Inventors Workshop

Build, Tinker, Create: Engineering Adventures for Young Inventors! $250

SparkGrounds Tampa Bay
7777 131st Street, Seminole, FL 33776

Two Options Available: Tuesdays · 5:30-6:30 PM, or Wednesdays · 10:15 AM-11:15 AM
Workshops Begin the Week of August 18!

SPARKGROUNDS WORKSHOPS are open forums where students in 2nd through 12th grade meet weekly to tackle instructor-provided challenges. Workshops are designed to remain challenging and new even if taken repeatedly.

Unlike classes which feature lecture, instruction, and hands-on training from a SparkGrounds Instructor, SparkGrounds Workshops allow students to tackle problems together without direct instruction. SparkGrounds staff will act as guides as students figure out how to respond to each weekly challenge.

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In the weekly Inventors Workshop, get ready to think like an engineer! In this hands-on makerspace experience, students will tackle exciting design challenges each week—from building earthquake-proof structures to crafting balloon-powered race cars. Whether it’s testing the limits of gravity with a Rube Goldberg machine or designing a futuristic flying machine, young inventors will learn problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork while bringing their ideas to life!

No two sessions are the same! Each week presents a fresh challenge in mechanical engineering, physics, or sustainability, ensuring students can take this course multiple times and always walk away with new skills. With real-world design thinking and hands-on construction, young makers will gain the confidence to turn everyday materials into brilliant innovations.

Students of all skill levels will explore engineering through exciting, hands-on projects tailored to their abilities. Younger students will grasp foundational principles through guided exploration, while older students take on advanced design iterations, material testing, and problem-solving. With new challenges each semester, this workshop is perfect for students who love to build, create, and innovate!

After enrolling, parents or guardians will be sent a liability release that includes expectations and rules. That document must be returned before the first workshop meeting. Partial, pro-rated refunds are always provided should a child unenroll before the end of the workshop.

This workshop is approved for the PEP and FES scholarships and can be purchased here or directly on the Step Up website.

Fall 2025 Challenges:

1. Rube Goldberg Machines – Chain reactions and energy transfer
2. Bridge Builders – Structural engineering and materials testing
3. Marble Run Madness – Gravity, friction, and momentum
4. Wind-Powered Creations – Energy sources and mechanical motion
5. Cardboard Automata – Gears, cams, and kinetic sculptures
6. Drop Challenges – Forces, impact absorption, and design thinking
7. Trash to Treasure – Upcycling and sustainability in engineering
8. Flying Machines – Paper helicopters, gliders, and aerodynamics
9. Designing for Disabilities – Assistive technology and empathy-based engineering
10. Water Filtration Lab – Clean water engineering and material properties
11. Balloon-Powered Cars – Newton’s laws and propulsion
12. Miniature Roller Coasters – Potential vs. kinetic energy
13. Earthquake-Proof Buildings – Seismic-resistant structures
14. Battle of the Boats – Floating, sinking, and hydrodynamics
15. Invention Convention – Students design and prototype their own invention

Note that the schedule (and especially what is done on each day) is subject to change based on the realities of each individual workshop.