Imagine your students inventing a WALK EASY wheelchair that improves circulation, or how about an ORTHO PILLOW to keep a retainer or headgear in place during sleep?

All children can identify problems in their homes or neighborhoods.  Almost every day of  their lives they will face at least one problem.  An unmade bed, a dog that eats the cat  food, a grandmother who broke her leg and has to keep it elevated when she sits or a grandfather who cannot grasp a bar of soap because of severe arthritis are all examples of real-life problems solved by New Hampshire students.  By having students identify the problem to be solved they become actively engaged in the learning process.  Once the problem has been identified, stand aside and watch them go.

The New Hampshire Young Inventors' Program provides elementary and middle school teachers with a hands on approach to promote critical thinking and problem solving skills in their classrooms.  A unit on inventive thinking, which includes the production of an original invention, can meet several educational goals.  These include the following, but are really limited only by the imaginations of you and your students. Your students will: