Best Telescope for Kids 2020

Telescopes are wonderful for children. Having a healthy interest in the universe is a good thing for any child. Being able to look up to the night’s sky and wonder about what lies behind the stars and why is a good way to build cognitive skills. We know more about space than we do about our oceans and by using that knowledge and actually trying to see it, kids can build up a great understanding of the universe they are part of. Telescopes are tools that allow what kids read in books to be translated into reality and that is a wonderful thing.

Things to Consider when Buying a Kids Telescope

There are a few important considerations to think about when choosing a telescope for a child. The first being that your child will probably want to use this telescope for years to come, so it is worth getting one that will grow with your child. This means taking into consideration the tripod and how tall it is and can go, and also making sure that the features on the telescope are good enough to keep them fascinated for years to come.

The other thing is ease of use, kids will often need their parents to show them how to use the telescope and if the parents cant use it, the kid’s aren’t going to either. The features need to be easy to use so that the kids don’t lose interest because it takes a long time to figure out settings. Telescopes are supposed to be a form of relaxation and study, not a struggle to get it to work.

Now, let’s move on to our kid’s telescope reviews.

Our List of The Best Kids Telescope

MaxUSee 400 x 40mm Telescope

This is the best children’s telescope for aspiring astronomers! From an educational viewpoint, this telescope is brilliant. Perfect for beginners for ease of use and comes with extras that will keep the kids interested for years. There are lots of cool features and this telescope will definitely grow with your child, so it is a good value for money and a product they will be able to use even as an adult too.

The telescope is portable which is good so you can take it out of the house with ease. The focal length is 400mm with a 5X18 finder scope which can help locate objects quicker which is handy for beginners who need guidance to look for the right things. It also includes 2pcs eyepieces, H12.5mm, and 20mm and boasts a moon mirror that allows you to clearly view the moon, which is brilliant for kids. It doesn’t stop there, it also has a compass mounted on the telescope and includes a moon and stars map for extra guidance.

Overall it’s appearance is good too, not too childish, which is important for a telescope you want your kids to love for years to come. This would be a good telescope for 7 year old kids and upwards, and would still be good 10 years later for an amateur stargazer.

CSSEA 70mm Telescope

This is the best family telescope – it is good for kids as well as adults and is highly educational. It has a 360mm focal length and a 70mm aperture which is more than acceptable for kids and beginners. The lens’s optical glass is fully coated with high transmission coatings. This creates a clear and crisp image with a perfect brightness for clarity. It also includes 2pcs eyepieces, K25mm, and K10mm and delivers brilliant magnification settings including, 51X to 128X magnification. This telescope also has a 5X24 finder scope to help locate objects quicker which is a huge benefit for beginners and kids for ease of use.

There are no tools needed for setting it up which makes it quicker, easier and also safer for kids. Not only does it produce a quality viewing of space, but also can be used for bird watching, scenery, and other natural wildlife investigating. It is a telescope that will grow with your child because it comes with a tripod which has 4 adjustable heights and it is easily portable and is easy to carry around in its very own carry case. The telescope can view from any position and looks good too. The design is quite stylish, not childish and so will look good to an older child too. This telescope is more expensive but it does come with a lifetime money back guarantee. In a nutshell, this might be the best telescope for 6 year old kids and upwards, and would still be educational and stimulating 10 years later.

MaxUSee 70mm Refractor Telescope

This is the best telescope for 8 year old children is ideal for those with an interest in astronomy and nature. It has a great magnification of 20X to 200X which is perfect for getting closer to the moon and stars. The telescope also has a 70mm large aperture objective lens which makes the images brighter and clearer which is important. Also included is a 5X24 finder scope which helps to locate objects which will save time, making your time more efficiently used.

Three eyepieces are included H6mm, H12.5mm, and H20mm. The H6mm will give the highest magnifications, the H12.5mm will give an in-between magnification, while the H20mm will present a lower magnification but will give the clearest picture. The eyepieces will give a variety of viewing options for any viewing situation. A moon mirror is also included which give better opportunities to clearly study the moon which is good for kids and beginners who will enjoy seeing the moon in greater detail. This feature is perfect for educational purposes too.

