6 Solar Oven Projects for Kids
Building a solar oven is a great school science project for kids. 
Whether at home, school, or scouts, homemade solar oven projects for kids are fun activities that can be incorporated into many different lesson plans, including:
- Science : solar energy projects; solar power, effects of heat
- Environment & Conservation : recycling; living green; energy & fuel conservation
- Life skills & self sufficiency: cooking
- Emergency Preparedness/Alternate fuel sources : cooking without fire/cooking without electricity
- Health: making safe drinking water
HOW TO MAKE A SOLAR OVEN
To make a solar oven, three things are needed:
First, you need a heat-safe pot or container to hold the food. A dark colored metal or glass container works best and a handle makes it easy to hold and use. Metal mugs are sold at camping stores and Wal-mart. Be aware that this container will get very very hot. You will need a potholder.
Second, you must have a heat trap, something that can trap and hold the heat. This can be a tinfoil lined box with a glass cover, an upside down glass bowl, or a clear cooking bag. The heat trap will need to be closed tightly to keep the heat from escaping.
Third, you must have a reflector. Reflectors direct the sun rays into the heat trap so that the box will heat quicker.
Here are 6 solar oven projects for kids to make.
1) Solar Bowling Oven This oven consists of two nesting glass bowls and a reflector made from cardboard covered with aluminum foil.
2) Shoe Box Solar Oven This is very similar to the pizza box solar oven, but will hold a little bit larger cooking pot. So there are more menu possibilities.
3) Pringle’s can Hot Dog cooker A very simple solar cooker can be made using a Pringle’s potato chip can, or other similar shaped can.
4) Sunbrella The Sunbrella uses an old umbrella to make a parabolic solar cooker.
5) Pizza Box Solar Oven This homemade solar cooker is a very popular solar oven project for kids. Maybe it’s because they get to eat the pizza first. Or maybe it is because the materials are so readily available. It is a very easy project, but the younger children may need some help.
6) Windshield Shade Solar Cooker The windshield shade solar cooker makes a great solar oven project for the school Science Fair. Despite it’s low-tech and short-term look, it is actually a very efficient cooker . It is a lightweight and portable making it an excellent choice as an emergency solution cooker.
Bonus #7) If you would like to make a more substantial solar cooker, take a look at the Purple Fig Solar Cooker designed by S. Clausson. It is lightweight, collapsible, inexpensive, and it works. She has graciously shared her design on the internet.
Purple Fig solar cooker designed by S Clausson
As with any cooking method, the pots get very hot. You will need to take every precaution with hot pots that you would take in the kitchen. For very young children, I would suggest that adults do the cooking.
For safety tips, cooking techniques, and quick and easy menu suggestions to make in homemade solar oven projects, go to Kids in the (Solar) Kitchen. For additional cooking techniques, look HERE.
UPDATE: Here is a very easy solar oven project that is suitable for even very small children. I developed the design and the recipes myself at the request of a kindergarten teacher for her classroom. It is low cost, quick and easy to make, and each child can have his own cooker. Please see Easy Science Project for Kids and the 6 Easy Recipes to use in this oven.
Solar Cooking!
So Easy!
So Good!
So Solar!
Thank you for solar cooking with Sunshine On My Shoulder.
Hi, seeing these desings makes me feel like it is going to be easy, but at the same time, science is my lowest grade with a B ;-; I am very worried about and and wondering if you can give any further details.
Choosing solar cooking for your science project is awesome. For an easy, unique, but efficient solar cooker, try the Windshield Shade Solar Cooker. https://www.sunshineonmyshoulder.com/how-make-windshield-shade-solar-cooker/ Good Luck. You’ll be seeing an A very soon. Merry
I am doing a solar project for my 8th grade class and I was wondering if you can provise how to do them? This is my first time ever doing one and I am so excited!
Hello, I am really excited that you have chosen solar cooking for your project. Using a solar cooker is fun, unique, and interesting. It seems like magic and will amaze everyone. The easiest and least expensive homemade solar cooker is my windshield screen solar cooker. It is easy to set up and is very efficient. You can find it here. https://www.sunshineonmyshoulder.com/my-first-solar-oven/ Then choose something very simple to cook – hot dogs (cut them into bites) in chili, baked eggs, pizza bites or chicken nuggets. You will be a smash hit with your friends. Good luck and happy solar cooking. Merry
Hi there this was a fun project I use it all the time!
Thanks, I’m glad you had fun with it. Merry
hi i am fatima and i am doing a solor oven for my steam project .
thanks!
Fatima, That is so awesome! Thanks for sharing. Please post a photo and let us know how your project turns out. Merry
I really want to make a solar oven, the only problem is that I don’t know how to make it. Can you please provide the instructions for the first one?
Hello, detailed instructions can be found at https://www.appropedia.org/Locally_Delicious_solar_oven_for_kids. Thanks for stopping by. Merry
im using the pizza box idea for my science project hope it comes out right:)
Chloe, That will be an excellent science project. I’m sure you will do an awesome job. I hope you have fun making your solar oven. Thanks for stopping by and leaving me a comment. Merry.
cant wait to do my science fair project
Hi Justice, Solar cooking makes an awesome science fair project, and I’m so excited that you have chosen it. Not only will you be making a project that few people even know about, your project will help the solar cooking community spread the word about the many benefits of solar cooking. I’m sure you will steal the show. Let me know how it goes. Be sure to post a picture. Your solar friend, Merry
cool
Thanks for the comment. Merry
what an idea sir ji
this was really amazing
These are really good ideas for kids. I wish I could come up with my own idea to make a science fair project.
🙂 🙂 :_: 🙂
Hello Erreanna, Thank you for reading about these ideas for science fair projects. There are many great ideas for science fair projects online. If you are considering a solar cooking project, you could quite easily prove that the interior of a car can get hot enough to bake cookies and make the point that children should not be left alone in a hot car. Or make a solar cooker out of a shiny silver car sun screen. These ideas are on my site. You can make a simple solar cooker simply by turning a glass bowl upside down and putting food under it. You can make a simple reflector out of aluminum foil, a mirror, or a shiny cookie sheet. Eggs are easy to cook this way. Just put the eggs under the glass (not in water) and let them cook. Good luck with your science fair project. I’m sure you will do very well in whatever you decide to do. Merry
You can cause your the best in the whole world
hi these are good ideas
Thanks Eric