Microscopes are a great way to get kids interested in science. They provide a window into another world that lets them perceive things that they otherwise wouldn’t. And because so much has changed with manufacturing and microscope technology, the prices for getting a good quality microscope have come way down. So if you are thinking you might want to buy kids microscope for your child, check out the following recommendations.

The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure that you get adequate power. For most commercial microscopes these days, that shouldn’t be an issue. Getting a microscope that has both low power (40x) and high power (100x) is important. The low power is a simple magnification that allows you and your child to examine everyday visible things at a much more detailed level. So if you wanted to take a closer look at bugs, hairs, fabric fibers, these sorts of things; the low power setting will give you the resolution you need. For the more “invisible” objects, getting a high powered objective will give the microscope that impressive “wow” factor. With the high power you can see all sorts of microorganisms such as those found in saliva, pond water and blood.

Another great tip is to look for a cheap microscope kit. To help get and keep kids interested in the microscope, manufacturers often put together prepared slides that have a lot of interesting microscopic things on a microscope slide. This allows kids to simply load up the slide and examine dozens of different things and really get some good use out of their microscope.

And if you want to get them used to modern technology, there are some cheap USB microscopes available. Digital microscope technology has greatly improved over the last few years and now with the convenience of plug-and-play USB technology, a USB microscope makes a great option for kids to help them become technologically savvy.