Solar Science Experiments for Kids are a fun way to teach children about renewable energy sources. These experiments are geared for children ages 5-10, but may be adapted for all ages.
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My daughter is getting VERY excited about her upcoming week at Camp Invention! In preparation for this amazing week long summer camp, we are trying to get into the habit of “thinking like a scientist!” This week, we focused on solar science experiments and creative problem solving.
Solar Science Experiments for Kids: Converting Sunlight into Heat.
We bought this great little kid pool for our backyard and filled it up with cold water right from the faucet. Our baby put his finger in and announced, “COLD pool” and refused to get in. Without filling the pool with water from our home heater, I posed the question: How can we heat up water the fastest? This is the solar experiment we decided would best help us answer this question.
Materials Needed:
- 3 identical cups,
- 2 sheets of white paper
- 1 sheet of black.
- 1 plastic lining or plastic bag to cover one cup
- thermometer
Directions.
Fill each cup with the same amount of liquid of the same cool temperature.
Measure the water temperature and set one cup on each paper. Cover one of the glasses on white paper with plastic.
Have a discussion and make predictions about what you think will happen to the water in each glass.
Measure
Let the water sit in a sunny place for one hour.
Remeasure and discuss the results.
What do you think my kids should do to heat up the water in their pool faster?
* Parent tips:
A black background absorbs more heat than a light background.
Covering the cup slows or stops the evaporation. The plastic covering may also absorb some of the suns’ rays.
Solar Science Experiments for Kids: Absorbing and Reflecting Heat.
The kids were fascinated with warming the liquid with the sun and asked, “If the sun can heat up water, what else can it heat up?” They got to work building their own SOLAR oven using recycled materials.
Materials Needed: (use recycled materials when possible!)
- cardboard box
- black paper
- tinfoil
- saran wrap
- tortilla chips
- shredded cheese
Directions.
1. Let your child build their own oven.
My second grader found some black paper (the back was colored on) and started gluing it inside the box.
She then added in some tinfoil, predicting that the foil would reflect the suns rays and heat up her cheese better.
She covered the top with saran wrap in hopes it would heat the nachos faster.
2. Set the solar oven in a sunny spot.
3. Add the chips and top with shredded cheese.
4. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Record your results.
5. Once the cheese has melted, eat!
6. Then, if you choose, try to build another model of a solar oven. Make some changes and compare your results. * THINK like a scientist!!!!* A scientist will perform experiments over and over again to collect data and to figure out better and more efficient ways of doing things.
* Parent tips:
Some people have tried cooking hot-dogs, nachos are WAY easier!
Keeping a science journal is a great way to connect literacy to science!
3. Solar Heater: Sun Tea
Now my kids were on a solar experiment role. “Hey, MOM, do you think we could make your tea with energy from the sun instead of wasting electricity to heat your water inside?” Sure kiddos, what will we need to do? I love that they were thinking creatively, asking questions, and applying what they have learned.
2. Add 2 tea bags
3. Place in a sunny place
4. Gently shake every once in a while (per the kids instructions)
5. Wait HOURS (they learned the sun is powerful, but does take time to harness the energy)
6. Serve warm OR pour over ice cubes for iced tea!
More Ideas for Solar FUN :
Now we are going to work on keeping our “science caps” on the rest of the month (we are stopping at a thrift store tomorrow to pick up our take-apart to be used during the camp week. We are going to be on the look out for electronics powered by the sun – maybe a calculator with a solar panel? Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be fun to disassemble and tinker with. I’m thinking we won’t be able to wait until camp and may have to find a couple items for home too! I’m not sure who is more excited for a whole week of science and inventing – her or me!
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About Camp Invention
- Created by the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Camp Invention is the only nationally recognized summer program inspiring inventive young minds by fostering creativity, innovation, real-world problem solving and the spirit of invention.
- Partners with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Collegiate Inventors Competition to create curriculum inspired by the world’s most well-known innovators.
- Last year, Camp Invention helped to inspire the next generation of innovators by holding 1,200 camps serving nearly 80,000 children.
- Sponsors make Camp Invention possible in many communities. For a full list of sponsors, including government support, click here.
Oh I love these!! Especially the Sun Tea one!!!
Great summer activities. I am not looking forward to full on summer heat, but it is perfect for these kids of experiments. We are also looking forward to our science camp – camp Galileo.
These are such fun ideas. My little guy is so curious about the way things work. He would love to try these.
This is awesome, Amanda! What a great bunch of science activities!
Thanks Maggie – we LOVE making sun tea!
The science camp sounds like a ton of fun! Enjoy!
It is so important to foster the curiosity at an early age – you will have to let me know how these experiments turn out!
Thanks Anna – We LOVE Science and getting kids to think and explore the world around them.
Love the nachos idea! So much fun!
Thank you for this great ideas. this is exactly the activity I would like for our school children to learn, and discover how useful the Solar Energy is in our daily lives most of all to our Tribal School Children.
Thanks for sharing these great solar science experiments. My kids both did camp invention a few years ago and they both had a really good time learning and getting interested in science. They are currently both interested in STEM careers as a matter of fact!