Hey! Remember Microscopes?
Many parents haven’t used, or even seen a microscope, since looking at the differences between animal and plant cells in middle school science class. A+ for those who just remembered that plant cells are square-shaped and animal cells are round. Since a it is not a toy, buying a microscope for a child is an excellent way for teaching children how to treat items with respect as they carefully load slides and look through the eyepiece. When it comes time to buy a microscope for a child, a little online shopping will quickly demonstrate to parents just how difficult it can be to find the right microscope for children of particular ages. Adults are sometimes surprised at all of the modern developments in microscopy, such as digital microscopes and those made more specifically for younger children, so it becomes even more difficult trying to decide what features are best.
Shopping for a microscope is really a question of how old the child is and what is going to be user friendly for him or her. After some confusion over what the differences are between certain microscopes, parents start to questions whether or not a son or daughter is the right age for a microscope or if it is a gift that will even interest him or her. Answering that question is simple. When a child is old enough to run around the house using a cardboard paper towel tube as a telescope, then his or her interest in observation is definitely ready for a microscope. Children have an extraordinarily high level of curiosity, and since everything is new to them, they are interested in observing everything possible. Objects are so much cooler when viewed at the microscopic level, so parents need to be well-informed when shopping microscopes for kids.
How Microscopes Work
The standard compound microscope is what pops into most people’s minds when they think of this classic science tool. Featuring a single eyepiece coupled with a rotating turret of objective lenses, compound microscopes are used for high magnification and some are now digital for viewing specimens on computers and projection screens. Typically, the eyepiece magnifies objects ten times larger than they are with the naked eye, and the magnification is compounded and increased with the objective lenses to allow for easy magnified viewing of microscopic objects up to one thousand times. Most microscopes have three objective lenses allowing for three different levels of magnification, so children can choose from any number of small items to observe and note the differences at varying levels of magnification. It should be noted that magnification level isn’t an indication of quality and shouldn’t be a major factor in determining which microscope to purchase. Some of the best viewing is done between fifty and four hundred times magnification, with the latter being the requirement for viewing red blood cells.
Staging the Best View
One of the most fun parts about having a microscope is searching for something to observe. Whether it is a bit of fuzz off of the carpet, an onion peel, or a set of prepared microscope slides, your son or daughter is going to love seeing how amazingly different things look at high magnification with the different objective lenses. When viewing an item, children can use the focusing knob to bring the objective lenses closer to and farther away from the specimen. A consideration when buying a microscope is to see whether or not there is some sort of stop in place to prevent the lens from moving too close and cracking the slide. Without one, children will have to be extra careful when using the highest magnification, which happens to have the longest lens.
Sitting under the objective lenses is the stage, which holds slides in place with clips and also features a hole in the center of it to allow light through to the specimen on the slide. Some microscopes, like the Duo-Scope feature a light diffuser wheel under the stage to increase or decrease the amount of light coming through the hole in the stage. Others, like the Smithsonian 900X Microscope, even have colored light filter built into the diffuser wheel to aid in more clearly viewing certain specimens. Offering lower magnification but more unique diversity, the Primary Microscope comes with a removable stage that allows children to attach a curiosity box for viewing larger items like rocks and bugs.
Shed Some Light on the Situation
No matter what kind of light diffuser options a microscope has, a bright light source is always a requirement for good specimen viewing. Without appropriate lighting, looking through a microscope is like holding a telescope against a wall and looking through it; you might see some blurry shadows but not much of anything else. Depending on the style of microscope, there will be different lighting options from which you can choose. Many models feature a light bulb and mirror combination, so children can use a battery lit light or reflect light from another source. For these models, it is worth investing in a couple of batteries to keep the light going, since the mirror requires bright sunlight or a bright lamp to provide enough light for slides. Other, more advanced models of microscopes, like the Thames & Kosmos Microscope, eliminate the mirror and provide two separate LED lights for illuminating slides from above or below them.
Microscope Kits for the Budget Minded
Naturally, budget is going to be a consideration when buying a microscope, so when children are younger and new to using microscopes, it may be a wise decision to purchase a microscope kit designed for beginners. A number of budget friendly kits, like the Magic School Bus Microscope Lab, come complete with slides and engaging activities that help children learn about microscopy and how to use microscopes. As one moves up in price and recommended age, the quality of the microscope tends to increase as well. For example, the MicroPro Elite Microscope comes with prepared and blank slides like other kits, but it features a die-cast metal construction and glass lenses as opposed to plastic ones. For older children who are becoming serious students of science, the wiser investment is probably to spend a little more for a higher quality microscope and supplement it with a set of prepared and blank slides. Together, they will provide longevity and higher-quality specimen examination than with a less advanced model.
Not Your Standard Microscope
The modern twist on the microscope that is perfect for a wide range of younger and older children is the digital handheld microscope. USB digital microscopes have integrated LED lights that illuminate whatever objects are being digitally captured and transferred onto your computer’s hard drive. For high-quality and high-magnification, the Dino Lite Digital Microscope can provide image magnification up to 200X. Younger children will love playing with the Zoomy, which is designed to be more user-friendly for younger children. It magnifies objects up to 43X and provides children with the ability to add digital effects to the images once they are saved on the computer. With a simple connection to a computer’s USB port, children can take an exciting look at a variety of objects without worrying about slides, stages, lighting, and eyepieces.
Knowledge to Inform Your Decision
Making a well-informed decision when purchasing a microscope for kids is the best way to ensure it will be appropriate for their age, have all of the accessories they may need, and that it will be something they enjoy using. Keep in mind what will be user friendly for your son or daughter and whether you think he or she wants high magnification of slide-mounted specimens or lower magnification of bigger objects. Some children will prefer the more traditional microscope where specimens need to be prepared on slides for high-magnification viewing; they feel like actual scientists when using microscopes and taking note of previously unseen features in a specimen. Others, who may not be quite ready for the whole slide preparation process, may really enjoy using a handheld digital microscope and viewing images on a computer monitor. Choosing an appropriate microscope for your son or daughter will help to build their interest in science at a young age, and it is an excellent strategy for teaching children observation skills, patience, and following a logical, organized process.
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