Solar Panels For Kids
Written by Alternative Energy

Solar Energy for Kids: Teaching Your Kids About Solar Power

Are you looking to pass on solar energy knowledge to your kids?

Maybe you’re a teacher looking to get an early start on teaching your students about the benefits of solar power.

Experts are predicting that 2018 could be a record-breaking year for the solar energy industry with solar panel installations on the rise around the world.

If you believe that our children will be responsible for the future of our planet, here’s a quick guide of how to teach solar energy for kids!

1. What is Solar Energy?

Teaching kids about solar energy can be as easy as taking them outside on a sunny day!

Explain to your kids that the energy from the sun is always around us on earth (even on cloudy days) and that we can witness it in the form of light.

To put it even more simply, remind kids that if the sun stopped shining altogether, the temperatures on our planet would be freezing.

2. How Solar Panels Work

Once you’ve presented a simple explanation of what solar energy is, you can address how we capture solar energy for use.

Make it a point to point out a solar panel to your kids the next time you see one. Then, explain how solar panels convert the sun’s light directly into electrical energy through photovoltaics, or solar cells.

3. What Solar Panels Can Be Used For

As mentioned above it may be helpful to show kids examples of solar panels before explaining how they make solar energy work.

While younger kids might not be interested in the scientific aspects of solar energy, they might be fascinated to know all the uses for solar panels, such as:

  • Electricity in the House
  • Heating For Your Office
  • Highway Signs
  • Outdoor Landscaping Lights

Kids might be even more excited about the future of solar energy.

4. Future Technology

While solar energy has its uses in the home, advances in the technology are pushing the boundaries of what we can do with solar.

For example, the World Solar Challenge is a solar-powered race car competition held in Australia! We may even see solar-powered boats, planes, and cars available commercially in the future.

5. Teach Kids About Energy Efficiency

Even the most innocent kid might ask the big question: “Why would we bother with solar energy?”

A simple answer could include a quick explanation of how other types of energy, like coal and natural gas, are used in excess and are hurting the planet.

Finally, you can tell kids that energy from the sun is renewable, and isn’t hard to find other sources of energy.

Solar Energy For Kids Can Be A Fun Learning Experience!

Covering these 5 categories is a great way to start passing on your knowledge of solar energy for kids! Last but not least, try your best to show, not tell!

Do you know of other ideas to explain solar energy to kids? Let us know in the comments!

Looking to take your solar energy lessons a step further? Get a free solar installation quote to show your kids how affordable solar energy can be in your home!

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