EnviroGadget » educational toys

Stirling Engine Kit – powered by your hands!

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:00:33 +0000

The Stirling Engine Kit is a unique educational kit that can help illustrate to children how effective even small amounts of energy can be. The engine apears to run from air alone, however it is the temperature difference caused by your body heat that powers this little device.

The Stirling Engine comes in kit form, it requires assembly letting you and your child get hands on in building the device. The engine operates due to the difference in temperature between the air around it and the air inside it. The air within the device warms up while you hold the device, causing the air to expand and contract as it moves from hot to cold. This causes the air pressure to increase and decrease, which leads to movement of a piston, thus causing the device to work.

The engine works best from only the heat of your hand when the ambient temperature of the air around it is around 10-15c, with your hand temperature being around 36-37c. If this is not possible then the engine will work well if placed above a mug of hot liquid. The kit comes with easy to follow instructions, helping you and a child to construct it quickly. It is best suited to children over 8 with adult supervision, though younger children (with supervision) may enjoy watching the engine once it has been constructed.

The Stirling Engine Kit is a lovely educational kit to create with children, or for those who want a unique desk ‘toy’. It helps to illustrate how even small amounts of energy can be used to power devices, and entertains all those who watch it in action.

The Stirling Engine Kit is just £45.95, with a small delivery fee.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Stirling Engine Kit – powered by your hands! article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Solar Airship – Kite-like Outdoor Fun

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 10:00:08 +0000

The Solar Airship is like a cross between a hot air balloon and a kite. The 8 m long black plastic tube fills with air which heats up, sending it into the air. A 50 M line is attached to tether the airship like a kite.

The Solar Airship has been created by the Science Museum. The airship is constructed from heat attracting ‘Absorba’ plastic, this allows the air you have captured within to warm up enough for it to start to rise. The plastic is so efficient at absorbing heat that even on a barely sunny day there will be enough light for the airship to take to the sky.

The Solar Airship is supplied with a 50 m line to attach the 8 m long black plastic bag to, allowing you to fly the solar heated air bag as a very large kite. The airship is a great way to demonstrate the power the sun provides us every day, showing its warming effect while also displaying how effectively warm air rises over cold, a great fun science project for children.The airship is suitable for ages 14 + and does require adult supervision.

The Solar Airship is around £10, and is available from a number of stockists.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Solar Airship – Kite-like Outdoor Fun article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Solar-Powered Flapping Seagull Kit

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:00:14 +0000

This Solar Powered Flapping Seagull Kit is a great way to teach children about the abilities of the eco-friendly energy source of solar power. The flapping seagull comes in kit form, once assembled the kit creates a plastic seagull that flaps its wings in the sunlight.

The Solar Powered Flapping Seagull Kit is perfect for children who have little experience in creating toys from kit form. The kit includes an illustrated instruction guide and only has 12 parts to assemble but does require you to have diagonal cutters and a pair of scissors. The flapping seagull is created from high density plastic parts, coloured to look like a seagull. The solar panel on the seagull’s back is used to provide power to flap the wings, allowing the seagull to appear to be in flight on a sunny day.

The Flapping Seagull Kit can be used as an educational aid to help teach children about solar power. Due to the model being supplied in kit form the child can get full involved with it, learning how the parts go together and visually experiencing how effectively light energy is converted into electrical power that causes the wings to flap. The kit is suitable for ages 10+.

The Flapping Seagull Kit is supplied with a suction cup that allows you to secure the seagull to a sunny spot. It is best to place the seagull in direct sunlight to allow it to work in optimum conditions and to help demonstrate the abilities of solar power. The kit is a great way to get a child involved with science and to help them learn about solar energy while providing them with an entertaining toy that will never require batteries.

Solar Powered Flapping Seagull Kit makes a great gift at just $13.11.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Solar-Powered Flapping Seagull Kit article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Solar Powered Race Car Toy

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 10:00:57 +0000

This Solar Powered Race Car Toy is provided in kit form to help promote learning through play. By constructing the toy car and watching it race along in the light the kit helps to demonstrate the abilities of solar power while being an engaging fun toy.

The Solar Powered Race Car Toy includes all the parts required to construct a fully working toy race car. The car has been designed with an aerodynamic shape to help it truly race along when in sunlight with a bright orange chassis to allow it to be clearly seen. By constructing the toy car a child will gain satisfaction of constructing something from scratch and learn how the parts of a car go together. The assembling of the car includes building the motor and chassis, fitting the wheels, making up the gearbox, and attaching the solar panel to the top of the car.

