Microscopy for Kids

Many people think that young, four to five-year-old children are not prepared to handle the microscope because they lack the attention and other skills necessary to handle the subject. However, if their parents are actively involved with their kids doing everything together, then working with a microscope will be a very good introduction to science.

Of course, it is hard to keep a small child’s attention if they find the task too challenging or if the topic does not stimulate their attention constantly. Therefore, if you want your small kid to enjoy microscopy, try to give them a reason to pay attention, play with them, try to engage them in doing things with their hands and you will succeed!

If she is interested, your small kid will be able to focus on a task up to 25 or even 30 minutes! Doing experiments together with your child or grandchild will give you a chance to bond with your child. With a microscope, you may even learn something new together!

Preparing Slides with Children

When your new microscope has arrived, set up several different objects in Petri dishes to view. You can start with sugar, salt, flour, and sand. You need slides to view objects put on the stage. Of course, it is possible to use slides prepared in a lab. However, for small kids, homemade slides are the better solution because they can make them themselves — with your help.

Sketch several rectangles of the microscope slide size (25 × 75 mm or 1 × 3 inches) on a piece of cardboard from a cereal box and have your child cut them with child scissors. Then help your child punch a 5 to 6 mm hole. Now have your child tear a piece of transparent Scotch tape and put it on the back of each slide. Show your child how to press the slide, sticky side down, to substances in Petri dishes, then pick them up and gently shake to remove the excess of the material. Their first slides are now ready for viewing under the microscope!

Music from YouTube Audio Library: Happy Mistake by RKVC.