One of the most interesting activities that kids can get involved in during childhood is the exploration of the alluring night sky through a telescope.
It’s a fun-filled experience to look at the stars, the moon, and other objects in space, using only the best telescope for a clearer view.
Our goal is to help you look for the best telescope for kids, and it might require you to be knowledgeable about a few things first.
Two Types of Telescopes
The two main types of telescopes are:
Refracting Telescope
A refractor uses lenses to bend light into a focal point until it can magnify the view of objects.
Refracting telescopes have two lenses for viewing— an objective lens, and an eyepiece lens.
Reflecting Telescope
Reflecting telescopes use mirrors to catch the light to the focal point. A convex mirror gathers the light, and another mirror reflects the light to the eyepiece.
What Are The Important Properties of a Telescope
There are two most important properties that a telescope must possess.
Magnification
The magnification determines the size of the objects would appear through the telescope. A wider magnification range allows you to adjust how farther or closer you want to look at an object.
Aperture
A telescope’s aperture refers to its light-gathering ability. The size of a telescope’s aperture determines the amount of light that it can gather. A bigger telescope aperture allows you to see faraway objects clearly.
How To Use Telescopes For Kids
Telescopes for kids are much easier to use compared to professional telescopes that are commonly used by astronomers. Generally, a few simple steps can be handled by kids with little supervision from adults.
Here are the steps for setting up a telescope for your kids:
- Unboxing a telescope set might vary from the packaging of different product manufacturers. Opening a new set might require an adult overseer to avoid accidents from possible broken glass or sharp edges.
- A user manual is usually included for a clear guide on product assembly.
- Telescopes for kids often come with either a table-top or height-adjustable tripod. Choose a clean flat surface where you can put the tripod in place. Make sure to choose a place where your kid can view the night sky with ease.
- Attach the telescope to the tripod. It must be securely locked to prevent it from falling. Check the rotational feature of the telescope to see if it’s working.
- Attach the additional accessories for the telescope (e.g., lenses, moon mirror, eyepieces).
- Adjust the magnification of the lenses for convenient viewing.
- Enjoy!
Things to Avoid
For the safety of your kids, here are a few things that they need to avoid when using the telescope:
- Avoid looking directly to the sun, or any light nearby, because it can cause damage to the eye.
- Avoid using the telescope during bad weather.
- Avoid using the telescope with an extremely high temperature.
- Avoid condensed lenses by keeping the optics covered.
- Avoid using the telescope with tired eyes from facing your cell phones, tablets, or computers.
The 5 Best Telescopes for Kids: Reviews on Specs, Pros, and Cons
Browsing through a lot of options on the market can be tedious. To narrow down your selections, we reviewed five of the best telescopes for kids that you can find in the market.
Briskbay’s Telescope for Kids and Lunar Beginners
Best choice: For Moon and Stars Viewing
Introduce your child to the fascinating world of astronomy with Briskbay’s Telescope for Kids and Lunar Beginners. It’s a telescope that is easy-friendly convenient for those who want to start learning about the wonders of Outer Space.
The telescope set is included with two separate eyepieces with 18x and 90x magnification for wide and close-up angles. Your little astronomers can see the moon as close as seeing the surface craters, volcanoes, plateaus, and more details.
There’s a stable tripod that’s easy to assemble and simple vertical and horizontal mechanisms to modify according to your kid’s comfort.
Item Specs:
- Type: Refractor
- Focal Length: 360mm
- Magnification: 18x and 90x
- Dimensions: 17.5 x 4 x 8.5 inches
- Accessories: Tripod, 2 eyepieces
Pros:
✔️ Suitable for beginners
✔️ Dual eyepiece set for a wide range and close-up view
✔️ Easy to assemble
✔️ Lightweight materials
✔️ Budget-wise
✔️ Portable size
Cons:
❌ Short tripod
MaxUSee Kids Telescope F40040M
Best choice: For Lunar Viewing
MaxUSee Kids’ Telescope has an easy-assemble feature that is ideal for backyard camping trips. Simply open the tripod, and mount the telescope on top. Insert the eyepiece to the diagonal mirror, and then adjust the knob until you get a clear view.
This is one of the best telescopes for kids for viewing the moon. Set-up a bonding experience with your kids and explore the night sky using MaxUSee telescope. The kit is inclusive of the moon mirror just to serve its purpose accordingly. The telescope has a fully coated lens that will allow you to view things clearly from afar.
