A Barrie youngster is celebrating after a game she invented was named Most Innovative Toy or Game at the People of Play Young Inventor Challenge earlier this month.
Katie Howlett, a Grade 4 student at Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic Elementary School in the city's south end, and is elated after her game — Musical Squares — took top spot in the junior category for most innovative toy or game.
The People of Play Young Inventor Challenge is part of the Chicago Toy and Game Fair and is sponsored by Goliath, Mattel, New Key Pet, LLC, Crazy Aaron’s Puttyworld, Spin Master, and HABA.
“I was at this program and I was jumping on lights that were like circles or squares,” she tells BarrieToday. “It’s pretty much the exact rules of musical chairs. There are little (laser) squares and there’s music going and a disco ball and you jump in the squares when the music stops.”
Howlett often works with her dad and stepmother to invent new and unique things, but this was the first time she ever entered one of her inventions in a contest.
“We make a lot of things, but we haven’t published them,” says Howlett, adding she’s created Pool Noodle Velcro Ball, the XL Saucer, a Fish Glove for kids like herself who love to fish, but don’t want to actually touch the fish, just to name just a few.
One of the best things about inventing, she says, is being able to improve on something she may not like.
“It’s my own ideas of things. There’s the games I don’t like so I can turn (them) into games I do like,” says Howlett, adding she may consider a career as an inventor… one day.
News of her win came as quite the surprise, she says. When she got the call, she couldn’t contain her excitement and celebrated with a loud “yes!” and several jumps of joy.
Her dad, Timothy Howlett, says he's really proud of his daughter’s ability to turn the ordinary into something a bit extraordinary.
“She loves to look at the things around her and figure out how she can make it better. Just getting her out of the mindset of just sitting and watching YouTube videos to (realizing she) can actually change her world,” he says.
When they hadn’t heard anything for a while, they assumed she hadn’t won.
“When we watched (the ceremony) live, we just freaked out because we were just so proud of her," Timothy says. "It was her idea. She totally came up with it, developed it and we helped her with the video, but it was all her ideas.”
Howlett’s game was one of hundreds of submissions from kids ages six to 18 from around the world who were invited to “dig into their entrepreneurial spirit to develop a unique toy or game.”
“It’s an honour to be part of these kids' journeys. They are all bubbling with creativity, excitement and raw talent. The opportunity to help guide and mentor them is extremely rewarding,” Jazmine Darden, co-director of the Young Inventor Challenge, says in a news release.
“These kids are the future of the toy and game industry,” adds Karen Luciana, co-director of the Young Inventor Challenge. “Everyone has to start somewhere. Why not start young!?”
As her prize, the Barrie youngster will receive $250 in games, many of which she says she intends to donate to Christmas Cheer, a local organization that supports people who need a little extra help at Christmas time.
Winners were officially announced Nov. 20 during a virtual awards ceremony.
