Got an Idea? Enter an Invention Contest!

I never had the intention of assuming the title “inventor.” It never really occurred to me that all the cool ideas that popped into my head might lead me to where I am. The stacks of craft items inside and the piles upon piles of wood outside seemed like a given at my house. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” and when I’ve got an idea, why not make it material? Anyone can be an inventor. The difference between inventors and everyone else, though, is that inventors follow through and believe in themselves.

A few years ago, I came upon a problem. I felt like doing my homework outside because it was a nice day, but once I got settled, I kept having to go back inside to get writing tools and such things. So I used that situation as an opportunity to solve a problem. What I thought up (and expanded over time) became the “Totally Desk.” It’s a portable desk with a flip-up lid that can hold a textbook, drawers on both sides, an automatic pencil sharpener, and attachable legs. It can all be closed up and carried like a suitcase.

So then, I entered my invention into the Staples Invention Quest Contest, where I made it through the first selection, then on to the semi-finals in MA, and then the finals in NY. That’s as far as I got, but $5,000 and other prizes is nothing to scoff at. I also learned a lot about the inventing world through the process. In the semi-finals, I was one of fourteen other kids from all over the country who came up with solutions to problems they discovered. All of us got to walk around to see the other inventions. The theme was “office inventions,” but each invention was so creatively different. Only five of us reached the finals, but along the way we all encouraged each other. We congratulated the winner and were happy for her and each other.

Problems are always opportunities. From problems come ideas, and from ideas can come inventions, but only those who can recognize this and follow through can become inventors. You don’t need shelves full of craft materials inside or piles of wood outside. All you need is imagination and determination.Do you have an idea? Enter it in the Invention Dimension Challenge. You never know if you don't try!

— Jerrilee G., Kid Inventor

At 9, Jerrilee wanted to create a special birthday gift for her older sister who loved word games. She had an idea; she would combine the best elements of both word and card games in a new spelling game. With the help of her mother, Jerrilee brainstormed ideas and developed Speed Spell (now Swipe-it), a fast-paced game of spelling and vocabulary. In Speed Spell the players race to complete words from multiple letter groups building from the inside out. The more words you complete, or steal, the more points you earn. The more cards left in your hand when someone goes out, the more points you lose. The rules contain several versions, and it can be played cooperatively or competitively. You can read more about her invention at www.bkfk.com.

How Problems Can Lead to Awesome Inventions

What's Your Problem? And . . . Why Are You So Happy About It?

Let's face it. All toys, games and sporting goods can have problems. Isn't that great? In fact, nothing would ever be created if there weren't problems to solve! There are two ways problems can help you in inventing. First, problems can help you figure out what to create. And second, problems can help you figure out how to make your invention the best it can be.

PROBLEMS HELP YOU GET CREATIVE When you begin to think like an inventor, you will notice problems. As you play a game of checkers, you might think to yourself, “Wouldn't this be more fun if it were more challenging?” You've just found a problem an inventor like yourself can solve. How could you make checkers more challenging? What if it were a three-player board instead of a two-player board? What if you put magnets on the pieces and played checkers across a cube? When you are skateboarding, you notice that every time you hit a crack in the sidewalk, you end up on the ground picking dirt out of your teeth. Your inventor brain can kick in and find a new kind of springs for skateboard wheels or a cool mouth guard that repels dust. See how easy it is to think like an inventor?

So. . . what should you do about it while you're working on your new toy, game or sporting goods design? Take notes!! You'll hear us say it again and again — Take notes! Take notes! Take notes! Keep a notebook full of your ideas, problems and designs. These are what will turn into your next great invention.

PROBLEMS HELP YOU MAKE BETTER INVENTIONS There is another way problems help you as an inventor — that's when you have problems with your own creations. You may think you have finished creating the next great toy, but when you take it out for a test run, it is an epic fail. When we invented a new type of body board for riding in the ocean, we put on our swim suits, ran into the water with our invention. . . and sank. As an inventor, there will be times when you will have to simply try again. Don't get discouraged. Problems are actually one clue that you are on the right path to a great new toy. If your invention just doesn't work the way you want it to, don't lose hope. Just remember the four R's: Research it. Redesign it. Remodel it. Rework it. And, know that it's okay to ask for help once in a while. Don't be embarrassed to ask a teacher or an adult expert. There are people out there who will be glad to help you!

