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
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!
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 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.
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.
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.
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 pizza box
- Aluminum foil
- Plastic wrap or bag
- Black construction paper
- Tape
- Glue stick
- Pencil or wooden skewer
- Scissors or utility knife
- S’mores supplies: chocolate bar, graham crackers, marshmallows
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
- The Kids’ Solar Energy Book is recommended for grades 3-7.
- Running on Sunshine: How Does Solar Energy Work? is recommend for preschool through grade 3.
- Solar Energy! How Does It Work? is another science book recommendation.
Have you made a DIY solar oven before?
Post originally published August 15, 2012
Ashley @ Mama Of All Trades says
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.
Adiah Mayo says
I loved making it☺????
Karen says
Awesome!!
Sara @ Mom Endeavors says
Gah–Karen, I LOVE this!!! What a super fab idea in this crazy AZ record heat! This science loving mama will have to do this too! 🙂
Hanan says
That is the coolest thing I have ever seen for not only making S’mores, but put education into it too, awesome!
Jenny F says
I had never heard of this! What a great idea! I will tuck this away for next summer, brilliant!!!!
Carrie with Children says
This is so super cool – I love it! What a fun way to incorporate learning into a fun activity… and even better with yummy Smores!
ericka says
yep in our class were bout to make smores in our solar oven its going to be cool.
Cassie says
This is really cool! I would have never thought about something like this.
Kerri says
Food and science equals fun! Great idea!
Becca says
Yum!!! My boys would LOVE this!!!!
Michelle L. says
Oh, this is fantastic! And your ‘feasting’ pictures are the cutest. Thanks for a great idea!
chaderz says
this is so ool dude
Holly says
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…
Jennifer says
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
Wendy says
Do pizza boxes work well for this? Or are cereal boxes better? My son’s class is doing these soon. Thank you!
Karen says
I think cereal boxes would work better. I’d love to hear how they turn out for your son’s class!
Jennifer says
Thanks for letting me know about this I’m gonna do it with the boys and girls club for. science thank you
Lisa says
How did you keep ants and flying insects out?
Karen says
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.
Bella Ward says
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
Karen says
I’m so glad I could help!
Mee2 says
also try #10 metal can stove
Isaac says
Hi i’m Isaac and i love this solar cooker its a amazing design
Wendy says
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.
Karen says
Great idea for next time!
Isabella The Girl Who Didn't Have Science Project Ideas says
THIS GOT ME AN A
Karen says
Awesome! Great job on your project.
seqoia says
that looks yummy
Cecelia M Teague says
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!
Karen says
That sounds like a reasonable substitution. Good luck!
Tacopants Kid says
This is going to be great! Our STEM class is using many types of solar oven recipes, and this looks perfect!
Karen says
So glad I can help!!
E.J Allen says
This Is awesome. This is my science project
Karen says
Glad I can help!
Scarlet says
What a great idea to cook smores in the solar oven. That makes science is more fun!
Ella says
I’m using this for my 5th grade science fair so I hope it will be good.
Karen says
Good Luck!
Kitty Mainia says
Our class is getting ready to do this. I can’t wait to try it out!
Karen says
Awesome!!
sonya says
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.
Karen says
That’s a great idea!
Zantaniel Priel says
Thanks.
This’s gonna be awesome.
Karen says
Yay!!!
lizzy says
That looks so cool
Karen says
Thanks!
Rahil Ahmadi says
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?
Karen says
We haven’t tried anything else but nachos should be easy enough to melt.
Nash says
Is there no way to print the directions?
Karen says
You can print the webpage, I’ll consider adding a printable pdf in the future.
Tinley says
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.
Karen says
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!
Ranae says
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.
Karen says
So happy I could help!!
Mollie says
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!
Karen says
That’s so awesome! You can’t go wrong with s’mores! 🙂