How Electric Vehicles Can Teach Kids About Power

Schools have been showing the balloon on the hair trick to teach students about static electricity for some time now. My daughter just learned it in her preschool’s science class last year. But why stop with that and how different conductors can work? Why not show our kids how it can be applied in a creative sense to better the world? Keep reading for a few ways to teach your kids about power with the help of electric vehicles.

I have been given compensation for this post by Kia Motors. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Give Real Life Examples

One of the best ways to share how green power works is to show your kids electric power in action! Charge Across Town is celebrating EV (electric vehicle) Week from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Oct. 8-9 at Pier 27 in SF and the 100% electric Kia Soul EV will be present for families to check out. I test drove the Kia Soul last year and am so excited to see it be a part of such a great event. By getting a chance to see an EV in person and test it out your family will get a genuine real life look at how electric power can be used to better the world and save money (Kia Soul EV drivers get up to $7,500 in Federal Tax Credit).

Easier to Understand

I don’t know about your family, but mine is far more interested in learning about science by checking out a car than staring at facts on the internet. Trying to grasp a concept that you can’t see, hold and feel makes it seem abstract and hard to understand. But by taking the family out to look at an electric car and speak with a rep you’re sharing a tangible example that’s logically a bit easier to understand through visuals and hands-on experience.

Offer Critical Answers

By seeing an electric vehicle in person and learning about power through its use the family can get some critical answers about how things work. Create a few conversation starters and possible questions for the kids to ask about an electric vehicle, like “How long does the battery last” and “Does it take hours to charge?” The kids will be amazed to find that the Kia Soul EV battery is 80% charged in just 30 minutes (less time than it takes to get a pizza delivery), can connect to an outlet already in your home, and takes you 90 miles on a single charge. It’s even the first vehicle to be manufactured with a true driver-only ventilation system to save energy! After all, why have vents on everywhere else in the car if it’s just the driver? By going into the experience equipped with a few starter questions, the kids will have time to learn more about the concept and also think of more questions to ask as they hear the answers.