Being a portable telescope has its benefits also because it will be easy to carry and set up in outdoor locations as well as indoor locations. Binoculars are also included with the telescope to create even more viewing options for traveling and wildlife watching. They are 8X21 compact binoculars with FCM green multi-coated optics which makes them perfect for camping holidays, sports and concert events and general sightseeing. This telescope and binocular combination are perfect for a young aspiring astronomer who has also got a healthy interest in nature and travel.

Children’s Adjustable Telescope

This children’s telescope is a thoughtful beginner model for kids to take a closer look at the world around them. Exploring land and sky, the telescope can be hand-held and is suitable for stargazing, land exploration, concerts and also animal observation. The magnification can be adjusted between three settings, 20X, 30X and 40X. The magnification may not seem high, but that does not mean the telescope isn’t good, magnification alone is not a good indicator of quality. The telescope is really easy to set up and use which means it is perfectly adapted to children. It only takes three minutes to install everything, loosen the screws to adjust the viewing angle and simply tighten it when the best angle is achieved.

The tripod is foldable which makes it compact and portable so it is able to be used in any location required. The parts are robust and not easily broken, which is a good thing with younger children. Observation is easy with the lightweight steady and firm design of the tripod which makes for clear and reliable images. For children between the ages of 5 to 12 this is an ideal telescope for them to start with. Parents will find it easy to introduce their children to astronomy and help them build a love for exploring new things. This would be a great gift for an aspiring young astronomer or nature lover and gives a gateway to the whole universe. Promoting children’s curiosity and exploration is an amazing gift to give. There is also a 12 months warranty which will cover the telescope, tripod, all three eyepieces, and any other fixtures.

Zeny 70mm Telescope with Tripod

This telescope is loaded with amazing features suitable for younger children. The magnification can be from 16X to 200X which is a great range. The 400mm focal length and 70mm aperture telescope come with 3 interchangeable eyepieces as well as 3X Barlow lens and a 1.5X Erecting eyepiece. The 45° finder scope with bracket can help children identify objects much easier and save time, creating more time for exploring. The 70mm large aperture objective lens make the images brighter and clearer.

The telescope is equipped with an azimuth mounting which can be moved vertically. Using the panhandle you can control the mount for easy pointing to located objects of interest. The design of the tripod shape makes the observation more steady and firm. Durable and safe to use it is perfect for children to use. Easy to carry and set up this telescope can be used in any location which will aid exploration opportunities. Beginners will find this astronomical telescope easy to use, especially for students, kids, teens and also entry-level amateur astronomers. Therefore, this is a good telescope for 5 year old children and above. This is the best youth telescope for all ages and will be treasured for years to come.

Educational Insights My First Telescope

The younger kids can also get their hands on science with this child-friendly and safe toddler telescope. Even the smallest scientists can get a closer view of the moon and wonder about the universe they live in. Introduction to a real scientific tool early on can inspire healthy hobbies and a good firsthand experience of the world around them. This telescope for 3 year olds is designed to be incredibly easy to use. A 10x Magnification is just right for toddlers. The children can see clearly and recognize objects without confusion.

The telescope is focus-free to protect young eyes and make it simpler to use. There is also a built-in diagonal mirror and lens cap. It also comes with a table-top tripod which is sturdy and also a moon guide for kids that can read, but also for parents to read to younger children. Two large eyepieces with comfy goggle and nose cut-out guide make it easy for kids to place their eyes correctly in the scope. The toy telescope also supports STEM learning and hands-on experience and an introduction to scientific exploration. Perfect as a first telescope and a great gift for a little explorer.

Celestron 70mm Travel Scope

This is a good telescope for kids, with a fully coated glass optics and a lightweight frame. Included with the telescope is a custom backpack which will store the telescope and all its accessories comfortably. This makes the telescope portable and coupled with the lightweight frame, it can be easily taken to any location. Observe the wonders of the universe with a quick and easy, no-tool setup which is perfect for young astrologers to use.

