5 Easy Resources for Using Microscopes In Your Homeschool
Microscopes are a resource I recommend to many homeschoolers early in their careers. They are easy to use, they invite children to view a world their eyes can’t see on their own, and, other than the microscope, you don’t need any special items {less cleanup!}.
Microscopes We Love
If your kiddos aren’t ready to use a regular microscope on their own or you are a nature-loving family, a handheld microscope may be perfect! We keep a couple in the car so we have them for trips to the park & hiking. My boys were pretty young when we purchased them and they have held up well. With few moving parts and a rugged exterior, you get a well-designed microscope for kids without sacrificing quality.
We wanted to purchase a traditional microscope but young kids left us hesitant to invest in one. Amazon to the rescue! A quick search showed me something I didn’t know existed–USB microscopes. The microscope plugs right into your computer and, after a quick set-up, you are ready to look. We’ve examined food, bugs, toys, lost teeth. We have an entire collection of photos taken from our microscope. (Read my full review here.)
Accessories for Your Microscope
If you can track down a copy of the out-of-print Microscopes & Magnifying Glasses book from Janice Van Cleave, her books are the only ones I use for science activities. The Complete Book of the Microscope is an interesting book of microscopic pictures, the history of the microscope, and what you can see under a microscope. If you can’t find the Van Cleave book, check out the World of the Microscope from Usborne for microscope activities.
You’ve mastered the microscope, played around with prepared slides and now you’re ready to make your own. These are the blank slides I purchased. If you’ve forgotten everything you learned in high school sciences, too, here are easy-to-follow directions for preparing slides.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve forgotten everything I learned about preparing slides in high school! So I was awfully glad to find prepared slides when we bought our microscope. They are also a great way for kids to learn how to use microscopes without supervision. {This is another great set of prepared slides.}
When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission. My goal is to keep this site 100% reader-supported and free of ads or sponsorships. Your purchases help me make this possible. Thank you! Read more here.