HAND HELD TELESCOPE FOR KIDS PORTABLE

This will help them ease into it, and will also make them less likely to knock the telescope away from your chosen target! Best telescopes for kids Sky-Watcher Infinity-76P

HAND HELD TELESCOPE FOR KIDS PORTABLE

When choosing the best telescope for kids and children, look for an adjustable tripod and mount that will suit their height, or else bring a portable step so you don't have to hold them up to the eyepiece.Ī good tip is also to hold the child's hand while observing. Older kids might benefit from a few amazing facts about the size or distance of the object they're looking at. What can you see looking through the telescope? Pick a planet at opposition or a good star cluster like the Pleiades, as these are immediately interesting and bright objects that will attract their attention. The Pleiades can be found by tracing the three stars of Orion's belt and following the line they create to find what appears as a 'smudge' in the night sky. That way, the task of looking through the eyepiece won't seem as daunting.Įven then, closing one eye for long periods of time can cause young muscles to ache, so it might worth getting them to cover one eye with their hand while observing.ĭo they have a favourite dolly or stuffed toy? Perhaps their cuddly friend could have a go first. Using a telescope with kidsĬhildren and young astronomers need to be comfortable and have their interest piqued when using a telescope for the first time, or they may quickly get bored! So ease of set-up is a big consideration when picking the best telescope for kids.Īs you'll be observing outdoors, and potentially away from your home, bring mats, chairs and perhaps even sleeping bags and cushions so they can remain warm and comfortable both during and in between observing.īefore you begin, you could get them to experiment closing one eye perhaps even use a toilet tube to help them practise. If imaging the night sky is a potential point of interest, read our guide to the best telescopes for astrophotography. Or if you feel they would be better off starting with a pair of binoculars, read our guide to the best binoculars for astronomy.

Visit our main reviews section for more of our telescope reviews. It might also be worth having a look at our guide to the best beginners' telescopes. Read our advice on getting children started in astronomy or our guide to astronomy for beginners, and if you feel they're ready for their first telescope, see below for our pick of the best kids' telescopes. Our list of the best telescopes for kids and children has options that will suit a range of budget, or you can skip down to the end to get more advice about buying a telescope second-hand. That doesn't mean you need break the bank however. Rather than encourage your child to take more interest in the night sky, the blurry, poorly magnified views might actually end up putting them off. While it might be tempting to pick up a cheap, toy telescope set, but these tend to have plastic lenses that are poorly aligned. It's important not to skimp on quality just because it's for a child.

Getting kids started in astronomy shouldn't be a chore.įor a child you'll want a good telescope that's simple to set up and even simpler to use.īut most importantly, a kid's first first telescope should provide glorious views of the night sky without too much fuss. Are you looking for the best telescope for kids to turn your child into a young astronomer?

Hand held telescope for kids