Astronomy is a great hobby for children of all ages. Not only does it engage their minds and their imaginations, it can encourage a love for science and STEM fields, setting them on a path toward success. It can also provide a great opportunity for bonding, as you share a fascination of the stars with your little one.
However, picking out a telescope for a child can be difficult, and in the end the right telescope is heavily dependent on the child themselves. If your child is very young, you might not want to invest in something that they will outgrow, and the same goes if your child is maybe a little rough with some of their toys. Below is a list of telescopes that best fit children based on their age and development, and should provide a hand in picking out the perfect starter scope—from your curious little tyke, to your mature and independent teen, this buyer’s guide will have you covered.
Preschooler, Ages 3-5
For children in this age bracket, a telescope that will familiarize them with the basic fundamentals of how telescopes function will be best. Ideally, you want something that will keep them entertained, occupied, and fascinated. For that reason, recommended telescopes for this preschool aged children more closely resemble play toys than functional telescopes, which is a fantastic starting point until they are ready to move up to something that more closely resembles a real telescope.
Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Telescope Featuring Emily Calandrelli ($24.99)
While not a functioning telescope, Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr Talking Telescope will be sure to engage your child and nurture their love for astronomy and science, as many parents have found with its Amazon consumer review of 4.2/5. This toy telescope functions as a projector, and is loaded with twenty-four colorful images right from NASA that will introduce them to the wonder of our solar system, its planets, and other celestial objects. Each image is supplemented with over 240 audio recordings and factoids that will not only entertain your child, but will work to educate them about the wonders of outer space. An added bonus, especially if your child is a fan of the Netflix educational program Emily’s Wonder Lab, each fun fact is narrated by the show’s host Emily Calandrelli. Not only will the toy itself help educate and nudge your child toward an interest in STEM fields, it will also provide them with an additional outlet for broadening their education by encouraging them to watch educational television.
Little Experimenter Telescope for Kids ($37.99)
Functioning as both a projector and a monocular telescope, the Little Experimenter Telescope for kids is perfect for older preschoolers. Designed to mimic a real telescope, this toy scope features a foldable tripod for easy storage and a swivel mount that allows them to aim their sights toward birds, trees, and even the moon. The eyepiece itself is made for both eyes, making it easy to use for children, and is manufactured with a soft, malleable, plastic that should alleviate any worry of injury when looking through it. The images project against any flat surface, and are loaded with a projector wheel cards, ala the Viewfinder. A great draw is that is comes with an educational activity book that works in conjunction with the projections, in a way that will not only encourage both family time and reading, but provides a number of interesting facts about space and spacecraft that will keep your child enthralled. Parents agree, as Little Experimenter Telescope for kids hold an Amazon consumer review of 4/5.
Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Original Talking Telescope: Introduction to Scientific Tools ($64.99)
Another product from Educational Insights, their Introduction to Scientific Tools model of the GeoSafari Jr. Talking Telescope series is designed to not only encourage a fascination with space, but STEM fields as a whole. It features a built in microscope for viewing twenty full-color educational slides that are designed to function as though they themselves are microscope slides, as well as a detachable telescope that acts as a monocular. The slides do focus more on animals, with only eight of the twenty slides featuring space based images. The draw to this toy telescope however, is the interactive quiz feature, which not only allows a child to absorb a number of small facts, but also encourages recall with over 200 facts and questions. Boasting the highest Amazon consumer review of any of preschool aged telescopes, with 4.4/5, this Introduction to Scientific Tools toy is a great step in preparing your child for school as well as fostering an enjoyment of STEM fields as a whole.
Young Middle Childhood, Ages 6-8
Children in this age range sill aren’t quite developed enough for their own telescopes, but are ready to enjoy the sights of telescopes owned by their parents. It’s a great idea to spend some time with them viewing the sights through your own telescope, and to provide them with their own toy telescopes as they are naturally going to want to impersonate your behaviors. The telescopes mentioned here function similarly to low-powered binoculars, and are perfect for fostering a child’s fascination with the Moon and the stars, while not needing to worry about supervising them as they handle an expensive or delicate piece of equipment.
