OWI Happy Hopping Frog Kit - Solar Powered

by OWI

Product Features

• Build a hopping, solar powered frog
• Learn how light can generate electricity
• Includes 20+ pieces and picture instructions for easy assembly
• Solar Powered
• OWI is the premier line of educational electronics and robotics kits

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.8 x 8.2 inches ; 1.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000QXE9I0
• Item model number: OWI-MSK672
• Manufacturer recommended age: 10 - 15 years
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,646 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
  • #22 in Toys & Games > Learning & Education > Solar
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Build a hopping, solar powered frog. He's adorable for one thing. Why else? The best part... this easy-to-use science kit teaches adults and kids all about solar power in a fun science experiment kit designed right. Demonstrate that with solar panels for energy, no batteries are required - truly. This funny little amphibian draws applause. Amphibian lovers everywhere can't stop watching the little guy hop. No matter how old you are, hopping feet and googly eyes are hard to resist. Mini solar powered robot kit is fun to build and entertaining to play with. A build-it-yourself educational solar hobby kit. Hind legs and rubber feet hippity-hop in the sun or very close to a non-florescent light bulb. Includes 20+ pieces and picture instructions for easy assembly. An alternative energy science kit, perfect for the first time experimenter with little or no experience Ages 10+.

Product Description

Almost comical, this little green amphibian friend leaps with a joyful sense of freedom. Using its hind legs and rubber feet, Happy Hopping Frog jiggles its eyes as a dog would wag its tail acknowledging its love and appreciation to its owner. The tailless, leaping mini solar kit is activated by the power of the suns rays; no batteries required. Happy Hopping Frog is a kit that demonstrates alternative energy principles. No batteries required and only approximately twenty-five parts to assemble. Recommended for ages 9 and up.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Frog won't hop, January 5, 2009

By 

Walter T. Pollard (South Orange, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: OWI Happy Hopping Frog Kit - Solar Powered (Toy)

I recently purchased this kit. The instructions were clear enough and assembly wasn't overly difficult, but I found that after it was assembled it wouldn't work. The frog is supposed to work by having the solar-powered motor wind up (and release) its spring-driven rear legs. The motor works OK, as do the gears that go between the motor and the cam that winds up the legs. Unfortunately, however, the gears are connected to the cam by a smooth round rod, and the friction between that rod and the cam isn't enough to move the legs - the rod rotates, but the cam doesn't move. I tried to fix this by putting a drop of superglue in the cam and then reattaching it to the rod, but must have used a little too much, gluing the cam to the body. The rear legs rotate on a hexagonal rod that prevents the sort of slippage I described - it's too bad they didn't do something similar for connecting the gears to the cam.

Anyway, I wouldn't recommend this kit to anyone. I did get a small solar cell and pager motor out of it that should be usable for some other project, but still resent that I was suckered into paying for a piece of junk like this kit. I'm honestly curious whether anyone has ever gotten it to work.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars disappointing, December 26, 2008

By 

Adam Judge (Near DC, hot air capital of the world) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: OWI Happy Hopping Frog Kit - Solar Powered (Toy)

Brittle plastic, which doesn't get along with the toy's metal screws very well (screw-holes could be easily stripped, body of toy could be easily cracked). The motor slips out of place easily, when it can be made to engage the plastic gears it is too weak to turn them. Falls apart during construction. Easily.

My 9-year-old (who does well with Lego Mindstorms and other fairly complex kits) gave up on it after an hour. I spent more than an hour putting it together, then more time later taking it apart to try and get the blasted thing to work.

Not too happy with this non-hopping frog. Maybe we can use the solar panel for something else.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fun jumper, January 12, 2009

By 

E. Smith "cookwoman" (Dallas, Tx) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: OWI Happy Hopping Frog Kit - Solar Powered (Toy)

The frog has some assembly when it arrives, but it is very cute and jumps. It seems sturdy enough to last a while. It turns when it jumps and looses the light so it stops quickly to need adjusting to the sunlight. Both the 4 and 7 year old boys enjoy playing with it.