From everyday items to inventions that can change how millions of people live, these inventions come from some of the youngest inventors throughout history.
WARNING: Side effects of reading this list can include questioning what you've ever accomplished in your own life.
The Crayon Holder
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When Cassidy Goldstein was only 11 years old, she realized that crayons were harder to hold and color with once they were broken. So she took a plastic flower holder and fashioned it to grasp onto the broken crayon pieces so they could still be used. Motivated by her invention's success, Cassidy and her father created By Kids For Kids in 2003, which helps other hopeful kid inventors reach their dreams.
Algae Car Exhaust Cleaner
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In 2011, Param Jaggi was listed as one of Forbes' 30 under 30 in Energy. The 17-year-old from Austin College invented a device that fits over the tailpipe of cars and turned the carbon dioxide emissions into breathable oxygen. He called his device the "Algae Mobile" and won an award from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Oink-a-Saurus App
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At just 12 years old, Fabian Fernandez-Han had a better handle on budgeting than most adults. He created an app called "Oink-a-Saurus" that analyzes people's spending habits to show how much money they could have saved or invested instead of spending it.
"Many kids spend huge amounts of money on things they don't need when they should be saving and investing for their future, such as college," Fabian said to Scholastic about his app. His invention won the NYSE Financial Future Challenge, which was funded by the New York Stock Exchange Foundation.
Superman
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Did you know that one of the best-known superheroes was actually invented by a pair of high school kids? Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster started creating cartoons and fan magazines when they were still in high school. In 1938, the National Allied Publications chose their short story featuring their character, "The Superman," to be in the first issue of Action Comics. A year later, the Superman comic strip began, and the rights to the caped superhero were sold to National Allied Publications.
Popsicles
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It all started with a boy in San Francisco in 1905. Wanting a cold snack, Frank Epperson poured soda powder in water and stirred it with a wooden stick. Leaving it out in the cold overnight, he woke up to discover a delicious new edible invention. Fast-forward to 1923 when Frank got his patent, and the rest is history.
Earmuffs
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Chester Greenwood was 15 when he was finally fed up with his ears getting too cold while ice-skating. Instead of hanging his skates up, he invented an item we've all used at one time or another: earmuffs. He got his patent in 1877, and cold ears have been grateful ever since.
Braille
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After a tragic accident when he was just 3 years old, and a disease at the age of 5, Louis Braille became blind in both eyes and was faced with a big challenge. He decided to create his own written language, which he invented in 1824. Thanks to Louis, millions can now read without the use of their eyes.
The Trampoline
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It makes sense that one of the quintessential childhood toys was invented by a kid. George Nissan was at a traveling circus in 1930 when he had an idea for an item that would allow the performers to bounce into the air to keep performing their tricks. Four years later, George and his gymnastics coach invented what they called "the trampoline."
Toy Trucks
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A beloved toy for kids everywhere was actually invented by a 6-year-old. Robert Patch got the patent for his toy truck invention in 1963. His invention was created to be taken apart and rebuilt into other trucks, similar to the Transformer franchise we all know today.
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