Making This DIY Solar-Powered Camping Gear Is A Fun Activity For The Whole Family

If you're in search of a fun activity to keep the kids busy and help you prepare for your next off-grid getaway, try making a DIY solar-powered oven! Camping can be a fun and affordable way to travel if you're thrifty, but it's easy to go overboard by purchasing expensive gear upgrades like solar-powered generators, fancy tents, and solar-powered ovens — all of which can easily cost hundreds of dollars. The truth is, you don't need much to have an unforgettable camping trip with your family. Making a budget-friendly DIY solar oven is a fun and educational alternative to splurging on one at the store. Plus, you probably already have all of the supplies you'll need lying around the house. 

Creating a solar-powered camping oven provides the perfect opportunity to teach kids of all ages about sustainability, renewable resources, and the process of harnessing energy from the sun. The oven instructions are relatively easy and require minimal crafting skills. This project is great for kids of all ages, but you will need to use a knife or scissors, so parental supervision is recommended.

Building your DIY solar-powered oven will take about 30 minutes to an hour, and you'll be able to use it to make delicious snacks on your next camping trip. The handy little solar ovens are perfect for family-friendly outdoor adventures and can be super helpful if you're camping somewhere that doesn't allow campfires.

The next time you order pizza, hold on to the boxes as they make a perfect base for homemade solar ovens. Along with a pizza box, you'll need some basic tools and craft supplies to complete the project. For cutting the cardboard, you'll need a utility knife or some sharp scissors. Additionally you will need: tape, aluminum foil, black construction paper, a writing utensil, plastic wrap, and a wooden chopstick, small dowel rod, or pencil. You may want to have some glue handy as well. A cooking thermometer is optional, but it can be fun for kids to watch the temperature rise when your solar oven is complete. Finally, grab some ingredients and a heat-safe dish to experiment with cooking once your oven is complete.

The first step to creating your solar oven is to draw a square on the top of your closed pizza box. Leave an inch border between the square and the edge of the box. Create a flap in the top of your pizza box by cutting along three sides of the square you drew. Do not cut along the line where the pizza box hinges to open, as the flap you're making should remain attached. You will use the flap to reflect the sun's rays into your oven. Cutting cardboard can be tricky, so make sure you're keeping a close eye on little crafters if you're allowing them to complete the cutting themselves.

Close the pizza box lid and lift up the flap you just created, folding it at the top line. Cover the inside of the flap with aluminum foil, shiny side up, and secure it with tape or glue. If you really want to get fancy, you can use insulation tape. The aluminum foil flap will reflect the sun's rays into your oven. Next, cover the interior of the pizza box (which will serve as the inside of the oven) with aluminum foil, gluing it down on the bottom and sides of the box, and then put black construction paper over the bottom tin foil and secure that with tape or glue. The black color will attract and trap sunlight inside your oven, helping it to heat up.

Open the box one more time, and use plastic wrap to cover the hole you cut in the pizza box lid when you made the flap. Secure it with tape. Your goal is to create a sort of window into the oven. The plastic wrap will help trap the heat inside the oven while allowing the reflected rays of the sun to pass through. You should be able to open and close the plastic wrap-covered lid to access the interior of the oven.

Close the box and use a skewer, dowel rod, or pencil to prop up the flap. Place marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers on a heat-safe plate inside your oven, with the optional thermometer inside. On a warm sunny day, your oven should be able to heat up enough to make delicious s'mores or melty cheese snacks on your next camping excursion.