Science Toy Review

Another one of the great physics science kits by Thames and Kosmos, this one deals with solar power and the physics behind how we get energy from the sun. It’s for ages 8 and up and I’ll have to say that that’s about right in this case. I tried out this kit with my six-year-old “helping” and most of the topics were a little too advanced for him. He had a good time watching me put together some of the experiments, but he loses interest fairly quickly if he isn’t the one actually doing the building. We did talk about some of the basics of solar power and he was able to grasp some of the concepts but it wasn’t nearly as beneficial than if he was able to do it all himself.

That being said, this is still a great kit. Give it to an 8, 10 or 12 year old and they will learn far more than they realize when going through the experiments. Basically, the Thames and Kosmos Physics Solar Workshop will teach you the topic of solar energy, focusing primarily on photovoltaic cells. You can build 12 models, and do a couple of different experiments with each.  You’ll learn how solar cells can turn light into electrical energy, and how this energy can drive motors and mechanical devices, which in turn can use gears to convert this into power for vehicles.

One of the best things about the Thames and Kosmos science kits is the great manuals they come with and the fact that all the parts in this kit are interchangeable with their other physics kits. Overall, this is a great learning toy and one that I can highly recommend. Even for the price, about $60 US, it’s well worth it. You can check out all the other science kits offered by Thames and Kosmos here.