Solar Cooking with Kids

Solar cooking is a great activity that parents and kids can do together to use the sun's energy and learn how to be a little more green. Since the sun is the earth's most powerful and constant source of heat, it does not take long to understand that this form of cooking is relatively effortless. If the time and effort is taken in the beginning to work out the cooking adjustments, kids who cook with solar energy as well as their parents will enjoy the little effort needed to make this project a success.

The Process

Think about how children love to play outside in the summer and then come inside for a refreshing drink to beat the heat. With a parents help, a child can dig a hole in the ground and place an insulated, sealed bowl to capture the water that is produced in the ground via drastic heat and condensation. After the child has gathered enough water, he or she can use to it make their very own tea. One tip to seeping the tea quicker is simply placing it in the heat to boil. There is a big sense of accomplishment a child experiences when he or she realizes they have created an entire drink out of the sun's energy.

The Advantages

Parents can look online or in a green crafts store to find all of the necessary materials to do this project. The advantage to kids cooking with solar energy is that instead of parents tending to a child's burnt finger injured from a gas or electric stove range, a solar stove can be easier for a child to work with, resulting in less injuries. Researchers have come up with solar cookers that get their energy from the sun's rays while providing less burnt food because the food never comes into direct contact with heat.

The Materials

With only a few items, aluminum foil, an oatmeal box, and a few mirrors, a child can combine them all on a sunny day to create their own solar cooker that generates enough heat to roast about eight hotdogs at once. Even though a solar cooker is unable to make all of the food that one would like to feed their children, it is a start to getting anyone's child interested in the idea of cooking green. Solar cooking with kids helps save a lot more electricity and can provide all families with a fun, innovative activity.