For every cool Invention children see in their immediate surroundings, there is an ‘Eureka’ moment behind them. Okay, perhaps not as instant as an apple falling from the tree, like in Newton’s observation of the Law of Gravity! Many of the contraptions that have made our lives easier and more comfortable, have been the result of a lifetime of perseverance.
In this article we propose to present you with a list of Famous Inventors for Kids, that will pique their curiosity about most of the things they seemingly take for granted. This list of Inventions for Kids, will have them wonder in delight at the fact that there was actually a time when none of these cool things even existed.
Ready to take a trip down the corridors of time, and catch a glimpse of some Inventors and their Inventions? Let’s turn back the clock and go right back!
Famous Inventors and Inventions for Children
Here is a list of some famous inventors who have carved their names in the annals of history, along with their accompanying inventions.
- Alexander Graham Bell
- Johannes Gutenberg
- Thomas Alva Edison
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Nikola Tesla
- Louis Daguerre
- Archimedes
- Benjamin Franklin
- Marie Curie
- Henry Ford
- Felix Hoffman
- Samuel Morse
- The Wright Brothers
Invention: The Telephone
If you know someone who still has an old version of the telephone, take your child to see it. Children will delight in running their fingers over this device. Although their phones look completely different, they will marvel at the fact that the technology behind all phones was pioneered by the great Alexander Graham Bell.
Year of the Invention: 1876
Invention: The Printing Press
A list of Famous Inventors for Kids, is incomplete without this name. Johannes Gutenberg was a European who invented the Movable type of Printing Press. Indeed, the very machine that made bulk printing possible, and brought books and reading to the masses.
Year of the Invention: 1440 A.D.
Invention: The Light Bulb
If your children are used to reading under a lamp, they will be fascinated to know that there was a time when those light bulbs did not exist at all! This prolific American inventor created a long-burning carbon filament that would later be named the Light Bulb. This is one of those inventions for kids, they simply have to know more about.
Year of the Invention: 1879
Inventions: The Aerial Screw, Underwater Diving Suit
This legend of the Renaissance period is best known for his masterpiece, The Mona Lisa. However, what most people don’t know is that he is also credited with inventing a wide array of technologies. These are the following:
The Aerial Screw. This has led to the modern Helicopter we see today. The Underwater Diving Suit. This served as a precursor for today’s diving gear.
Year of the Invention:
The Aerial Screw: 1481 The Underwater Diving Suit: 1500
Inventions: Alternating Current, The Electric Motor
A list of Famous Inventors and Inventions, is incomplete without listing Nikola Tesla and all he created. Apart from discovering Alternating Current and The Electric Motor, he can also be credited with the discovery of Remote-Controlled Boats!
Year of the Invention: 1495
Invention: The Daguerreotype, the precursor of Modern Photography
We live in an age of Selfies. A time where a picture is taken of practically every wonderful meal eaten in a restaurant. The credit for the camera goes to Louis Daguerre. A professional scene painter for the opera, he developed the Daguerreotype through his experimentation with the Camera Obscura for painting large backdrops.
Year of the Invention: 1839
Invention: The Pulley System
When researching some inventors and their inventions, it’s impossible to miss out on the man who had that ‘Eureka’ moment! It was this famous Greek mathematician and inventor, who realized the power of the Lever. Moreover, he even went on to invent the first heavy-duty Pulley System, as well as the Screw.
Year of the Invention: 1991-1802 BCE
Inventions: The Lightning Rod, Bifocals
As if being the Founding Father of the United States of America was not enough, the legendary Benjamin Franklin was a great inventor, too! Apart from inventing The Lightning Rod and Bifocals, he was also responsible for the discovery of The Franklin Stove.
Year of the Invention:
The Lightning Rod: 1752 Bifocals: 1784
Invention: Radioactivity
Radioactivity is a concept that intrigues us all, even in this day and age. Did you know that a woman who won not only one, but ‘two’ Nobel Prizes, is credited with this discovery? It is none other than Marie Curie, who can be credited with discovering Radium and Polonium and inventing the Theory of Radioactivity.
Year of the Invention: 1898
Inventions: The Automobile, the Assembly Line
All children will be delighted to learn, that it was one brilliant mind that led to the discovery of the cars that take them to their classes. What’s more, Henry Ford discovered not only the Automobile, but also the Assembly Line. This facilitated the mass production of his hugely popular Model T cars.
Year of the Invention:
The Automobile: 1896 The Assembly Line: 1913
Invention: Aspirin
Children might see their parents occasionally pop an Aspirin to relieve themselves of a headache. It will interest them to know that this medicine was actually invented by someone. Namely, a gentleman named Felix Hoffman.
Year of the Invention: 1897
Note: Felix Hoffman also discovered heroin. Heroin, like aspirin, was considered to be a harmless painkiller, until it was deemed addictive and banned in the year 1925.
Invention: The Electric Telegraph
If you have heard the term ‘Morse Code’, you should know that it comes from this artist-turned inventor. He is best known for his invention of the Electric Telegraph, that allowed people to communicate almost instantly over long distances.
Year of the Invention: 1844
Cool Fact: The Morse Code is a system of dots and dashes that are used to send these messages.
Invention: The Aircraft
For centuries, human beings have taken to the skies, in balloons and gliders. It was the Wright Brothers who took Flight to the next level, with their invention of the first Heavier-Than-Air Powered Aircraft.
Year of the Invention: 1903
At Eurokids we believe that by introducing famous inventors to kids, we are providing them with role models to emulate. All kids love inventions, which is why we encourage you to teach them more about the history of some of the greatest inventions of all time.
