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DIY Solar Oven Smores

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S’mores are one of my favorite desserts, combine that with my background in science and naturally, I have been dying to make solar oven smores. Solely in the interest of science education of course. 😉 

DIY Solar Oven Smores

Try this easy DIY Solar Oven for kids this summer. Learn how to make a solar oven with these plans, perfect for summer fun or a science project. Start with a cardboard pizza box (or shoe box) and you are on your way to a simple experiment that combines STEM with cooking. Other Solar Oven baking ideas include nachos, popcorn or cookies. This post is perfect for teachers looking for how to build a homemade solar oven for a school lesson as well.
Pin this post and use it to study the power of the sun on a sunny day

Easy Solar Oven Smores

It has been CRAZY hot lately, so we took advantage of the scorching sun this past weekend and made the best solar oven. Why is it the best? We already had all the supplies on hand, I love it when a fun plan comes together inexpensively!

cardboard pizza box, markers, foil, plastic wrap and black construction paper for making a DIY solar oven
Use craft supplies and a cardboard pizza box to make a Solar Oven at home.

Solar Oven DIY

The base of the project was a couple of personal size pizza boxes I saved in my craft stash just for this project. The boys loved making and decorating their own personal solar ovens but a big pizza box would work too.

How to make a DIY Solar Oven using cardboard boxes

How to make a solar oven for kids

This project is fairly easy and older kids can do most of the steps themselves. Just have an adult use a craft knife or scissors to cut the solar oven door.

1) Cut the “oven door” flap on the top of the pizza box. The size depends on what you are cooking and how much access you need. Our door was large to maximize our s’mores capacity!

2) Decorate your solar oven with sharpies. This is a fun *optional* step.

Use tape and a glue stick to add the foil, black paper and plastic window to the solar oven.

DIY Solar Oven For Kids

3) Glue black construction paper to the bottom of the box. The black color absorbs the heat inside of the box.

4) Glue aluminum foil to the inside of the door. The foil reflects the sun into the oven.

5) Tape the plastic over the opening of the door. This will allow the air inside the box to heat up but keep the heat trapped inside the box.

I used a wood skewer to prop the solar oven lid open and allow the sun to cook the s’mores.

How to make a solar oven

6) Add a graham cracker, marshmallow, and piece of chocolate inside the oven.

7) Place your oven outside in the sun. I taped a wooden skewer to prop the lid open at an ideal angle.

This project works best on hot summer days. The chocolate naturally started melting quickly.

Our ‘done’ indicator was the marshmallows, we waited until they had puffed up from the heat. It took about 90 minutes to bake our s’mores.

When making these in less extreme temperatures, we just waited until the chocolate melted and called it good enough.

Turn a STEM project into a STEAM project by allowing the kids to decorate their solar ovens.

Easy Solar Oven Project

This project was easy, a lot of fun and perfect for preschool through middle school. Older kids could design their own boxes, or conduct scientific experiments by varying factors like the box size, oven door size, construction paper color, cooking time, outside temperature, etc. We talked about what was happening while we waited for the s’mores to bake.

Easy Solar Oven Project Supplies:

Cardboard solar ovens with Smores
Make Smores in a simple solar cooker and the energy of the sun

Then we feasted on our solar oven s’mores, I’m pretty sure everyone can get behind that scientific result. 😉

Your own solar cooker will not get as hot as a conventional oven but it can still be hot enough to need an oven mitt.

STEM Solar Oven Project Discussion Points

  • The sun as a heat source
  • “A process called nuclear fusion converts hydrogen to helium deep in the sun’s core, where temperatures hit a balmy 18 million degrees Fahrenheit (15.7 million degrees Celsius). Fusion creates energy that travels to the sun’s surface in a journey that lasts a million years. ” Learn more from National Geographic Kids
  • What would happen if you used different color construction paper?
    • We use a sheet of black paper to help absorb the heat. Black absorbs the most heat (white absorbs the least) so any other color would absorb less heat and negatively affect the success of the solar oven.
  • What’s the purpose of the foil?
    • The sun’s rays are collected by the reflective panel and concentrated inside the box. This converts the sun’s energy into thermal energy which is how solar ovens work.
  • The purpose of the plastic wrap?
    • The plastic wrap helps trap the sun’s heat in the pizza box ovens and lessens heat loss.
  • How various weather conditions would affect the result?
    • Direct sunlight gives the best result, cloudy days will lessen the success of solar cooking.

Books about Solar Power

Pin this easy science experiment that combines STEM and a yummy treat

Have you made a DIY solar oven before?

Post originally published August 15, 2012

More fun learning activities like Solar Oven Smores:

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Comments

  1. Seriously, this is genius! I am so going to try this out next week with the kids! Learning and s’mores? Can’t go wrong with that!! Much better than using a flame, too.

    Reply

  10. I used to do this with my 8th graders as a fun inquiry project. We’d change all kinds of variables. Makes me miss those days as teacher…

    Reply

  11. Visiting from Let’s Hear it For the Boys. I’d like to invite you to my Friday Flash Blog, where you can share your best blog entry of the week! The party goes on ALL weekend. And who knows, you may just get featured next week.

    Jennifer
    thejennyevolution.com

    Reply

  12. Do pizza boxes work well for this? Or are cereal boxes better? My son’s class is doing these soon. Thank you!

    Reply

    • I think cereal boxes would work better. I’d love to hear how they turn out for your son’s class!

      Reply

  13. Thanks for letting me know about this I’m gonna do it with the boys and girls club for. science thank you

    Reply

    • We don’t really have a big bug problem here in Arizona, so there was never any problems with that. The plastic wrap does keep anything out that would randomly fly by accidently.

      Reply

  15. I’m in 6th grade and my class is doing a “Solar Oven” project. This is perfect for me because we have to build and research about Solar Ovens! Thanks! -Bella Ward 6th Grade California

    Reply

  18. Worked great- we did jourals to explain the experiment! Sun was 105° needed coffee cups to keep oven from blowing in the wind! Will use cereal box vs pizza box next time.

    Reply

  21. I don’t have black construction paper but I do have black paper cake plates (from a 50th birthday party). I’m going to try this with grandsons tomorrow!

    Reply

  27. I use this activity as a summer literacy activity. We read a book about solar power and did this activity.
    The kids enjoyed it. Super fun.

    Reply

  30. I loved making this! Super fun and sooooooo educational. It was also a great treat. I liked how the materials were everyday materials. But what else can our kids make with this solar oven?

    Reply

  32. Will the project work in 60 degree weather I am in 4th grade and using this as a science project for my science fair it’s not that hot in Montana right now. P.S. this is a genius idea for any age.

    Reply

    • I think it would work eventually on a sunny day, it might take a lot longer. But if its for the science fair, you can just test the theory. Good Luck!

      Reply

  33. Thank you for this simple and very cool idea. I now have the perfect activity for the end of the year for my science students. This will be a sanity saver for me.

    Reply

  34. Hello! Thank you So much for this! I am doing this as my First Ever meeting for a STEM club at my elementary school! Well actually 2 meetings, first meeting they are decorating, then the next week we are makin’ the s’mores!

    Reply