Solar-Powered Airplane: Fun and Educational

Children learn with their entire bodies, not just their eyes and ears.  Hands-on activities are ideal for teaching basic STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) principles such as gravity, speed, momentum and lift.  Eye-hand coordination is developed when children read illustrated instructions and translate 2-dimensional diagrams into 3-dimensional models.  When the resulting model can also fly, well, that is one great educational activity! That's why I'm excited to introduce you to the Volta Flyer.

Get kids active outdoors while also teaching them important STEM concepts such as aerodynamics, electronics, and mechanical engineering.  This earth-friendly flyer uses the power of the sun and is made of super-lightweight, eco-friendly materials.  It is hand launched, so there are no dangerous chemicals or flames involved, either.

Check out the Kickstarter campaign from Toylabs and be rewarded with a Volta Flyer of your own!  You can also follow @ToyLabs in Twitter to keep up with new developments.

Early interest in STEM careers begins with parents and teachers engaging children in meaningful activities that show how math and science relate to real-world processes.  Even children who end up in non-STEM careers will still benefit from the experience of carefully following instructions, building, measuring, testing, and correcting mistakes.

Add the family bonding time involved in a project like the Volta Flyer and you have a gift that keeps on giving.  Fresh air, family fun, and STEM education--all in one!