Little Inventors: Create your own inventions for space!
"Congratulations to Connor, Amy, and everyone else who participated in Little Inventors! Our future is in the heads of young people like you. The things you dream up could one day be our reality. So keep dreaming!"
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) collaborated with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to challenge children across the country to come up with ingenious ideas that could be developed into inventions to make life in space easier and more fun. The best inventions were turned into prototypes by expert makers and artisans from Canada and the United Kingdom.
Some of the best ideas from Little Inventors – Inventions for Space were made into real objects and are being shown in a special exhibition. (Credit: NSERC.)
Who can participate?
Canadian children
- Little Inventors – Inventions for Space is open to Canadian students, up to Grade 9 / Secondary 3.
- Teachers will be given tools and resources so that they can support students during the idea-generation phase.
- Teachers and parents can submit the children's inventions.
Canadian makers
Little Inventors turns children's ideas into reality with the help of talented makers and artisans! They are involved from the start and become part of the little inventors' creative journeys. The makers and artisans are profiled in a special exhibition and online.
How to participate
Check out the Little Inventors website to download the resources and see how you can participate.
For more information, contact the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Grade 6 students participate in the launch of Little Inventors – Inventions for Space in Ottawa, Canada. (Credit: NSERC)
David Saint-Jacques encourages elementary school students to take part in Little Inventors – Inventions for Space (Credit: CSA)
Results of Little Inventors – Inventions for Space
The challenge was launched by CSA astronaut David Saint-Jacques in . The activity was so popular that a second round took place in fall . Nearly 3 000 entries were submitted from across Canada, 250 ideas were shortlisted as favourites and 30 of them were made real by makers and artisans.
The two winning inventions made an appearance in space on , during a live connection with David Saint-Jacques from the International Space Station.
Inventions for Space winners
Name: Connor Brown
Age: 12
School: St. Joseph in Acton, Ontario
Invention: Space Boot Imprints
Description: Most boots have the same zig-zag pattern on the sole, but with this invention, astronauts can see their designed boot imprints on the Moon!
Maker: Chris Bellamy of Vancouver, British Columbia. Chris is a mechanical engineer and currently works as a custom fit 3D printed footwear designer.
Judges' comment: This invention feels particularly relevant as we get ready to celebrate 50 years since the first Moon landing and as Canada will take part in the future exploration of the Moon. This invention may inspire the boots of astronauts going back to the Moon!
Chris Bellamy and Connor Brown
Space Boot Imprints
Name: Amy Claerhout
Age: 13
School: Beau Meadow in Beaumont, Alberta
Invention: Personal Canadarm
Description: This is a mini version of a Canadarm that can be attached to a wall. It contains all the items needed for personal hygiene. Just like a Swiss army knife, everything is built into the Canadarm to help astronauts take care of their personal grooming without having things float out of reach.
Maker: Léa Ducharme, mechanical engineer
Judges' comment: This invention shows a real understanding of the challenges of living in space. It is a perfect way to pay homage to the amazing technology of the Canadarm while bringing it to a more daily scale!
Amy Claerhout and Léa Ducharme
Personal Canadarm
About Little Inventors
Little Inventors began in the United Kingdom in 2015. It aims to inspire and support children all over the world to be creative and develop their own invention. Little Inventors takes children's invention ideas and makes them real. This initiative was introduced in Canada in by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.