A brand-new interactive attraction designed to inspire the next generation of inventors has officially opened at Gulliver’s Valley Resort in South Yorkshire.
The Invention Shed, created by the award-winning Kids Invent Stuff team, celebrated its official opening on 6 July following a series of highly successful pilot sessions with local schools, families and home educated children.
The attraction has been fully designed and built in-house by the Kids Invent Stuff team and has been made possible thanks to support from Gulliver’s Valley Resort, Enginuity and funding from Innovate UK.
The pilot programme welcomed pupils from Ridgeway Primary School and Todwick Primary School, alongside more than 50 family members during an evening session and over 15 children and young people attending a dedicated home education session. Feedback from participants has helped shape the final visitor experience ahead of the attraction opening to the public.
Located within Gulliver’s Valley Resort, The Invention Shed brings together some of the most imaginative inventions ever submitted by children through the Kids Invent Stuff project. Visitors can explore interactive exhibits, discover the stories behind real inventions created from children’s ideas and experience hands-on activities designed to inspire creativity and curiosity.
Kids Invent Stuff has spent almost 10 years bringing children’s invention ideas to life through engineering, creativity and making. Their YouTube channel has reached millions of viewers worldwide and has inspired thousands of children to think differently about science, technology, engineering and invention.
Ruth Amos, Inventor and Co-Founder of Kids Invent Stuff, said:
“We’ve never had a space we can deliver activity from before, so this is such a great opportunity for Kids Invent Stuff. Whilst we will continue to be working in schools, venues and at events around the country, we’re thrilled to have a base where we can deliver activity from too.
“The Invention Shed gives children and families the chance to experience invention in a completely hands-on way. We want every visitor to leave feeling inspired to create, build and solve problems – and hopefully with a few invention ideas of their own.”
Julie Dalton, managing director of Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome The Invention Shed to Gulliver’s Valley. Sparking imaginations and helping children to see their creative projects brought to life sits very well within our family theme park in Rotherham.
“It will be wonderful to welcome children and young people to The Invention Shed and I for one cannot wait to see the amazing ideas they come up with.”
Nicola Dolan, Associate Director – Charity Operations and Impact at Enginuity, said: “Enginuity is passionate about inspiring the next generation to see engineering and manufacturing careers as exciting, creative and accessible. We’re proud to have worked alongside Kids Invent Stuff to support an interactive space where families can explore engineering in action, from the immersive world of Enspire City to activities that show how engineering helps solve everyday challenges. We hope every visitor leaves feeling curious, inspired and excited about what they could create.”
As part of the partnership, Enginuity has supported the creation of a dedicated interactive area within The Invention Shed designed to help children discover the exciting world of engineering and manufacturing. The space supports Enginuity’s mission to inspire more young people to explore engineering and manufacturing, and invites visitors to explore Enspire City, an immersive virtual experience that shows how engineering and manufacturing power everyday life through fun, interactive challenges, alongside a hands-on game that encourages children to think like an engineer by tackling engineering questions, discovering fascinating facts and exploring how creativity and problem-solving can shape the world around them.
The attraction is now open for guests visiting Gulliver’s Valley Resort and forms part of the wider visitor experience at the theme park.
Looking ahead, the Kids Invent Stuff team plans to expand its educational programme from September, delivering a range of workshops and activities from The Invention Shed for schools, families and home educated groups.
Every workshop delivered by the team includes the opportunity for children to draw and submit their own invention ideas, with the chance of seeing their invention brought to life on the Kids Invent Stuff YouTube channel. Alongside invention challenges, the team also delivers a variety of popular hands-on workshops including Chocolate Welding, Cardboard Prototyping and other creative STEM activities.
The opening marks an exciting new chapter for Kids Invent Stuff, creating a permanent home for invention, creativity and engineering while continuing their mission to inspire children both locally and across the UK.