It may take you a while, but every problem does have a solution. The very best thing to do when you have a problem is simple — breathe. Don't freak out. Come on, it's like they say, “Rome wasn't built in a day.” If it doesn't work the first time, no getting discouraged, just try and try again! In the end, the effort you spend solving problems will be worth it. Your final invention will be much better than you originally imagined!

— Alyssa Hansen & Kaycee Johnsen, Kid/Teen Inventors

 

Alyssa Hansen and Kaycee Johnsen, both 16, began inventing when they were just 10 years old. They, along with their siblings and friends, have created Boogie2Boogie, a new kind of wave-riding toy and the Underwater X-treme, a challenging pool toy that solves the problem of everybody peeking when playing Marco Polo. Both inventions won the National TOYchallenge and are currently being marketed by By Kids For Kids. Alyssa and Kaycee have been writing a regular column for creative kids in bkfk.com since 2006 and have co-written a book and activity kit that teaches kids how to invent. You can see all of their creations, and a lot more at www.bkfk.com.

EXCLUSIVE: The 39 Clues Madrigal Maze

Calling all 39 Clues fans! You may have heard about the new 39 Clues App, may have read our behind-the-scenes blog about it or you may even have seen gameplay video. But, for the first time and releasing only on the STACKS is an exclusive sneak peek video of The 39 Clues Madrigal Maze game for iPhone™ or iPod touch®! That's right! Here's your chance to see how it all begins and how a player is recruited to become a Madrigal.

Do you have what it takes to become a Madrigal? Would you accept the challenge?

To learn more about the app, visit The 39 Clues Madrigal Maze site.

—Amabel, Scholastic Interactive Staffer

Brainstorming, Step 1 to an Awesome Invention

Here at THE STACKS, we are happy to announce a new contest called Invention Dimension from BKFK.com (By Kids For Kids). The contest challenges kids under 19 to come up with new ideas for toys, games or sports equipment. In the next few months, we will bring you true stories and advice from young inventors. Here is some advice from Alyssa and Kaycee to help you come up with an invention idea. Read on to find out how to get started. . .

So, you are excited and ready to start inventing! Except you've got one little problem. . . you have no idea what you are going to invent! Don't worry, there is an easy and creative process to get you started, brainstorming. This process will help you come up with of tons of different ideas, and then guide you in narrowing down to what will soon be your creation! There are many ways to brainstorm. Here is the process that worked for us.

First, make a list of things you like to do. Do you like to play sports? Video games? Board games? Go to the beach? Collect rocks? If you start with what you are interested in, it is easy to really get ideas flowing. The next step is to get more specific as to what kind of activity, sport, video game, or board game you like best. For example, if you like to play sports, write down all the different sports you like and then choose one to focus on. What do you like most about that sport? What makes it fun? What aspect of the sport is the most interesting to you?

Next, ask yourself, “What could make this even better?” If you chose baseball, then you could ask yourself different questions as you play a typical game. For example, “How can I improve baseball equipment? How can I make practicing baseball more fun, or easier?” Or, “How can I come up with a new game that keeps all the most fun parts of baseball, but is played a different way?” Suddenly a rush of ideas will flow to your head; it’s almost like when a storm comes blowing in from all directions. That's why it's called brainstorming! One important thing to remember is that every idea is a good idea, so write it down. It doesn't matter if your ideas seem too far out. Brainstorming is about coming up with as many ideas as possible!

After you have come up with all your ideas, then start narrowing them down. Ask yourself, "What cool features can I give my invention?" Set aside all the ideas that you don't think you can make happen right now. Don't throw your ideas away, though! Keep those ideas in a notebook for a later time. Then look at all the ideas you have left. Now think about who will be using this invention. Is it made for teenagers? Children? Boys? Girls? People with disabilities? It is very important to keep the group you are inventing for in mind, so as not to make the inventions too complicated, too simple, too girly, etc. You can eliminate the ideas that might not appeal to that group. Now, look at the ideas that are left. Which are the most interesting to you? If more than one idea is exciting, can you combine them? And, because we are talking toys and games, which idea sounds like the most fun? After you answer all of these questions, you should know what you want to create! Now you’re ready to start working on your amazing invention.

Happy brainstorming! We can't wait to see what you come up with!

— Alyssa Hansen & Kaycee Johnsen, Kid/Teen Inventors

 

Alyssa Hansen and Kaycee Johnsen, both 16, began inventing when they were just 10 years old. They, along with their siblings and friends, have created Boogie2Boogie, a new kind of wave-riding toy and the Underwater X-treme, a challenging pool toy that solves the problem of everybody peeking when playing Marco Polo. Both inventions won the National TOYchallenge and are currently being marketed by By Kids For Kids. Alyssa and Kaycee have been writing a regular column for creative kids in bkfk.com since 2006 and have co-written a book and activity kit that teaches kids how to invent. You can see all of their creations, and a lot more at www.bkfk.com.

