Solar toys, whether science kits or just plain fun toys, are an excellent way to educate your children to solar power and alternative energies.

There are several variations of science kits on the market that teach children the basics of solar technology. Given the future of the solar industry, it is probably good advice to introduce your children to these educational toys.

A number of these kits feature experiments. Children are instructed on how to build their own solar devices by utilizing small solar cells for electricity. Some of the experiments feature the construction of a solar car, while others produce a number of fun solar powered machines, such as solar powered windmills, boats...

Most solar powered toys are created for children 8 years of age and up. The solar motors are small, so most machines and toys created are lightweight, bendable or breakable. If your child tends to be heavy-handed in play or construction, supervision with these solar toys might be advisable.

A good number of these types of solar toys are not made locally, but are imported. For this reason, it is good to check out the instructions prior to purchase, in order to make sure they are understandable in English.

The best science kits come with booklets explaining the history and science of photovoltaic solar cells. There is a direct correlation between the quality of the booklets and the content of the kits: the kits featuring the best produced and most informative booklets tend to contain the best projects as well. If you’re looking to use these kits as a science teaching tool at school or in home schooling, you will be able to find kits that have science lesson plans included as well.

There are solar toys on the market that are not science kits, but just plain fun toys. These often have a transportation theme, with futuristic boats and cars being most popular. Some come all ready to go, with the solar cell in place, while others take various degrees of construction. Some car kits feature multiple gear assemblies that can teach future solar automakers about gears and ratios. Some are making use of ordinary objects, for instance the boat kit with a solar powered fan as the engine, mounted on empty plastic soda bottles for flotation.

Other popular solar powered toys have an animal theme. There are many varieties of solar dragonflies, bees, wasps, ants, other bugs and insects. Don’t forget dogs, cats, bears, lions, ducks, dolphins, whales, giraffes, lions, tigers, monkeys, and frogs, all run by solar cells.

Many little boys get very enthusiastic about solar powered robots. You can get them in all sorts of shapes and sizes from as small as matchbooks to tall enough to reach adult knees.

For older kids, there are toys such as headphone radios powered by a solar cell mounted on top of the headset band. The solar cell recharges the radio’s batteries.

Of course, when you get into solar toys for adults, the variety becomes practically limitless. You can get solar powered radios, watches, calculators, flashlights, garden gnomes, fountains, driveway lights, sidewalk and pathway lights, floodlights, address lights, Christmas lights and wreaths, dog and cat toys, recording devices, cameras, and more.

Toys, like so many of our modern day devices are now being powered by solar cells that it is amazing. Truly, the list grows every day and it will probably never stop, as solar technology pushes advances in every aspect of our lives where we hardly consider how much solar application has been taking over. I mean, does any one not use a solar powered calculator now?

Solar toys are a good choice to educate your kids (and yourself) about alternative energies in the future.

Have fun with the sun!

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