Creativity, Innovation, Entrepreneurship

Kids Invent Toys is a program that fosters creative thinking, inventing and entrepreneurial enterprise among upper primary and secondary school youths. It was developed at the Sid Craig School of Business, California State University, Fresno by Professors Ed Sobey and Timothy M. Stearns.

Kids Invent Toys is a unique learning program.

Kids Invent Toys stimulates the creative instincts of youths to invent by having them design and build mock-ups of toys and prepare corresponding business plans and marketing materials, including a Web-based home page. As they develop their toys, participants make presentations to the Toy Factory management team, think through the price/cost structure for their toys, and work with other youths in a variety of tasks. The management team reviews their conceptual designs, business plans and mock-ups. It encourages participants to continue their development of toys after the program has concluded. It orients them to opportunities to showcase their inventions at a Toy Fair, and in invention contests and programs. It also empowers them to. Consider commercialization of their ideas.

During the Kids Invent Toys camp, participants will...

• Design and invent toys
• Present their concepts to a “management team”
• Build, test and improve a succession of mock-up toys
• Conduct research at a local toy store
• Write a short business plan
• Participate in a public “Toy Fair.”