Scientoy Telescope for Kids ($32.99)
This is a simple telescope for kids to learn the basics of owning and using a real telescope, and although the view will leave something to be desired in comparison to an adult model, it is suitable for a child to view the moon and stars with limited adult supervision. The lightweight design allows for easy movement, and the cheap price means that you don’t have to worry about your child being too rough with it. The Scientoy Telescope for Kids holds a moderate Amazon consumer review of 3.7/5, and as long as you manage your expectations, knowing that this is not a professional model capable of seeing planets in detail, and rather a beginning astronomy toy intended for a young child’s introduction to the hobby you will be pleased. This telescope makes a suitable jump up from the previous entries on this list.
Educational Insights Nancy B’s Science Club MoonScope ($54.99)
While most scientifically modelled toys are geared toward boys, the Nancy B’s Science Club MoonScope encourages girls to recognize their ability to dawn a lab coat and enter the sciences as well. With a consumer review of 4.2/5 on Educational Insights’ webpage, this toy telescope is perfect for a beginning amateur astronomer, requiring practice at focusing the scope as well as including a variety of interchangeable eyepieces. The scope also comes with a filter to enable you to see the moon clearly even in areas with high levels of light pollution. While there is a likelihood that you will need to help your child learn how to operate the scope, it comes with an activity book that includes instructions as well as achievable targets in the night sky. Even better, the activity book encourages users to keep their own astronomy journals, a good practice to get into for those serious about the hobby.
Qurious Space Kid’s Explorer Telescope ($49.99)
This telescope is the perfect bridge between toy telescopes and fully functional telescopes, and comes loaded with extra materials to keep your child engaged, such as activity books, posters, and stickers. With an Amazon consumer review rating of 4/5 and a unisex color scheme, the Space Kid’s Explorer Telescope will satisfy your child until they are ready for a more advanced telescope. The telescope comes with all the accessories of an adult model, including a finder scope, a compass, carrying case, and a table top tripod. The entire kit is designed to encourage a love of astronomy, and is designed to teach them the basics of the hobby, including finding a locating objects, and the phases of the moon. This is the perfect scope for kids that live and breathe all things space related, and the lunar charts, posters, and glow in the dark star stickers will allow them to express their fascination through bedroom décor.
Middle Childhood, Ages 9-11
At this point, children are ready for their own telescope, but still might require a little bit of parental supervision. Once they become knowledgeable about how to set up and focus their own scopes, however, they should be able to work these telescopes on their own. While still affordable, these telescopes will continue to encourage children to explore their fascination with space and the sciences, without you having to worry too much about leaving an expensive telescope in their care. They can also provide for a number of social experiences for your child, who would benefit from joining some amateur astronomy clubs, or from having a portable telescope to that with them to camping trips or the scouts, or even just to show off to their friends.
ECOOPRO Telescope for Kids ($89.99)
Packaged with two eyepieces, one 51X magnification and the other 128X, as well as a finder scope, adjustable tripod, carrying case, and alt-azimuth mount, the ECOOPRO is a great introduction to the responsibility of owning your own telescope. An Amazon consumer rating of 4.2/5 communicates that parents are happy with the design, which allows for an easy set up, and the fully coated lenses allow for sharper images than most telescopes made for children. This telescope is a slight jump up from the toy telescopes mentioned previously, and while it is still ideal for viewing the moon with a fairly decent amount of detail, you still won’t get much out of it in terms of deep-sky or planetary viewing. It also comes with a poster sized map of the solar system, keeping your child curious about what might be beyond their reach for now.
Orion GoScope II 70mm Refractor Travel Telescope ($84.99)
Orion’s GoScope II telescope is perfect for the social child, coming with a backpack that allows for easy transportation to friends’ houses and camping trips. As it is built by a trusted telescope manufacturer, with kids in mind, this telescope is one of the more capable telescopes for children. Sporting an Amazon consumer rating of 4.2/5, this telescope will grant your child the ability to see the surface details of the moon as well as larger and brighter planets such as Jupiter and Saturn, with impressive detail considering the cheap price point. This is made possible by the high quality 10mm and 25mm eyepeices and finder scope that comes with it. The adjustable tripod also ensures that it can grow with your child until they are ready for a more serious piece of equipment. To encourage the young amateur astronomer, the telescope also comes with a moon map booklet that identifies over 260 features of the moon, including the US and Soviet lander sights, giving your child something to hunt for with their friends.
Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope ($54.95)
There is no telescope brand better than Celestron, and their affordable table top FirstScope Dobsonian offers an unparalleled view compared to others at this price point, as echoed by its Amazon consumer rating of 4.3/5. The Dobsonian design and remarkably light weight of four and a half pounds makes this telescope easy to transport, and a good fit for almost any occasion as it requires absolutely no setup. Even better, the FirstScope is made to be compatible with other Celestron accessories, including a finder scope, smartphone camera adapter, and various eyepieces that will allow you to get much more out the telescope than its base kit initially allows. With a few cheap upgrades, you will be able to see Saturn and its rings, Jupiter and the Galilean Moons, and even the Andromeda Galaxy. This telescope is a great buy for children and adults alike, and is one scope will not outlive its usefulness.
Young Teens, Ages 12-14
Your child is growing up and coming into their own, and are finally ready for a fully functioning telescope all their own. These telescopes are the real deal, but are made for beginners in the hobby of amateur astronomy, adult and child alike. Most of the telescopes on this list are easy to operate refractor telescopes that don’t require calibration of their lenses. For the more seasoned young adult, who has grown up around telescopes, know how they work, and is disciplined enough to take care of it, this list includes a very nice Reflector Telescope that will rival even your own telescope, unleashing the possibilities of exploring deep space.
Meade Instruments – Infinity 70mm Aperture, Portable Refracting Astronomy Telescope for Kids & Beginners ($99.00)
This Meade manufactured Refractor Telescope is a suitable starter telescope for beginners as well as any kid transitioning into adulthood. With an Amazon consumer rating of 4.3/5, this scope will not disappoint with its easy set up and helpful accessories. It comes with an alt-azimuth mount outfitted with a control bar for smooth hand-tracking, a red dot finder scope, two eyepieces (26mm and 9mm) and a Barlow lens. The scope also comes with a built in rack and pinion focuser. Offering superb views of the moon’s surface, as well as planetary details. On clear nights it is even possible to pick out faint deep sky objects such as nebula and galaxies.
Celestron – AstroMaster 70AZ Telescope ($149.95)
Celestron’s AstroMaster is the real deal, suitable for a beginning astronomer of any age. With this telescope you can easily make out the rings of Saturn, can distinguish the colored band of Jupiter, and can get deep clarity of the moon’s surface detail, as well as various deep sky objects. Although there are easily more powerful Refractor Telescopes on the market, the power you get for this price is nearly unbeatable. As Refractors require little to no maintenance, this is the definition of a quality point and view scope. This telescope holds and Amazon consumer rating of 4.4/5 and comes with two eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), an erect image star diagonal, a travel tripod, and a red dot finder scope, as well as star atlas software that can help you plan your celestial viewing itinerary.
Orion StarBlast II 4.5 EQ Reflector Telescope Kit ($249.99)
The Orion StarBlast II is the highest powered and versatile telescope on this list, as well as the most advanced, and is perfect for an amateur astronomer that you know will remain invested in the hobby for years to come with the discipline to take care of their equipment. The StarBlast is a wide-field Reflector Telescope, which means that it sometimes requires collimation, or the realigning of the telescopes internal mirrors, which is typical of Reflectors. This telescope will accomplish anything a traditional Refractor telescope can, but with the added bonus of being specifically designed to better handle deep sky objects in level of detail and clarity that Refractor’s just can’t compete with. While not the best Reflector Telescope on the market, this makes a great first step into the more complex and disciplined world of Reflector Telescopes, and is great for a kid who has had some experience with previous telescopes. The telescope includes a sizable number of accessories, including a Planisphere, Moon Map, and a Telescope Observer’s Guide book, all of which will help your child locate celestial objects and features as well as plan their stargazing journey. It also comes equipped with an Equatorial Mount, perfect for tracking some of the harder targets this telescope is capable of bringing to your kid’s fingertips.
