“Batteries not included” These words send dread into the heart of any adult with children. You bought the present got it home wrapped it and gave it to your child. They open it and it needs a specific type of battery you don’t have. You also know that you’ll have to keep supplies of the batteries high if the child likes the toy as batteries never last as long as they’re supposed to. Solar toys, meaning toys powered by solar energy, won’t need replacement batteries. They also have an extra benefit of forcing your child to spend more time outside. You don’t have to be Jack Thompson to think that you don’t want your child spending all day every day inside playing Nintendo or Playstation. Fresh air is good for a young person, and is good for the parents.
In general we want our children to be happy and healthy, we want them to have toys so they can be entertained and have happy childhoods, but we’d prefer for them to play outside and run around so they get the exercise they need. Even if you’re not worried about the supposed obesity epidemic, you do want an active child, if they’re the type who wants to play with toys more than catch a ball you might think you’re in a bind, however if you can encourage them to play outside with solar toys you can move them in the right direction. No one’s saying every child has to be a jock, but encouragement to get active outside, get some sunlight and run around is a good thing.
Now the obvious downside would be: aren’t rainy days the prime time when kids need toys because they can’t play outside? What are you going to do with these powerless toys? Well most solar toys actually have batteries on them, so if it’s sunny on Monday and you get the child outside with the toys they’ll have built enough of a charge that on a rainy Tuesday they have something they can do inside. This also helps build the habit for you and the child to get outside, get the fresh air, and all the benefits of both. There’s a real psychological advantage to seeing natural blue sky above you and green grass and trees around you. There’s a certain sense of rightness to that setting. So even if the child just wants to play with their toys, if you can give them a real reason to do so outside the extra space might let them run around more freely and be energetic kids, and the setting can help make you feel more relaxed and comfortable.