The Solar Powered Race Car Toy is suitable for use as an educational aid to help teach children about the eco-friendly energy source of solar power. Due to being supplied in kit form the child can get involved with the car, enjoying constructing the toy before visually experiencing how effectively light energy is converted into electrical power. As the solar panel works best in bright sunlight, this is recommended when teaching a child the abilities of solar energy although the car can be run from an AA battery.

The toy car has a top speed of over 3 meters a second when in bright enough sunlight, it is also able to go up hills with a 30 degree incline or less. The car measures roughly 21 cm x 8 cm (8.27 in x 3.15 in) and is recommended for ages 8 and up. The Solar Powered Car Toy is an engaging way to educate a child about solar power through play and provides a child with an interesting moving toy car that does not require batteries.

The Solar Powered Race Car Toy is a just £14.95, and makes an ideal gift for any child.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Solar Powered Race Car Toy article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Solar Aircraft Construction Kit Eco Toy

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:00:42 +0000

This Solar Aircraft Construction Kit allows you to build either a airplane or a helicopter from the parts included. The kit aims to help promote learning through play, by piecing the aircraft together and watching the blade turn in light the kit helps to show the abilities of solar power while being an engaging toy.

The Solar Aircraft Construction Kit contains all the parts required to construct either the helicopter or the airplane. The kit contains over 180 parts which has a ‘mechano’ feel to them, the metal pieces screwing together to form either model using the screwdriver which is included. The kit is supplied with full instructions which show you step by step how to construct either model. The propeller/rotor part contains the solar panel and the motor which spins it when it is in sunlight.

The Solar Aircraft Construction Kit can be used as an educational aid to help teach children about the eco-friendly energy source of solar power. Because the models are supplied in kit form the child can get involved with them fully, enjoying creating either model before visually experiencing how effectively light energy is converted into electrical power which is used to turn the blades. As the solar panel works best in bright sunlight, this is recommended when teaching a child the abilities of solar energy although the blades will also turn when placed in bright artificial light.

The Kit is suitable for ages 8+, though this is mainly down to the small parts in construction. A younger child can still enjoy watching the model and learning about solar power with an adult’s guidance. The construction kit is a great way to educate a child about solar power through play and creates a entertaining ornament for a bedroom that will never need batteries.

The Solar Aircraft Construction Kit makes a perfect gift for child’s birthday or Christmas present. The aircraft kit is only £24.99.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Solar Aircraft Construction Kit Eco Toy article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Solar-Powered Solar System and Planet Eco Toy

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 10:00:17 +0000

This Solar System Kit has been designed to help teach children about the orbit of planets in our solar system. By using solar panel to produce the electricity to power the model, the kit can also help educate them on this eco-friendly and sustainable power source.

The Solar System Kit is supplied in part form and requires construction. The kit includes all the parts needed to create the solar system, including 6 different colours of opaque acrylic paint and paintbrush to allow you or your child to paint each planet. The sun of the solar system has a solar panel on the top of it. This provides the electricity required by the motor within the sun to allow the planets to move. The kit comes with a detailed instruction manual to help you construct it with ease.

The Solar System kit can be used as an educational aid to help teach children about the solar system. Due to the kit using a solar panel it can also be used as an aid to teach them about solar energy. By constructing the kit the child can get involved with it fully, learning how the parts go together, helping them to understand the solar system better. This involvement and the ability to visually experience how effectively light energy is converted into electrical power through the turning the planets allows the child to learn through play. The solar panel would work best in bright sunlight, this is recommended when teaching a child the abilities of solar energy.

The Solar Powered Solar System Kit makes an effective educational toy and can make a great model for any child that has a passion for astronomy. The use of solar power allows the model to keep working without requiring an endless supply of batteries and can in addition allow you to teach a child about this sustainable energy source.

The Solar Powered Solar System Kit is available for just £12.99 plus delivery.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Solar-Powered Solar System and Planet Eco Toy article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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The Renewable Energy Racing Car Kit

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:00:18 +0000

The Renewable Energy Racers Set helps entertain and educate children about different forms of environmentally friendly energy. The three remote control cars each use a different energy source to power them, either wind, solar or hydrogen.

The Renewable Energy Racers Set allows you to race and compare different green energy sources. Each remote control car is powered by a different source of energy, a solar panel, a wind turbine and a hydrogen fuel cell are provided. Each car has its own remote which provides the user with control to change the movement both left and right and forwards and backwards. The Solar panel can provide a race car with up to 20 minutes of driving time from only a 10-30 minute charge although this is dependent on the brightness of the sunlight available. The wind turbine can also provide 20 minutes of driving time from a 10-30 minute charge, and in this case it is dependent on the strength of the wind the turbine is placed in. The hydrogen fuel cell can provide a car with 5 minutes of run time from a 3 minute charge.

