Not so long ago, in the days before solar science toys, solar experiments and the educational toys that often accompanied them were not only limited, they were boring. No matter how hard a teacher tried to make things interesting most of the class would be yawning halfway through a demonstration. Science toys for home were few and far between except perhaps for baking soda rockets and chemistry sets.
The new generation of solar science toys has changed all of that. Now a parent or teacher can find a solar science lab or solar energy kit that will offer the opportunity for numerous experiments that not only teach, but also provide a lot of fun at the same time. There are so many solar educational toys and solar educational kits on the market that it is now easy to find one suited to any child, and the popularity of solar toys is continuing to grow.
Review of some solar science toys on the market
A popular solar science toys is the Solar Science Lab.
There are many experiments detailed in the manual to show how the sun power interacts with our planet. Children can use solar power to cook an egg, power a toy with a solar cell or create a miniature weather system in a dish. All necessary equipment is included with this solar toy: a thermometer, magnifying glass, parabolic reflector, electric motor, mirror, and test tube. More than 30 experiments are detailed in the manual, which is illustrated and offers complete instructions. A good educational solar toy.
A Solar Energy kit
is also available with more than 25 ways to explore solar energy. This is another versatile solar science toy. It comes with a solar heater, thermometer, solar collector, and magnifying glass. Some of the experiments are excellent for young children, such as measuring temperature changes when cups of water are placed on white versus colored paper. And since none of the experiments consume components, this solar energy kit can be used over and over again, making it particularly suitable for school projects. A good educational toy for a great value.
The Thames & Kosmos Fuel Cell Car and Experiment Kit always gets very positive reviews. It is suited for older children and teaches them about solar powered electrolysis. Electrolysis allows water to be broken down into oxygen and hydrogen, and the gases are used to power one of the cars. The experiment manual is very complete. It is almost 100 pages long and packed with fun activities. Since research is currently underway among auto manufacturers in this very field, solar science toys such as this are excellent for educating children about alternative power sources. It is loaded with components, including a multimeter, safety glasses, cables, and much more.
Another great educational toys for older children is the Science Power House Green Essentials.
This toy is very appealing for children who like to build things. This is a thorough toy to teach children about alternative energy and sustainable living in and around a solar home.
A different kind of solar toy that will appeal to artists is the Solar Print Kit.
This kit teaches about energy transfer while making solar prints. Kids simply use the stencils that come with the kit or find objects such as flowers or leaves, place them on the kit's special paper and watch for a few minutes as the sun triggers a chemical change in the paper. This solar toy comes with three blank note cards and envelopes, so kids can make their own greeting cards. Very suitable for small children for a blend of creativity and education about solar energy.
The Power Plus Chameleon
is the transformer of solar toys. It lets you assemble 6 different models that use solar power for motion. The models are appealing to children who won't have any trouble assembling them without help thanks to the detailed instructions.
For more interesting educational solar toys, check out this page. However, if you are looking for more solar fun or decorative toys rather than science solar toys, check out this page.
With the variety of solar toys available nowadays, it is easy to find several that will appeal to virtually any child. As solar power continues to be explored as an alternative to fossil fuels, these solar powered toys are a great way to introduce children to a new area of science.
Help us build our knowledge base for the benefit of all readers! If you have tried any of the above products or wish to suggest a better one, please send us your comments and suggestions. Thank you.
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