Summer is here. You said no screens. And now your kid is standing in front of you, completely blank, waiting for you to figure out what comes next.
Sound familiar?
Here’s what most parents don’t know: that blank, bored, I-don’t-know-what-to-do moment is actually the best thing that can happen to your kid’s brain this summer.
Not because boredom is fun. But because what comes after boredom, if you give it a little fuel, is imagination.
And imagination is the one skill school isn’t teaching, and AI will never replace.
That’s what Innovation Challenges are built for.
What is an Innovation Challenge?
An Innovation Challenge is a creative thinking prompt with no right answer. No steps to follow. No finished example to copy. Just a question, a starting point, and your kid’s imagination.
The goal isn’t a perfect result. The goal is the thinking that happens along the way, designing, building, trying, failing, adjusting, trying again. That process is where creative confidence actually gets built.
No fancy supplies required. Most challenges can be done with paper, recycled materials, and whatever’s already in your house.
5 Summer Innovation Challenges to Try This Week
Here’s one challenge from each of the five summer themes. Give your kid the prompt and walk away. See what happens.
Notice what these have in common: there’s no wrong answer.
Your kid can’t fail. They can only make something uniquely theirs.
What you’ll need
Most challenges need very little. But if you want to set up a maker space at home this summer, here’s what we keep on hand:
Recycled materials — cardboard tubes, boxes, egg cartons, etc. Free from your recycling bin.
Basic art supplies — markers, colored pencils, tape, and scissors.
A sketchbook for designing — kids who draw their ideas first build stronger problem-solving habits.
Building materials — craft sticks, pipe cleaners, binder clips.
Sign up below for our newsletter and download the calendar of challenge prompts.
Share your creations! We love to see your kid’s unique solutions to the challenges. Tag us on social @innovationkidslab
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