The Renewable Energy Racers Set helps to demonstrate the potential of the different eco-friendly energy sources, showing the strengths and weaknesses of each. Which power source is ‘best’ will vary, as of course the wind turbine will provide a better charge on a windy day, the solar panel on a sunny one. The set includes a manual that explains the science behind each of the power sources. The racer set is a great way to get children interested in green energy and to help educate them on its benefits through play.

The Renewable Energy Racers Set is yours for just $89.95, and would make an ideal Christmas pressie!

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the The Renewable Energy Racing Car Kit article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Solar Powered Perspex Helicopter Kit

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 09:00:22 +0000

The Helicopter Kit is a solar powered model made from perspex. The helicopter is supplied in kit form, allowing you to construct the helicopter yourself. The helicopters blades will spin when the solar panel is placed in an area with light.

The Solar Powered Helicopter Kit has been created by Solar Technology. The kit uses perspex to construct the model, each piece has been laser cut to ensure precision to allow you to easily slot the pieces together. No glue or tools are needed to construct the helicopter, the kit comes with detailed instructions on how the pieces are put together to build the working model. The helicopter, once built, needs to be placed in a bright spot for the solar panel to convert the light into electricity. This electricity is used to power the motor which causes the blades of the helicopter to rotate.

The helicopter kit can be used as an educational aid to help teach children about solar power. Due to the model being supplied in kit form the child can get involved with it fully, learning how the parts go together and visually experiencing how effectively light energy is converted into electrical power to turn the blades. The solar panel would work best in bright sunlight, this is recommended when teaching a child the abilities of solar energy.

The panel will though provide energy to turn the blades if it is placed under a bright artificial light, this can help to demonstrate how effective solar panels can be. The Kit is suitable for ages 6+, though this is mainly down to the small parts in construction, a younger child can still enjoy watching the model and learning about solar power with an adults guidance.

The Solar Powered Helicopter Kit is yours for just £21.95, and makes a perfect educational and eco-friendly gift.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Solar Powered Perspex Helicopter Kit article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Mini Solar Racer – World’s Smallest Solar Powered Car

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:00:32 +0000

The Mini Solar Racer is a toy car which claims to be the world’s smallest solar powered car. The solar panel allows the car to move from eco-friendly solar energy when the car is placed either in sunlight or under a bright artificial light.

The Mini Solar Racer is a helpful toy to demonstrate both the abilities of solar power and the advancements in technology that allow a solar powered car to be made to such a significantly small size. The toy car measures an astonishing 3.3 cm x 2.2 cm x 1.4 cm (1.3 in x 0.87 in x 0.55 in) which does mean its not suitable for children under 3 due to small parts (up to and including itself!).

The Mini Solar Racer has a solar panel positioned on the top of it, this makes use of any light around, be it sunlight or bright artificial light and converts it into electrical energy. The electricity powers the motor within the toy, which turns the wheels, causing the car to move. The toy car can help to show the impact even small amounts of light can have, to help educate children about the abilities of eco-friendly energy it is best to demonstrate the car with sunlight.

The Mini Solar Racer is a fun toy car that will entertain both adults and children. The toy can be used as an educational aid as a child can witness the abilities of solar power and the remarkable size the technology for a toy car can be created in. The Solar Racer costs just £9.95.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Mini Solar Racer – World’s Smallest Solar Powered Car article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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T3 3-in-1 Solar-Powered Robot Kit

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:00:51 +0000

The T3 Solar Robot Kit is an educational (or desk) toy that consists of 70 pieces that can be arranged to make 3 different solar powered moving toys, a ‘standard’ robot, a tank and a scorpion.

The T3 Solar Robot Kit can be used to help educate children about solar power. By constructing the 3 different models themselves, the child should feel more of a connection to the toy, which can allow them to take greater interest in the model when it moves in sunlight. Through watching any of these models once constructed they will witness an effective demonstration of how the power of the sun can be harnessed by the solar panel and converted into electrical energy. The models will also function under a deck light, if there is no sunlight to use. Once exposed to a light source each model will move itself across a flat surface.

The robot kit comprises of all the parts and mechanics needed to construct the 3 models, the 70 pieces can be rearranged to form the ‘standard’ robot, the tank or the scorpion. A screwdriver will be required during construction. Due to the detailed instructions supplied with the robot and the simplicity of constructing the models, the kit is suitable for ages 8 and up.

The T3 Solar Robot Kit is both an interesting desk toy and a great educational toy for children. The robot is designed to be suitable as a first time science project to help teach children about alternative forms of energy, though some adult supervision is recommended.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the T3 3-in-1 Solar-Powered Robot Kit article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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