Trust No One in the Hunt for The 39 Clues!

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

Have you been hearing about The 39 Clues but don't know how to get started? Or have you started your hunt for the Clues, but want FREE cards to add to your online collection? You can now jump start your Clue hunt by visiting The 39 Clues game site and entering this code in the My Cards section: TRUSTNOONE. You'll be rewarded with 5 FREE digital cards!

It's never too late to join the hunt! Don't forget the secret code: TRUSTNOONE

See you on the hunt!

—Whitney, The 39 Clues team

Where the Wild Things Are Movie & Video Game

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is one of those picture books that never gets old. Just about everyone I know read it at least once when they were young and still loves it now. I have to admit I found it too scary when I was little, but that's just me — I never did like scary books or scary movies. Still don't.

Anyway, on October 16th, Where the Wild Things Are is being released as a movie (rated PG) that does not look too scary. Check out the trailer. . .

And there is a video game for ages 10 and up (Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii) that actually looks pretty cool (judging by this video preview of the game).

Max Records plays the part of Max in the movie. His favorite scene was the dirt clod battle with the Wild Things. He says, "It's practically a minefield because all these dirt clods are being thrown and just exploding on the ground. The special effects team had hidden little explosives in the leaves and all around me was 'boom, boom, boom.'" His least-favorite scene was when Max has to slide through the giant mouth of one of the Wild Things and into its slimy stomach where he was slathered in "slime that smelled like rotten lemons." Ewww!

And what about those nine-feet tall monsters? They took eight months to build, and there is a person inside each one controlling the monster's movements! The only part of the Wild Things that is digitally enhanced is their faces. Computer animation was used to create their facial expressions to make them look more lifelike. Their voices were recorded separately like for an animated movie. When they recorded that dirt clod battle, the actors actually threw stale bread rolls at each other and hit each other with styrofoam logs to get into it! Actor James Gandolfini recorded the voice of the monster, Carol, and makes it sound like a blast. He says, "It was very physical. We were running around and beating each other up and making ridiculous noises." I love that image of grown-ups running around on a stage acting like Wild Things! Can you imagine your teachers doing that? Hilarious.

So are you excited to see this movie? I can't wait. As Max would say, "Let the wild rumpus start!"

—Sonja, STACKS Staffer

UPDATE: Read a movie review from the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.

Trailer courtesy of Warner Bros.
Photos by Matt Nettheim, courtesy of Warner Bros.

The Making of The 39 Clues™ App!

I'm Sam, producer of The 39 Clues Madrigal Maze App for the iPhone™ or iPod touch®! We know a lot of Ink Splot 26 readers who are 39 Clues fans so this blog will give you a sneak peek into the new app. When we started working on The 39 Clues app, we knew we wanted to tell a different side of The 39 Clues story. If you read the books, you know about the Madrigals -- the shadowy group that thwarts the Cahills in their search for the clues. But what is it like to actually be a Madrigal? Our app explores the idea of becoming part of this secret organization.

The app puts you through a recruitment test to become a Madrigal. As you'd expect, it's not easy. You get locked inside a labyrinthine Aztec pyramid and have to survive all kinds of perils in order to get out. The game is a test of wits and strategy as you attempt to successfully navigate a series of 39 mazes inside the pyramid. As you progress, each maze gets more challenging. 

We wanted a combination of pulse-pounding action and brain-teasing puzzles, just like the books. You know how Amy and Dan are racing speedboats through the canals of Venice one minute, then solving an elaborate puzzle the next? Our game has the same feel. On one level you're weaving through a pack of guard dogs, and on the next, you're figuring out the right path that won't trigger deadly boulder traps in the maze. You'll have to be very quick and very smart to make it all the way through. Some mazes even have time limits on top of all these obstacles. 

But how hard is too hard? When the game was almost done, we tested it with kids and adults and adjusted a lot of the levels. We wanted to make sure that the early and middle levels were fun and not too hard for the casual gamer. We won't lie to you, though – some of the final levels are very tough. We'll be interested to see how many players make it all the way through! 

The final ingredient of any great 39 Clues story is secrecy, and we worked with the books' editors to work in some good secrets. If you make it to a certain level of the game, you'll unlock a secret Madrigal Encryption Key on www.the39clues.com. We don't want to say too much, but if you're interested in the Madrigals, you'll definitely want to get that Key before you finish the game! 