The focal length is 400mm (15.74″)and two eyepieces (20 mm and 10 mm) are also included. The 45° erect image diagonal and 5×24 finderscope make finding and observing objects quicker and easier. Panhandle Alt-Az control with clutch for smooth and accurate pointing makes more opportunities to observe at different required angles. The tripod has an adjustable height which ranges 22- 52 inches. This is the best telescope for 5 year old children and older thanks to its size and features. The design is stylish and suitable for younger and older children alike, and it will be a much loved scientific tool for many years.

Educational Insights GeoSafari Talking Telescope

This talking telescope is perfect for younger children starting at 3-years-old. Its looks, listen and learn approach is a great way to introduce young children to science. It will teach them about objects in space and phenomena that occur in space. The voice the children will hear is from Emily Dawn Caladrelli who is the host and producer of televisions “Xploration Outer Space”. The toddler telescope will include 24 lovely images from space and 240 cool facts and questions about space for children who are capable to read. Parents can read these facts to their children too which means that parents can help guide their children’s learning.

The tripod has soft rubber feet to be gentle on surfaces and does require some assembly which an adult can easily do. The eyepiece allows the child to see with both eyes instead of one so that young children can easily use it too. Three AAA batteries are required and do not come with the toy telescope. The voice can be heard in four different languages making it also a multilingual learning tool. Languages included are English, Spanish, French, and German. This telescope will open a child’s world up and inspire them to pick up a healthy hobby.

50 Things to See with a Telescope Book

From the author of the bestselling book 50 Things to See with a Small Telescope, this colorful edition explores the constellations with young readers. The book assists in guiding them to dozens of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. Every page features a helpful “telescope view”, showing exactly how objects appear through a small telescope or binoculars. While a member of the Mount Diablo Astronomical Society in California, John Read taught thousands of students how to use telescopes and explore the night sky. Now, he’s sharing this knowledge with you. Even without a telescope, this introduction to the night sky is essential for every child’s collection. Building curiosity at a young age and aiding in the physical learning process as well. This book is suitable for children who can read but can also be read to younger toddlers as well.

What are the Benefits of Getting Your Child a Telescope?

Telescopes are educational and are an easy to use scientific tool. Introducing your child to scientific tools early on will help introduce them to scientific exploration. Science is a brilliant and stimulating subject which will influence children to have healthy hobbies. Exploring nature and their universe, children will have access to their world and a deeper understanding of their world. Parents can also get involved with their child’s learning, which will help guide them and challenge them to ask questions. Using a telescope is also just fun in general and will inspire children to take interest in the outdoors instead of being stuck indoors on gaming consoles.

At What Age Will my Child Enjoy Using a Telescope?

The answer is from being a toddler it is possible for children to enjoy telescopes. Even if their understanding is not as deep, the enjoyment of experiencing another aspect of the world they live in is inevitable. Children love exploring and even older kids, students will still find joy and inspiration from staring into a telescope. Even babies will enjoy being read to, they won’t understand but they will enjoy their parents guiding them and talking to them. Kids love interacting with their parents too, so using a telescope together is a great activity for the whole family to enjoy.

What Accessories are Essential when Buying a Telescope?

When buying a telescope it is always handy to have an adjustable tripod, or at least a table tripod. This is so that you can see clear images easier from a sturdy stand-point. Also, it is handy to have a carry case so that it is easier to transport to different locations and so it can be used for outdoor purposes as well.

Conclusion – Best Overall Telescope for Kids

Out of all the products we have featured our favorite is the Zeny 70mm telescope with tripod. This is because the telescope provides many opportunities for exploration and lots of cool features. It is portable, easy to use and is perfect for children from 5 all the way to teen student age. The scope also boasts a great magnification and a clear image for observing the universe. It can be set-up anywhere as it is portable and had a good sturdy tripod, and can also easily be positioned in any angle due to its smooth handling panhandle. It is overall a perfect addition to any child’s scientific curiosity and would be enjoyed and studied for many years.