The Maryland-based company specializes in solar-powered landscaping lights, but has also ventured into the realm that they call “educational toys.” Kids will always want toys, and boys in particular love robots and transformers. Dulaney’s concept is simple and ingenious: teach kids at a young age that solar panels actually work by letting them play with them. We’ve seen a similar mindset before in recycling-based toys and wind-powered gadgets, and the Solar Robot continues this trend of educating about sustainable living through hands-on play.
The Solar Robot comes pre-assembled, but there are kits available as well, with pieces that can build up to 12 varieties of working solar models, like helicopters and bulldozers. The toys charge up in the sun, and the energy powers small motors that propel the transformer forward and spin the helicopter’s propeller. While Dulaney advertises that the toys are for kids aged 10 and up, I bet there’s going to be a lot of grown-up kids interested as well.
We used to sell these at work, and at first I was skeptical, but we pulled one out on demo and loved it. And they’re very hardy! It was pulled into a million pieces by well-meaning kids while on display in our shop, and always went back together no worse for wear.
I can’t say much for how well the solar works, because we didn’t have any sun to try it out in, but even without that it was fun to play with.