— Sam, Scholastic Interactive Staffer

Behind-the-Scenes of I SPY™ Apps!

I'm Karen, the Art Director for the I SPY Riddle Race and I SPY Spooky Mansion Apps for the iPhone™ and iPod touch®. Bringing the beautiful I SPY books created by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick to life in interactive games is always a terrific privilege! You heard from Jennifer last week. Now it's my turn to give you a look inside these apps from an art point of view.

The first challenge for the I SPY Riddle Race was the game board. I SPY Riddle Race is a compilation of the very best I SPY picture riddles ever! These picture riddles are all different from each other, so a big part of our job was to create a setting where all of them could exist together. We knew we wanted this app to combine I SPY play with a board game. So, the question for us became “What would the game board look like?” We came up with the idea of using an old wooden game board. I sketched out two versions of the game board, then added color and details in PhotoShop. This helped us visualize how to tie the game concept together.

 

At this point, we could see that the bright reds and oranges in the curvy design were working really well. We also really liked the left image but the colors seemed too drab and boring. So we took the best of both and created this final sketch.

 

As you know, I SPY is all about realistic photographs, so in order to match the style of I SPY, our next step was to photograph a wooden box and other wooden objects that we could use to bring my design to life. Here's the final version that appears in the game.

The squares represent the picture riddles on the game board but we also had to design a way for the player to enter each riddle area. I realized a way to do this would be to use of one of the coolest iPhone features--the accelerometer. The accelerometer is what allows you to tilt the iPhone to affect the gravity in the game. Tilting the game board in I SPY Riddle Race sends your marble spinning down the paths into the riddles.

I SPY Spooky Mansion presented us with a similar challenge in that we needed to create a way for players to move through the riddles. The only difference was that this app, unlike I SPY Riddle Race, encompassed one single adventure through a creepy mansion. We came up with the idea of using a map for the house and surrounding grounds. Touching areas on the map would lead the player to the different riddles. Like with Riddle Race, we had to first sketch the idea, making sure that the riddle areas such as the graveyard, laboratory and living room could all be represented in the map.

 

Once we got just the right perspective, we used PhotoShop to give the map the same eerie and spooky mood that you see in the picture riddles. Here's the final version of the Spooky Mansion map!

There you have it! Hope you had fun reading this tour through the unique aspects of creating art for the I SPY Apps!

—Karen, Scholastic Interactive Staffer

I SPY an App!

I'm Jennifer, one of the producers at Scholastic Interactive. You heard from my colleague Sam the other day about the Goosebumps app and now I'm going to tell you about the apps I got to work on. As you can imagine, I have one of the greatest jobs around because I get to think of the best ideas to entertain or inspire you in your free time. I make games! This latest blog post will give you a behind-the-scenes look at two of our newest games for the iPhone^TM and iPod touch® called I SPY Spooky Mansion and I SPY Riddle Race.

Have you ever wondered how iPhone apps are made and what goes into them? or played I SPY and wondered where the scenes come from and how the riddles are written? Well, in the next five steps I'll tell you how we brought the most popular hidden object game to the iPhone.

1. The first step in creating a fun game is to start with the very BEST book you can think of. Lucky for me, we started with the wonderful I SPY books created by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick. These books are a great inspiration for a game because they ask you to look carefully at scenes photographed from elaborate sets to find hidden objects. That looks like a normal gate, but wait! I think it forms the shape of a cat! I don't know about you, but I can spend hours looking.
   
   
2. Next, pick the best scenes. This took us some time. With so many I SPY books, there are plenty to choose from! It was clear that we had more than one game on our hands so we decided to do two games. The first would be I SPY Spooky Mansion inspired by the I SPY Spooky Night book. The second would be I SPY Riddle Race and would pull the best scenes from any book available!
   
   
   
   From I SPY Riddle Race
   
    
3. So, you might be asking, “What's the game?” Well, we came up with this by thinking, "What would be the coolest thing to do in these amazing places?" That was it! In I SPY Spooky Mansion, you'll find yourself locked in the grounds of a creepy house, and to escape you’ll need to find and collect seven keys! So it's very much a thematic type of hidden object adventure. In I SPY Riddle Race, we thought it would be great to combine the search and find play of I SPY with a board game, timed challenges and point scoring system. To play, you race across a game board to find hidden objects in fantastic locations, and to score as many points as you can to advance to bonus challenges.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Once we had the idea, we needed to write the riddles. The basic rules of I SPY riddles are: riddles should rhyme, have easy and difficult objects to find, and incorporate a theme. Additionally, it's always fun to add brain-teasers by using objects that have different meanings. For example, a riddle might ask for 2 pins but one is a thumbtack and one is a bowling pin. Those types of rhymes keep players thinking and on their toes!
5. And last: play the game, play the game, and then play again. I often ask myself, “What do I like, and what would make it an even better play experience?” Then I do it!

