How to choose and where to buy a children's microscope. Toy microscope (photo)

A toy children's microscope is quite a complicated device, in addition, not cheap, so you should approach it carefully. To choose a suitable model, you need to clearly identify with what purpose it is being purchased.

Not only fun

A toy microscope is a perfect gift for a toddler. Classes with him develop curiosity, awaken interest in the world of animate and inanimate nature. Carrying out experiments with a microscope, children are transformed before our eyes. They can sit for hours watching him, looking at the most unexpected objects, with interest carry out tasks in chemistry, physics and biology, thereby increasing the level of knowledge.

In a microscope, you can consider slices of onions and apples, leaves of plants and indoor flowers, plant pollen, pieces of paper, bread crumbs and mold, insects and parts thereof. All this is really considered through a children's microscope with 100-300-fold magnification and the presence of illumination of transmitted or reflected light. With a more serious increase, you can already see the red blood cells - red cells in a droplet of blood. In serious educational models it is even possible to detect the simplest microorganisms moving in a drop of water (if the water is tinted). This can be done with an alcohol solution of iodine, fucorcin, baby blue and other dyes.

The microscope, whose photo is given here, will absolutely please your baby with its bright design and ease of use! This wonderful gift will develop in the child logical thinking, observation, perseverance, the desire to achieve results. Both children and parents discover a lot of interesting and unusual things with the help of a magic device. The kid, who did not know yesterday what a microscope looks like, is now exploring with excitement everything that fantasies have.

Models for children

There are several types of toy microscopes for children. The simplest version is a toy-microscope for a preschooler. It is intended for babies, but despite this, the device is quite complex and interesting even to an adult. Such models are rather unpretentious. To acquire them makes sense, if you want to infatuate your child with the most interesting world of biology.

The next version is a children's educational microscope for schoolchildren. Its cost is higher, and the device itself is an order of magnitude more complicated. Such a device allows you to conduct the necessary experiments in the lessons of natural science and biology.

Student microscopes (the name speaks for itself) are used to train specialists in specialized universities, and also have found wide application in conducting standard procedures in various fields of science. Sometimes they are called routine. They provide sufficient accuracy of research, which explains their quite "adult" value.

The microscope, the photo of which you see here, already has a completely "adult" design and "serious" functions. Such a device will suit a student and even a student.

Models for adults

Working microscopes are the next quality category. Such devices are used in laboratory experiments in case of serious research, provide high quality images. Buy it to a schoolboy makes sense only in the case of a serious passion for biology.

Laboratory microscopes with exchangeable modules and serving both for everyday use and for serious research work are usually produced in small quantities and are nevertheless very popular.

Children's set - a microscope and a telescope - is another novelty of the market. This is a model that combines both of these devices. The telescope microscope for children often has a set of lenses for each function and a diagonal mirror. The increase in such models, as a rule, is very strong. The telescopic lens has a diameter of about 40 millimeters and a focal length of about 500 millimeters.

How to make the right choice

At purchase it is necessary to consider age of the child, a level of intellectual development and propensity, and also own solvency. The market today is represented by a huge number of models, to understand which is not so simple. Most often for younger children buy a toy device with a small multiplicity of magnification, intended primarily for the initial acquaintance with the microcosm and for carrying out the simplest experiments. To a kid who does not yet know what a microscope looks like, explain its purpose in accessible language and make sure that the child is interested.

The goods of Chinese manufacturers at their relative cheapness can not always justify their low cost. Do not believe if the packaging with a Chinese children's microscope indicated an increase of more than 300 times. The products of the price group up to $ 60 optics are not so high-quality, high figures of increase - no more than an advertising trick.

We buy baby

If the child is still a kindergarten, it is too early for him to buy a device for a schoolboy. As a toy for preschool children, it is better to choose the model "Young biologist 40" or "Microscope for children DMS-1". These simple devices have a 40-fold increase, which is quite enough for a young researcher, they have a simple form and a stable design, as well as a low price.