Item Specs:
- Type: Refractor
- Aperture: 40mm
- Focal length: 400mm
- Magnification: 20x and 32x
- Dimensions: 14.96 x 7.68 x 3.54 inches
- Accessories: Tripod, Moon mirror, 2 eyepieces (H12.5mm & 20mm)
Pros:
✔️ Longer focal point
✔️ Comes with a 5X18 finderscope
✔️ Built-in compass
✔️ Stars and moon map included
✔️ Handy and light materials
Cons:
❌ Lower magnifications
❌ Short tripod
Geosafari Jr. My First Telescope
Best Choice: For Nature and Sky Viewing
Ignite your child’s curiosity as early as the age of three!
The Geosafari Jr. My First Telescope is the best telescope that can be used for your kids’ first steps to scientific discovery. It is a child-friendly tool that is most fitting for outdoor activities like nature observation. They can take a closer look at small insects, faraway mountains, and tall mounting trees in the forest. It’s excellent, not only for learning but for creating enjoyable childhood memories as well.
Item Specs:
- Type: Finderscope
- Magnification: 10x
- Dimensions: 19.8 x 9.2 x 4.6 inches
- Accessories: Tripod, Dual eyepiece
Pros:
✔️ Colorful design
✔️ Appropriate for kids ages 3+
✔️ 365 days risk-free guarantee
✔️ Designed specifically for children’s Pupillary distance
✔️ Collapsible tripod for easy storage
Cons:
❌ Fragile plastic materials
❌ Low magnification level
ToyerBee Telescope
Best Choice: For Terrestrial and Astronomical Viewing
The ToyerBee reflector telescope for kids and adults is superior for studying the earth’s mountains, valleys, and other natural resources. It is also designed for viewing the moon’s craters, Jupiter’s major moons, and Saturn’s rings.
You can assemble the telescope on your balcony where you and your kids can delve into the marvels of our universe. There’s a bottom tray where you can put all the lenses while sight-seeing. It’s also great for outdoor science trips where your child can share the experience with friends.
Item Specs:
- Type: Reflector
- Aperture: 76mm
- Focal Length: 700mm
- Magnification: 70x to 350x
- Dimensions: 26.6 x 30.7 x 54 inches
- Accessories: Moon mirror, 2X Barlow lens, 1.5X erecting eyepiece with three lenses (H20mm, H12.5mm, and H4mm), Finderscope mounting bracket, Aluminum tripod
Pros:
✔️ Height adjustable tripod
✔️ High magnification
✔️ Large aperture
✔️ Rotatable to 360°
✔️ 3-year warranty by ToyerBee
✔️ Easy to assemble and dismount
✔️ For kids and adults
Cons:
❌ Children may find difficulty in carrying the telescope’s heavy materials
MaxUSee Refractor Telescope F400X70
Best Choice: For Nature Exploration and Moon Viewing
This is a complete package for the avid beginner in the field of astronomy. The MaxUSee Refractor Telescope F400X70 has all the accessories you can look for in a telescope set. It has an inclusion of eyepieces and lenses that will allow you to examine the world’s wondrous creation.
Inspire your whole family to go on a starry-night adventure with the MaxUSee telescope for kids and grown-ups too.
Item Specs:
- Type: Refractor
- Aperture: 70mm
- Focal length: 400mm
- Magnification: 16x to 200x
- Dimensions: 45.5 x 22.1 x 10.9 inches
- Accessories: 5×24 finderscope,1.5x erecting eyepiece with three lenses (1.25” H6mm, H12.5mm, and H20mm), K25mm Kellner eyepiece, 3x Barlow lens, Moon mirror, Aluminum tripod
Pros:
✔️ Large aperture
✔️ Easy to set-up
✔️ Compact materials
✔️ More interchangeable accessories
✔️ Increased eyepiece and lens magnification
Cons:
❌ Large size takes up more space
Best Recommended for Your Kid
To recommend only one of the best telescopes for kids, we are in favor of the ToyerBee Telescope. It costs more compared to other brands, but it’s worth your every penny.
The ToyerBee telescope is the most practical option in terms of product features and quality. The item is made of high-end materials that make it last longer than other products. The durability of the product will allow your kids to fill their childhood with amazing memories of stargazing, moon watching, nature exploration, and many more.
The tools and accessories that are enclosed in every ToyerBee Telescope’s box give you and your whole family a lot of advantages for the amazing adventure ahead of you.