A People of Play regional event, hosted at our store

Young Inventors Challenge

This fall we're running three Sunday workshops where kids ages 6 to 15 turn an idea into a real toy or game, build a prototype, and pitch it to the toy industry. Sessions start August 30 at the store.

Register Your InventorSee The Schedule

Workshops begin Sunday, August 30 · Ages 6 to 15 · 4749 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago

What is the Young Inventor Challenge?

The Young Inventor Challenge is run by People of Play, the organization behind the Chicago Toy & Game Fair. Every year, kids from around the world invent an original toy or game and pitch it to toy industry professionals. Some of those inventions have gone on to be licensed, manufactured, and sold in real stores.

Independent toy stores host regional events that help kids get there, and we are proud to be one of them. We have spent 33 years in Lincoln Square finding toys we love. Helping a kid make one is the natural next step.

Our program is three guided Sunday sessions in the store. Kids brainstorm, build a prototype, practice their pitch, and present. From there they can submit to the national Young Inventor Challenge and, if they want, present in person at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair in November.

How it works

01

Sign up

Register for our session series using the form below. Spots are limited so everyone gets real attention.

02

Come to the sessions

Three Sundays at the store. Kids work on their own invention with guidance from us and materials we provide.

03

Submit nationally

By October 25, register the invention with People of Play and upload the submission. We will walk you through it at the final session.

04

Present in November

Optional but memorable. Inventors can pitch in person at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair on November 7.

Full schedule

We host the first three sessions right here in the store. The last two dates belong to the national challenge run by People of Play, and we will walk you through those when the time comes.

  1. Aug 30

    Brainstorming

    Sunday, 1:00 to 3:00 PM · At the store

    We start with the fun part. Kids explore what makes a toy or game work, then generate and sketch ideas until one is worth chasing. Nobody leaves without a concept.

  2. Sep 13

    Prototype and pitching

    Sunday, 12:00 to 2:00 PM · At the store

    Ideas become objects. Kids build a working prototype with materials on hand and learn how to explain their invention out loud: what it is, who it is for, and why it is fun.

  3. Oct 11

    Prep presentation

    Sunday, 1:30 to 4:00 PM · Sulzer Public Library

    Every inventor presents their finished toy or game. Families are welcome to come watch. This is the session where the whole thing pays off.

  4. Oct 25

    National submission deadline

    Sunday · Submitted online to People of Play

    Registration and virtual submission for the national Young Inventor Challenge are due. This step is required to compete. People of Play charges a $25 registration fee per participant.

  5. Nov 7

    Chicago Toy & Game Fair

    Saturday · Donald E. Stephens Convention Center | Rosemont, IL

    In-person presentations and the awards ceremony. Attending is optional. Inventors who submitted online are judged either way.

Register Now!

Registration for our workshop series is open now. Sessions begin Sunday, August 30.

Register Your Inventor

Questions before you sign up? Call us or stop in. We are happy to talk it through.

Prizes & Recognition

At the national level, inventions are judged in two divisions, Junior and Senior, and awards are given in several categories, each backed by a major toy or game company.

  • Best Pitch
  • Most Innovative
  • Most Engaging
  • Most Original
  • Most Marketable
  • Best Potential

Past winners have received gift cards and toy prize packages, and every inventor who submits gets written feedback from professional judges. A handful of past inventions have gone further than that and ended up licensed, manufactured, and sold in real stores.

Prize details for 2026 are announced by People of Play closer to the event. We will update this page as soon as they are.

The honest answer, though, is that most kids leave with something better than a prize. They have built a real thing from nothing and explained it to a room full of adults who took it seriously. That tends to stick around a while.

Full judging criteria are listed in the official rules and criteria from People of Play.

Official Resources

The national challenge is run by People of Play. These are their official pages for rules, deadlines, and inventor resources.

General questions about the national program go to ahren@peopleofplay.com. Questions about our sessions go to us.