If your life is anything like mine, you probably have fond memories of using microscopes at school. A whole new universe opens up with just a little bit of work! Even today, the discovery of the "invisible world" amazes us. Microscopes reveal parts of our world that we can’t see with the naked eye. Children have an insatiable need for knowledge from an early age and science is the perfect subject to fulfill that need.
Science encourages children to develop curiosity and an imagination making it easier to comprehend the world around them. If you're looking for a unique present for your youngster, a microscope is an excellent choice. It's fun and also educational. Microscopes are simple to use, and if you choose a good one, your child will be engaged for hours on end. Furthermore, most microscopes for kids aren't just toys; some of them even include features and specs that equal those found in actual “adult" microscopes.
This blog post will go over all of the crucial factors to consider when buying a microscope for your kids. I'll also recommend some of the best products on the market to make the research easier for you.
Educational Microscope Kit Buying Guide
The sheer number of microscopes on the market might make your head spin. So, here's how we're going to break it down for you. When it comes to choosing a microscope for your kid, here's everything you need to know.
Monocular or Binocular Vision?
Most children like binocular microscopes. It contains two eyepieces and is easy to operate. Some children, however, may have difficulty seeing via binocular microscopes and may fare better with a monocular microscope (one eyepiece). In the end, it depends on your kid. However, you can just buy them binoculars to be safe.
Age
This list includes microscopes for children as young as toddlers and as old as high school students. Children's microscopes have fewer magnification levels, are smaller in weight, and are constructed of plastic. However, older children's microscopes are metal and contain many magnification levels. This leads us to...
Magnification
When it comes to purchasing a microscope for your older kid, most student microscopes have magnifications of up to 1000x, allowing them to view blood cells, germs and other microscopic specimens. So naturally, the greater the magnification, the greater the price.
Accessories
It's a good idea to have a kit that includes blank and prepared slides, as well as instruments like tweezers, petri dishes and test tubes. Isn't it true that a competent scientist needs their tools to investigate the world? Fortunately, all of the sets in this list come with some tools to help them get started.
Our 5 Best Educational Microscope Kits
Here are our top picks for parents wanting to purchase a fantastic microscope for their kid in 2021 and beyond.
1. STEM Microscope Kit - 52 Pieces - White
I chose this STEM Microscope kit first on the list because it's ideal for children who like to learn about the world around them. It's a full-featured microscope set that includes 52 pieces and a sturdy plastic carrying box.
This is a starter compound microscope designed for children, but that doesn't mean it lacks performance since it has a wide variety of magnification settings of 120x, 240x, 300x, 480x, 600x, and 1200x. The microscope includes magnification tweezers, prepared slides, collecting vials, a petri dish, a new light bulb, and other items for your youngster to get up close to diverse specimens.
Some of the features include:
-a monocular viewing head
-a two-in-one mirror and LED light illumination source
-a specialized color filter wheel
-coarse and fine focusing gears
-a stain-resistant metal frame in crisp white
Overall, it's the best microscope kit on our top list.
What We Like:
- High magnification and simple to operate
- Includes a complete brine shrimp experiment (materials and instructions included)
- Suitable for children ages 6 and above.. as well as adults of course
What We Don't Like:
- Plastic makes up the majority of the parts and components.
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The placement of the light source creates a challenging viewing angle.
2. STEM talking microscope kit
This STEM talking microscope kit is a whole fun and portable classroom! That's because this unique microscope includes narration from young Australian naturalist Bindi Irwin, who uses an inbuilt microphone to educate your kid on over 100 fascinating facts about plants and animals.
The built-in storage compartment holds 20 slides (each with three pictures) that may be utilized in one of two game modes: fact or quiz. The microscope recognizes these pictures out loud in the first mode, delivering entertaining information for your kid to learn, while in the second mode, Bindi tests your kid on their general knowledge of each slide.
