Binoculars for Children

A great many parents and grandparents want to share their love of nature with children. And many children love to be just like mommy or grandpa. But binoculars designed for adults may be too heavy, too large, too unwieldy to focus, and even too expensive to allow small children to use. The ideal starter binoculars for preschoolers and even kindergarteners are simply two toilet-paper tubes taped together, with a boot lace for a neck strap. Binoculars specifically designed for very small children usually have plastic lenses which are easily scratched, don't exclude moisture so they can quickly become clouded, and are "auto-focused," meaning everything is somewhat in focus but nothing is extremely clear. You don't want children to start expecting their view to be more cloudy and unfocused with binoculars! One of the advantages of using binoculars is to focus on one thing, and toilet paper tubes do this while giving them a perfectly clear if unmagnified view.

When children reach elementary school age, it becomes more sensible to purchase binoculars for them. A first pair for a child under 10 years old should be 6x or 7x (about 6x30 or 7x35), while small enough for the child's hands. Make sure the eyepieces come together close enough for the child's eyes. If the child wears glasses, make sure the binoculars have the appropriate eye relief, and that the child uses them with the eyecups closed or folded down.

~ Laura Erickson