{"id":62613,"date":"2024-08-13T11:44:39","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T11:44:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/7075cb3d-804a-49a0-9ce3-00dae3fa5c15"},"modified":"2024-08-13T12:39:50","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T12:39:50","slug":"best-telescopes-for-kids-and-children-2024","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/best-telescopes-for-kids-and-children-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Best telescopes for kids and children, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buying a telescope for children can be a tricky task. We’ve tested some of the best telescopes for kids and young people getting started in astronomy. <\/p>

By Charlotte Daniels\n <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 13 August 2024 at 11:44 AM<\/p>

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Are you looking for the best telescope for kids to turn your child into a young astronomer? <\/p>

Getting kids started in astronomy shouldn’t be a chore. <\/p>

For a child you’ll want a good telescope that’s simple to set up and even simpler to use.<\/p>

But most importantly, a kid’s first telescope should provide glorious views of the night sky without too much fuss.<\/p>

It’s important not to skimp on quality just because it’s for a child.<\/p>

If you’re buying a telescope for a kid, don’t get a cheap toy telescope set, as these tend to have plastic lenses that are poorly aligned.<\/p>

It might be tempting to go for a toy telescope first, to see whether they’re really interested in astronomy before splashing out on a ‘real’ one.<\/p>

But 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.<\/p>

Have you ever tried to play a child’s toy guitar and realised it’s ineffective as a musical instrument? The same is true for toy telescopes.<\/p>

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A good quality telescope is more likely to get a kid inspired to continue astronomy. Credit: Dana Neibert \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>

That doesn’t mean you need break the bank however.<\/p>

Our list of the best telescopes for kids and children has options that will suit a range of budgets, or you can skip down to the end to get more advice about buying a telescope second-hand<\/a>.<\/p>

Read our advice on getting children started in astronomy<\/a> or our guide to astronomy for beginners<\/a>, and if you feel they’re ready for their first telescope, see below for our pick of the best kids’ telescopes. It might also be worth having a look at our guide to the best beginners’ telescopes<\/a>.<\/p>

Visit our main reviews section for more of our telescope reviews<\/a>. Or if you feel they would be better off starting with a pair of binoculars, read our guide to the best binoculars for astronomy<\/a>.<\/p>

If imaging the night sky is a potential point of interest, read our guide to the best telescopes for astrophotography<\/a>.<\/p>

Using a telescope with kids<\/strong><\/h2>
\"Using<\/figure>

Children 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!<\/p>

So ease of set-up is a big consideration when picking the best telescope for kids.<\/p>

As 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.<\/p>

Before you begin, you could get them to experiment closing one eye; perhaps even use a toilet tube to help them practise.<\/p>

That way, the task of looking through the eyepiece won’t seem as daunting.<\/p>

Even 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.<\/p>

Do they have a favourite dolly or stuffed toy? Perhaps their cuddly friend could have a go first.<\/p>

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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. Credit: Tommy Nawratil \/ CCDGuide.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>

What can you see looking through the telescope? Pick a planet at opposition<\/a> or a good star cluster like the Pleiades<\/a>, as these are immediately interesting and bright objects that will attract their attention.<\/p>

Older kids might benefit from a few amazing facts about the size or distance of the object they’re looking at.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

A good tip is also to hold the child’s hand while observing. This will help them ease into it, and will also make them less likely to knock the telescope away from your chosen target!<\/p>

Best telescopes for kids<\/strong><\/h2>

Sky-Watcher Infinity-76P<\/strong><\/h3>
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\"Sky-Watcher<\/figure>

The Infinity-76P is designed for the youngest astronomers and has a distinctive shape that resembles a spaceship. It comes with stickers for decoration and the cardboard box can be folded up to use as a carry case. This is a low-power telescope that can be assembled in minutes; pop the telescope onto the curved base, insert the eyepiece and away you go.<\/p>

The motion of the Infinity-76P is impressively smooth on its mount although it can\u2019t be locked in position, which could pose an issue when small hands make a grab for the eyepiece and move the field of view. Viewing quality is what you\u2019d expect for such a small system, however, we had pleasing sights of the Moon with enough crater detail to keep young minds interested.<\/p>

Vital Stats<\/strong><\/p>