The regular model has audio selections in English, Spanish, French, and German. It's one of the finest microscopes for kids because of its interactive, STEM-friendly features (particularly those in preschool). It'll keep them occupied for hours.
What We Like
- Supported STEM-friendly teaching
- The unique feature of interactive chatting
- Multiple language modes
- Internal slide storage
What We Don't Like
- Only 5X magnification
- Underwhelming for older young-stars
- This isn't a genuine microscope
3. STEM Microscope Kit - 22 Page Journal
If you're on a tight budget, this is the kit to buy. It's a two-in-one light and dissecting microscope with 30x, 100x, and 400x resolutions for up-close viewing.
This STEM Microscope Kit – 22 Page Journal comes with 26 components, ranging from tweezers to specimen collectors. It is intended for youngsters over the age of eight. It has two LED lights on it. Using the same microscope, the youngster may inspect cells, see animals in the water, and even look at bugs.
A souvenir notebook with 22 pages of scientific experiments and activities is included. They may start enjoying it as soon as they get it. They'll get their hands on a real scientific tool, not a toy.
What We Like:
- There is a dual scope.
- Accessories are included in the price.
- An activity journal included.
What We Don't Like:
- Higher magnifications may result in fuzzy images.
4. STEM Microscope Kit - 12 Pieces
This STEM microscope kit is a beginner scientific tool to encourage a child's curiosity about the universe. This beginner microscope kit is pretty strong for beginners, featuring a forward-facing rotating turret with 100x, 400x, and 1200x magnifications. Children can see quite a bit with this magnification set. This is the perfect present to pique a child's interest in exploring the outdoors.
There are 12 microscope slides for youngsters, including entomology, botany, and macrology species. The slides are composed of plastic and have no sharp edges, making them safe for children to use. This slide set is appropriate for educational settings for children, beginning students, or home school programs.
Some slides (such as the insects) are made to be seen with top and bottom lights with stereo microscopes. Overall, this is one of the best beginners' sets to introduce your child to science.
What We Like:
- Low price
- Decent magnification
- Looks good on your child's table
What We Don't Like:
- Absence of advanced features
- Lack of versatility
5. STEM My 1st Microscope Kit - Toddlers
Let your child experience the thrill of scientific study with this STEM, my 1st microscope kit for toddlers. As you may have guessed from the name, it's for absolute beginners. My First Microscope Kit will pique your toddler's interest in taking a closer look at the world around them, as well as expose your preschooler to the world of STEM!
What's in the box? This fantastic kit includes 1 rotating tray, 1 colorful adjustable microscope with actual magnifying glasses, 4 distinctive toy butterflies, and 1 transparent container. He/she can just press the side button to shine a light on the specimen. Overall, it's the best preschooler scientific kit you can give on your child's birthday or Christmas.
What We Like:
- Great for beginners
- Includes actual magnifying glasses, no gimmick
- Includes toy butterflies
What We Don't Like:
- It's more of a toy
- Limited specimen
Benefits Of Digital Microscope Education
Microscopes for kids are meant to teach science and biology to children in a fun way. It allows them to view a world that they couldn't see before. It will enable youngsters to look at the surroundings and wildlife from a new perspective.
Playing with a microscope is both amusing and informative at the same time. A microscope may help kids understand STEM topics while also introducing them to the fun and difficulties of exploration.
Children of all ages may be inspired by microscopes. However, what they can examine under a microscope is only limited by their imagination. A child's imagination will definitely be sparked by one of these kits.
Operating a microscope at an early age may help a kid develop fine motor skills while also familiarizing them with how microscopes work. Then, when they need to use one at school, they will be confident in their ability to do so. They will not feel humiliated in front of their classmates.
Microscopes help young scientists to observe the world around them, including things that aren't visible to the human eye.
Last Thoughts
Microscopes for kids are an entertaining and educational tool that kids will love as they learn about the tiny world around them. They're fantastic, inexpensive, simple to use and provide a slew of fascinating facts. HAVE FUN WITH SCIENCE!!