There are even glamorous microscopes for young ladies, made in a special girlish (for example, pink) design. Some of them are a compact hybrid of a microscope and a mini-telescope that can fit in your pocket.

Buy schoolchildren

An older child can purchase a microscope with a large magnification, or even a digital model, which has much wider possibilities for experimentation. Children's microscopes are equipped with illumination, goggles, color filters. The kit includes all necessary tools for work and accessories for experiments.

An example of a toy microscope for a child older than 8 years is a model with an increase from 100 to 300 times, made of durable material and equipped with glass optics, a projector and a backlight. Glass lenses provide excellent image quality. The stage is highlighted with an LED lamp. The kit, as a rule, includes up to several dozens of accessories for experiments, glass, filters, Petri dish, glass rod, magnifier and much more, as well as ready-made samples for research. The cost of such microscopes is usually around one and a half thousand rubles.

What to look for when buying

If you have decided on the purpose of buying and the optimal cost, it makes sense to consider specific models. A children's microscope can be either domestic or imported (most often Chinese). Pay attention to the optics. If the lenses are plastic, they will be scratched from rubbing. Lenses with a small magnification, especially Chinese, often do not give a clear picture - just a divorce.

If the illumination is carried out with an incandescent bulb, it may not be effective. Better choose the LED backlight. It is better if the mirror for the backlight is curved - to focus more light. It should be well fixed and protected from scratches.

The eyepiece lenses and especially the lens must be glass. The resolution and quality of the image depend on the lens. The tube and the microscope tripod are better than metal. The brightness of the LED backlight should be adjustable. Unlike incandescent lamps, LEDs provide more natural lighting and do not heat up, so they are more reliable.

About optional accessories

It is worth paying attention to the number of accessories sold in the kit, the convenience of their operation and storage, as well as the availability of detailed explanatory instructions. Modern models of children's microscopes are usually sold in a set with a lot of useful accessories, allowing to examine what the soul desires. Samples can also be attached for examining, for example, animal hair hairs, etc.

A children's microscope, consisting of plastic parts, is bought justifiably by a young child to ensure safety. Children with a slightly older age are recommended to purchase models with glass lenses and a slide. In addition, usually samples for watching children help to prepare the parents.

What else do parents need to know?

Setting up the device and preparing the preparations are a fairly responsible process. Whatever one may say, this is the task of parents, and the role of children is to look, listen to explanations and learn new knowledge.

With a microscope having a high multiplicity of magnification, some work experience is required . For daily experiments it is enough to increase from 40 to 200 times. There is an opinion that wishing to seriously interest a child with miracles of biology makes sense to purchase an old domestic medical microscope, laboratory or industrial. Such a microscope can be purchased with hands in good condition. If you buy a Chinese toy, do not pursue high magnification, better take care of the quality of the assembly and ease of adjustment.

The gears of the microscope drive easily slide relative to each other due to the lubrication, which will have to be changed after several years of operation. Otherwise, the control of moving parts will be too tight, and you can damage the wheels.

Children's microscope: reviews

According to buyers, microscopes, as a rule, correspond to the declared characteristics. To configure them is still better for adults, since precision and smooth adjustment are required. Children with great interest examine the provided in the complete set of wool samples, as well as grains of sugar and salt. Thanks to the color filters, the crystals of ordinary salt look like a fantastic cosmic landscape.

Other consumers in their reviews complain about the difficulties with tuning, especially in Chinese models, believe that, no matter how hard they tried, it was not possible to achieve good picture quality. Some buyers have decided that low-cost Chinese microscopes are suitable only for the entertainment of a child of senior preschool age, and as a teaching aid for the student leave much to be desired. But most still came to the conclusion that at the stated price the children's microscope (reviews are given about the model "Microscope for the school (9001 PS)") is fully consistent with its purpose and can be used in biology lessons.