Have you ever wondered what is hidden below the surface of living things? Do you have a child with insatiable curiosity? Or perhaps a child that could use a bit more curiosity? Viewing life through a microscope is a great way to begin! But, how do you choose just the right microscope for children with so many options available? Two words should help guide your decision: Simplicity and Quality.
Simplicity:
With all the features offered on various microscopes, learning to use your microscope can become very intimidating. Therefore, choosing an instrument that is as simple as possible will help your student be successful in discovering the microscopic world. This means fewer features – limiting the number of lenses, light sources, and light adjusters. For the beginner, start with one eye piece and one objective lens (the lens closest to the slide) and perhaps even a mirror rather than a light. If your student is hooked, you can always purchase a more complex (and expensive) option in the future.
Quality:
Look for an instrument made of all metal parts without the use of plastic. Ultimately, however, the most important part of a microscope is the lens. Choose the best glass lenses you can afford with total magnification between 40x and 450x. 100x is best for single lens microscopes. In the end, the quality of the lens will determine the clarity of the magnified image.
Overall:
Complicated + cheap lens = frustrated student.
Simple use + Good lens = clear image = happy student!
Now – learn how to use this new amazing tool! Check out this video with helpful tips and tricks.
Let the microscopic adventures begin!