Brainchild: Kid Inventors & Their Contributions
So often we think of inventions as the pinnacle of human innovation, that we sometimes forget that simple, everyday people have invented things we use every day. Even less than often do we think of children being capable of forming a solution to a problem so effectively, that it’s still in use today. In this post, I wanted to bring the unsung child inventors who have perhaps surprisingly changed the landscape of our everyday lives.
Braille
While it’s not something everyone uses often, braille seems complex enough that it must have been invented by some wordsmith or scholar. On the contrary, A small boy, whom was vision impaired since the age of 3, learned a method of silent communication learned by the French military. The boy, Louis Braille, took that language and simplified it into the raised lettering of Braille that we see and recognize today. Braille is used in every language around the world and is the standard of the way the blind of the world imagine and “see”.
Christmas Lights
Before the invention of electricity, Christmas trees were decorated with candles, which didn’t pair well with a dying and brittle, dry tree right in the middle of your home. When lights became a way to decorate as an alternative, the high price tag meant that the safety was only enjoyed by the privileged. 15 year old Albert Sadacca’s parents owned a novelty lighting store, so with his idea in tow, invented the MUCH more affordable Christmas lights we enjoy today. Now people of all backgrounds can enjoy the Christmas Season in style.
Popsicles
It seems that a lot of inventions came about from a mistake or by accident. At least this was the case with 11 year old Frank Epperson. He was mixing a powdered drink mix into water one day when he got distracted, leaving the concoction on his porch overnight. In the morning, he had self-contained pops that were delicious! He would make them for his friends, and eventually his family until he finally decided to create the patent in 1924.
Superman
How does one of the most recognizable superheroes of all time come about? It all started in the imagination of a young teen, Jerry Siegel. He was having a hard time sleeping one night in the summer of 1934, and his mind wandered to all the science fiction stories he had heard. The next day, he told his friend about the character he had imagined, and his talented friend Joe Shuster made the first images. Now Superman is as recognizable as Jesus is all around the world.
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Nobody knows at the exact moment that their idea is revolutionary or will change the course of the world as we know it, but we may never know until we at least try. The admirable attribute with kids and teens is that they are not plagued by fear as much as the adult. They’re less likely to second guess themselves, and have a wild and beautiful imagination. So if you have an idea bouncing around in your head, make it! Sell it! Patent it! We can help – whether you’re 5 or you’re 50.