problem-solving, spectacular flops, creative comebacks, and some truly amazing ideas. We are so proud of all of the young engineers who took on our challenges this summer!

Join us for our 2026 Awards Show as we celebrate our Hall of Fame inductees, Inventors of the Summer, Points Champion, and lots of lucky prize winners!

A huge thank-you to every kid who invented with us this summer, and to all of the parents, grandparents, workshop leaders, and other adults who helped make it possible.

Watch the Awards Show and help us celebrate an incredible season!

Another amazing summer! For 8 weeks, our young engineers dreamed, d...

08/19/2026

Announcing the winners of the Crazy Contraption Challenge! Congratulations to all of our incredible inventors — what an amazing way to wrap up the summer!
🏆 Don’t forget — our Awards Show is coming up on August 26th at 8pm! Don't miss it!

Announcing the winners of the Crazy Contraption challenge! Be sure ...

08/17/2026

This week’s creators rose to the challenge: Invent a multi-step machine that turns a simple task into an entertaining sequence of events and successfully completes the task.

Be sure to vote for your favorite designs from 12:00 PM on Monday, August 17 through 3:00 PM on Tuesday, August 18. Winners will be announced around 8:00 PM on August 18, 2026.

08/12/2026

This week your task is to design and build a multi-step machine that turns a simple task into an entertaining chain reaction. Your machine should use a series of connected actions to complete the task in a creative and successful way. Will your machine ring a bell, kick a ball, close a book, pop a balloon, raise a flag, or accomplish another simple task? The choice is yours!

Solution videos are due by Sunday, August 16 at 9:00 PM ET. You can see all of the solutions and vote for your favorites from August 17-18. Winners will be announced on August 18.

Check out the full challenge details here: https://inventthesummer.org/2026-week8/

08/12/2026

Announcing the winners of the Mystery Machine challenge! Congratulations everyone. The FINAL challenge of 2026 will be released tomorrow!

Announcing the winners of the Mystery Machine challenge! Be sure to...

08/10/2026

Our engineers brought the carnival to life this week! Using the Mystery Box items as functional parts of their designs, they created all kinds of mechanical rides, games, and devices. From spinning attractions and carnival games to ticket booths, snack machines, and other imaginative creations, their engineering skills were on full display. Check out some of their amazing inventions!

Be sure to vote for your favorite solutions from 12:00 PM ET on Monday, August 10 through 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, August 11. Our winners will be announced around 8:00 PM ET on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

https://inventthesummer.org/2026-week7-entries/

08/05/2026

This week your task is to design and build a mechanical ride, game, or device you might find at a carnival. But there's a catch! The Mystery Box items revealed in this week's video must play a functional role in your design. Will you build a Ferris wheel, a revolving door, a ticket booth, a snack machine, a carnival game, or something completely original? The choice is yours!

Solution videos are due by Sunday, August 9 at 9:00 PM ET. You can see all of the solutions and vote for your favorites from August 10-11. Winners will be announced on August 11.

Check out the full challenge details here: https://inventthesummer.org/2026-week7/

08/05/2026

Announcing the winners of the Build it Tall challenge! Congratulations everyone. Our next challenge will be released tomorrow!

Announcing the winners of the Build it Tall challenge! Be sure to c...

08/03/2026

Our engineers reached new heights this week! Using only weak materials, and without any tape or glue, they designed impressive towers that stretched toward the ceiling. Many even built structures strong enough to support additional weight. Check out some of their amazing engineering solutions!

Be sure to vote for your favorite solutions from 12:00 PM ET on Monday, August 3 through 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, August 4. Our winners will be announced around 8:00 PM ET on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

https://inventthesummer.org/2026-week6-entries/