CHICAGO, IL | August 3, 2026 — People of Play™, a division of The Toy Association™, announced that registration is now open for the 2026 annual Young Inventor Challenge® (YIC) International Championship. Kids and teens ages 6 to 18 can secure their spot through October 25 to submit their original toy or game inventions for a chance to win prizes and an opportunity to have their creations published.

All Young Inventor Challenge entries are submitted online, making the competition accessible to participants everywhere. All participants are invited, but not required, to attend the International Championship on November 7, 2026, during the Chicago Toy & Game Fair, North America's largest consumer toy and game event. Winners will be announced during a live awards ceremony, and participants do not need to be present to be eligible to win.

One junior and one senior invention will be awarded in the following categories:

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

Past participants include innovative kids from the U.S., Canada, Germany, Guyana, Mexico, Spain, the UK, and other countries. Several winning entries have gone on to be manufactured and sold in local toy stores and major retailers like Target.

“The Young Inventor Challenge gives kids the chance to see their ideas through the eyes of the toy industry while building confidence, creativity, and presentation skills along the way,” said Ahren Hoffman, director of the YIC. “Every year, we're amazed by the originality and imagination these young inventors bring to the competition. We can't wait to see what this year's participants dream up.”

To help inventors prepare, regional events hosted by retailers, camps, clubs, libraries, and schools provide a valuable jumpstart on their ideas. Organizations can get involved by hosting their own local event using our ready-to-go planning toolkit. Learn more here. 

The 2026 YIC is made possible thanks to the generous support of Crazy Aaron’s, Eastar Board Game Manufacturing, Revenew Sales, Hasbro, Mattel, Toys “R” Us, Disney, and individual, year-round contributions.

The YIC is one of several events that takes place during People of Play’s annual POP Week (November 5 to 8 in Rosemont, IL), including the Global Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, TAGIE Awards, and Chicago Toy & Game Fair.

Click here for resources, rules, and more information about the YIC and follow for updates on social media using #chitag, #chitag2026, & #peopleofplay.

About People of Play™  peopleofplay.com 
People of Play™ (POP), a division of The Toy Association™, leads the global toy and game industry in promoting innovation, creativity, and connectivity. A one-stop source of community for industry professionals, aspiring inventors, and people of all ages who love to play, People of Play hosts a play platform packed with resources, the largest toy and game directory in the industry, and a wide range of events, including the Chicago Toy & Game (CHITAG) Fair, the Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIE) Awards, the Young Inventor Challenge®, the Global Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, and more.

About The Toy Association™ toyassociation.org / toyfoundation.org / peopleofplay.com / thegeniusofplay.org / playsafe.org
Founded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the business trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $155.7 billion, and its roughly 800+ members drive the annual $45.6 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, governments, consumers, and the industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.

As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair™ in New York City; hosts marketplace activities in Los Angeles; engages in state, federal, and international advocacy on behalf of its members; supports the inventor and design community through People of Play™ and its numerous assets and events, including the consumer-facing Chicago Toy & Game Fair; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard. The Toy Association's philanthropic arm is The Toy Foundation™, a 501 (c)(3) children's charity that acts as the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry. To date, The Toy Foundation has delivered the joy of play to 33 million children in need worldwide.

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 Contact:  People of Play PR

Emily Auriemma
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Madelyn Jones
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