MGA Summer Camp | Engineering Invention Camp

More Than Crafts — Becoming Young Engineers

What can children create with a piece of cardboard, a motor, a handful of rubber bands, and a box of maker tools?

At MGA Engineering Invention Camp, the answer went far beyond our expectations.

Rather than simply following step-by-step instructions, our campers approached every project like real engineers. They imagined, designed, tested, improved, and created—transforming ordinary materials into inventions of their own.

Throughout the week, students explored mechanical structures, circuits, levers, sound, and engineering design. More importantly, they experienced what engineers do every day: turning ideas into reality.

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Building the First Invention

Our engineering journey began with a simple cardboard car.

Campers learned how to safely use cardboard cutting tools, build sturdy structures, and create smoothly rolling wheels. As their confidence grew, so did their creativity.

Soon, many students moved beyond the original design. Some transformed their cars into robots by adding arms and faces, while several older campers had an even bigger idea:

“What if we added a motor to make the robot’s head turn?”

With a few adjustments and plenty of experimentation, a rotating-head robot was born.

It was a wonderful reminder that engineering rarely has only one right answer.

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Discovering Mechanical Principles

Using popsicle sticks and rubber bands, campers built their very first catapults while exploring the science behind levers and mechanical advantage.

The challenge continued in the afternoon as teams designed their own Rube Goldberg Machines. Every chain reaction required careful planning, teamwork, and repeated testing.

There were plenty of adjustments along the way, but every successful sequence showed that perseverance is just as important as creativity in engineering.

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Inspiration Beyond the Classroom

Midweek, campers visited the LEGO Discovery Center, where they explored imaginative LEGO creations, interactive exhibits, and creative building ideas.

Beyond the fun and excitement, the visit inspired new conversations about design, engineering, and creativity that continued throughout the rest of the week.

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Designing Music

Before building their cardboard guitars, campers first explored an important question:

How is sound created?

Through hands-on experiments, they discovered that sound comes from vibration, and that different materials and levels of tension create different sounds.

After sketching their own guitar designs, campers used professional cardboard cutting machines to bring their ideas to life in a real maker-space environment.

One exciting discovery came when several students noticed that different types and thicknesses of rubber bands produced different pitches. They immediately began experimenting with a variety of rubber bands as guitar strings, creating instruments with unique sounds of their own.

No one gave them the answer—they discovered it through curiosity and experimentation.

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Bringing Their Creations to Life

On the final day, campers stepped into the world of electronics.

After learning the basics of circuits and motors, they built motorized vehicles capable of moving forward and backward.

Some students also experienced the laser cutter design process for the first time, creating custom decorations and perfectly symmetrical components that made their vehicles even more personal and polished.

Technology became a powerful tool for transforming imagination into reality.

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Celebrating Every Young Inventor

Friday afternoon concluded with our Engineering Showcase, where campers proudly presented everything they had created throughout the week.

From robots and cardboard guitars to catapults, Rube Goldberg machines, and motorized vehicles, every project reflected countless moments of designing, testing, revising, and improving.

Many parents were amazed by how much their children had accomplished in just five days.

But the greatest achievement wasn’t simply the finished projects.

It was seeing our campers realize that their own ideas could become something real.

And that is what engineering is truly about.