Change Your Game - Invent a Sport

Welcome to the Change Your Game / Spark!Lab digital activity space. In this space you are the inventor who exercises your inventive creativity though sports focused invention challenges.

Invent a sport with virtual materials. Using Tinkercad, you can delete, reshape, duplicate and create new parts.

Supplies

• Free Tinkercad account
• Your Inventive creativity
• One of the "CYG Invent a Sport" environments from Spark!Lab's Tinkercad designs

Step 1: Invention Is a Process

Invention is a Process

There are just two things to keep in mind as you design your stadium:

1. The invention process is not always linear, but inventors engage in these steps in some form or another.

"Think it" : Have a great idea for an invention.

"Explore it": Investigate inventions and ideas of the past.

"Sketch it": Draw pictures and diagrams to figure out how your invention might work.

"Create It": Build a prototype or model of your idea.

"Try It": Test your invention.

"Tweak It": Keep improving your idea.

"Share It": Get your idea out there for others to see, use or purchase.

2. Everyone is inventive- and we do mean everyone! Today, you get to put your creative problem solving to action as you express your inventive identity. By tapping into your inventive ability, you make it possible to have an impact. You make it possible to change your game. 

Step 2: Think It

The first step of the invention process is to "think it." This involves identifying a problem you would like to solve, or imagining something you plan to create.

To get started you can ask yourself, "What will my idea do? What problem does it solve? How will my idea improve what currently exists?

Here are some things you may want to think about when inventing your sport.

Where will you sport be played - in a park, indoors, or in the city? What equipment will you use for your sport? What are the rules? What are the boundaries of your playfiled?

Step 3: Explore It

The next step of the invention process is to "explore it.” Inventors ask: “How have inventors created solutions in the past?” and then conduct research to learn more about the problem they would like to solve, or the idea they would like to create. This is done to understand solutions that may already exist. They learn from what others have tried and make sure that their solutions are new or different.

There are a countless number of sports we know and love, but this does not stop people from inventing new sports. The stuff you have, or don't have, and the location your in help you determine what type of sport you can create. Explore the links below to learn more about inventing a sport.

Explore the links below as part of your inventive path:

Visit the Change Your Game webpage to learn more about sports and what motivates inventors, like you, to invent.

Take a look at this Smithsonian Magazine article on not so good fitness inventions.

Explore the connection between sports and innovation.

Check out some background on the culture and invention that are part of skateboarding.

Visit the History Channel learn more about the origins of some well known sports.

Step 4: Sketch It

Inventors use sketching as a way to organize their ideas.

Drawing an idea allows inventors to imagine what their invention might look like and how it will work. Try sketching out your inventive idea before building! Take some time to sketch your ideas, images, and thoughts about the sport you will invent.

You can sketch your ideas with paper and pencil our use any means of expression that is comfortable for you. Remember! Inventors rarely get it right on the first try. Whatever the method, you may need to undo and re-do your invention as you continue to think through how you want to solve the problem.

Click here to learn more about inventors' sketches in the Smithsonian Collection.

Step 5:

Now it is time to build a prototype of your invention idea. In this step, inventors get to see their idea turn into something real. Building a model can help you learn about any issues there are with their invention design. Your prototype will show the size, shape, and form of your stadium.

In what ways will you use these virtual materials to invent a sport? How will your sport be played? What will you call it? How will you make sure that anyone can take part in your sport?

"As you create your design be sure to use the "Notes" feature in Tinkercad to describe the parts and features of your invention."

Select the environment where you will invent your sport.

Click here to invent a sport to play indoors

Click here to invent a sport to play in a city

Click here to invent a sport to play in a park

Once you have created your design, move on to the Try It step.

Step 6: Try It

Now that you have created your 3D model, take some time to think about the sport you invented

• What environment did you choose?
• Is the equipment for your sport suited for your environment?
• How will you mark the boundaries or goals for your sport?
• How many people are need to play?
• Are there teams? If so how many people can be on a team?
• Is there any special gear needed to play your sport?
• Do you make use of common items as part of your sport?
• How can you ensure that anyone, no matter their abilities, is able to play?

Share your 3D model and ideas with others. Ask them for their input about your design.

• What did they like best about your design?
• What did they think needed improving?
• What new ideas did you get by sharing your idea with them?

Step 7: Tweak It

Now that you’ve invented your sport, thought about it, and shared your idea with others, it’s time to tweak your inventive ideas! Now is the time to ask yourself, "What changes can I make to improve my sport?”

Inventors typically don't succeed with an invention on the first try. Inventors make changes to their designs and prototypes to make them work better. Usually, they tweak their ideas many times before they are finished. Once tweaks are made, inventors test their inventions again. It can take many tries to make your ideas work or look the way you imagined they would.

Go back to your design in Tinkercad and tweak it so that it best fits your inventive ideas, meets the needs you hoped it would meet, and has a look you are pleased with.

Step 8: Share It

Sharing your idea is not only about putting it up for sale. Sharing an idea often happens when you present your idea to others after you have made your final tweaks.

Tell us about your invention on social media!

• Who will use your invention?
• What makes your invention unique?
• How does your invention work?

Share your ideas with us on Instagram or Facebook@lemelsoncenter.