Be sure to check back next week for Part 2 of this behind-the-scenes look at the I SPY Apps! Next week you’ll get a perspective of these apps from our Art Director's point of view.

— Jennifer, Scholastic Interactive Staffer

A picture is worth a thousand screams!

I'm Sam, a producer with Scholastic Interactive. It's a really exciting time of year for us because we're launching our first ever apps for the iPhone^TM and iPod touch®! I got the coveted assignment of producing the app for Goosebumps^TM. I'll be giving you an inside look at what it takes to make an app.

Goosebumps is funny and frightening all wrapped into one. So what would be funny and scary on the iPhone? We had a bunch of early ideas for apps:

• A “Scream Machine” that gives you a sound bank of Goosebumps noises.
• A “Haunted iPhone” that looks like the standard iPhone desktop but replaces all of your functions with twisted versions of themselves.
• “My Pet Goo,” like a virtual pet game except that you're raising a disgusting glob of goo. Take good care of it and it might grow teeth, change colors, or even split into two globs of goo.

Maybe we'll make one of those next, but our favorite idea was PhotoShock, which lets you take any picture from your iPhone or iPod touch and give it the full Goosebumps treatment. So you can turn your friends into ghastly ghouls or even give your dog The Haunted Mask! 

 

The app gives you a collection of stickers that you can put on your photograph and then move, resize or rotate to create some truly horrifying compositions. We brainstormed every scary thing you might want to add to a picture: Googly eyes, splatters of slime, hanging spiders, crawling bats, a full moon, a tombstone… well, you get the idea.

We then had to draw and create the stickers in the Goosebumps style. We worked closely with the Goosebumps gurus (aka brand managers – what a cool job!) to ensure that the stickers had the right balance of scares and humor. We also were able to include Goosebumps monster masks so you can make yourself into Slappy or change a photo of a group of friends into the ultimate Goosebumps monster crew around!

With over 95 stickers and icons, the possibilities are endless. And what good are photos if you can't share them and show them off? Once you're done, you can email your photos to friends to show off your masterpiece!

Happy PhotoShocking!

— Sam, Scholastic Interactive Staffer

Create Your Very Own Crush!

Isn't having a crush one best things in the world . . . well, other than having an actual boyfriend or girlfriend, of course. When you really like someone, your heat beats faster when he/she walks in the room, or you find yourself dressing up just to catch his/her attention. My favorite part is daydreaming about the perfect moment when he/she comes up to you and asks you out on a date . . . ah!

Unfortunately, one can't always have a crush. I mean, what if you've known all the boys/girls in your class since you were in kindergarten? Then having one of them as your crush would be like having a crush on your brother or sister. Ew, gross!

Maybe this is the situation you are in — or perhaps you just don't have a crush at moment for some other reason. Or are you in desperate need to make one up in order have conversation starter with your BFF? Then you're in luck! How I Survived Middle School brings you the ultimate crush-making-machine! Now you can create your perfect crush by answering a few simple questions, get a picture and profile of him/her, and construct your ideal date.

Start Creating Your Crush!

Check out mine:

Plus, let's see if Jenny McAfee can help use this tool to ward off Addie and her fellow obnoxious friends. Now instead of Addie and her clan making fun of Jenny for having a silly little secret admirer, Jenny can come back at Addie and the other "pops" by showing off her oh-so-cute guy crush. Let's see Addie top that!

— Carly M., STACKS Staffer

Game (Almost) Over

Attention, Gamers!

Tomorrow's the day! What day? Well, the last day to submit your video game idea to the Invent A Game Contest (the winning idea will be turned into a real game!).

For the last month, we're been bringing you a series of blog entries to guide you through the process of inventing your own video game. If you missed any of them, check out our roster below. You've still got a whole day to get your game on:

March 11: Intro to the Game On! Program
March 13: The Steps of Inventing
March 16: Review Your Favorite Games
March 20: The Different Types of Video Games
March 23: Designing Your Game
March 27: Naming Your Game

Now, go submit your game!

— The Game On! Team