telescope/microscope

I am looking for a nice (but not too expensive) telescope and microscope for the boys bday. Any suggestions? I bought them a telescope once that didn't work at all.

I also would like to get them an interactive globe. I know there are a few varieties so if you have one that you like, what kind is it?



Some other things I found: I am not going to get even half of these things but I will ask family for some and the rest save for Christmas ideas. Just wanted to share to see if there were any thoughts on any of these.


I also found a toy called Space Chips. I just need to figure out what set to get. This seems like a great toy.

Tetherball Game


Spiro Hop


Walkie Talkie

Snow Cone Machine- not sure what kind

Temporary tattoo art

Bow and Arrow

 

I was looking for something similar last year for my boys but I felt as if all of the options were really for kids much older. In the end, I settled on Zoomy. It's not really a microscope, but it does work very well and it easily hooked up to the computer. It has been a big hit since my Mom gave them a "science box" filled with all sorts of rocks and shells and stuff. You can hold the Zoomy up to just about anything, it doesn't have to be translucent like it does with a microscope.

 

My girls got Thames and Kosmos Biology Microscopes for their 7th birthdays - one each. They are very good simple microscopes, easy to focus and operate. Lit from the bottom for looking at traditional slides as well as the top for looking at more 3D samples like a high powered magifying glass. After looking at the prepared slides included (and too lazy to make more of our own), we went around gathering plant samples, pond water, dust bunnies etc to look at. We could even see little creatures wiggling around in the pond water. It's easy enough for them to set up themselves and I think it will be sufficient for school projects etc through middle school at least.

My link

 

We recently found some walkie talkies tucked away in the attic and got them out for my girls and they have loved them! Just based on how much my girls love them, I think the walkie talkies are a great idea!

 

My only concern with the walkie talkie's, is I've gotten my older kids a "toy" set, and my inlaws got them a "toy" set, and neither set worked very good or lasted very long. For easter I got them a set of real ones, they cost me more, but they work SO much better, they are very sturdy and easily recharged with a double ended cord. I think they were regular $50 and were on clearance for $30 at walmart if I remember right. They use them all the time!

We have the old leapster learning globe and my kids rarely play with it. It super cool...but they get bored fast with it. The twins play with it more now, but only to touch different places on it and hear it repeat the name over and over and over and over and over and over.................

Those Space Chips look super cool, I might have to look into getting the kids some of them!

 

The walkie talkies we have are the real ones, too. We just had them packed away and never used them so we charged them up and gave them to the girls.