I-Explore Stereo Microscope for Kids (SMD-04) - STEM Kids Microscope Kit for 3D Viewing Microscopy – Adjustable Student Microscope Set - 20x Magnification Children's Microscope

Short version of review - easy to use, super clear images, lightweight, seems sturdy (time will tell and will update if it proves not to be). Love it!Long version of review - my kids range from 3 to 11. I bought the oldest a microscope (compound, 1 eyepiece) from an educational resources company a few years ago. The light quit working reliably and then one of the magnifications got wonky and it hasn't had a lot of use over the years, although my son pulls it out now and then to try to use it. I decided to upgrade to a better (more durable) one as a gift this Christmas (for him) and thought that maybe the I Explore would be better/fun for the younger kids.The first thing I did with this scope was look at a stink bug that has been hanging out in a corner of our hallway for quite some time. We thought maybe he was hibernating. Turns out he is dead, deader than dead, dried out and hollow inside - which you can see if you look at his underside with this scope. You can see all the little hairs on his legs, all of his little spots, and incredible detail in his eyes. Who knew that this pest which has been plaguing Pittsburgh could be a thing of such beauty? I showed my husband the stinkbug and he had been a little - just a little - eye-rolling about getting this scope because of how simple it seemed and he said "Wow, that's really cool!"I have looked at popcorn, socks, yarn, sewing needles, a feather, and a crouton. I have used this to look at some cheap plastic prepared slides that we bought years ago with that now-dead microscope (Similar to the Elenco ones that are now for sale, but slightly different specimens) -- I was really surprised at how interesting they looked under here, given that I don't recall them being all that amazing under the compound scope and I didn't even think you could really do slides under this scope. (You can!)I had hoped it would help me to find the dates on some old buffalo nickels that I have but unfortunately the magnification is not strong enough to let you see something that just isn't there. :-) The only one that still has any indication of a date is actually easier to read with the naked eye *unless* I tilt the coin somewhat and it's really only a tie then. I also made a failed attempt to look at a whole banana - it was just too big, I couldn't raise the viewer enough to get it focused. A slice of banana should work just fine (and I suspect will be quite interesting).The reversible bottom plate is really nice for looking at different colored objects - I used the black side to look at a white feather.So far, I am really happy with how well this little "toy" works. Compound scopes are nice and all but they require so much more preparation - I love how easy it is to just throw anything you can think of under this without cutting, mounting, etc. (Provided it is no thicker than a whole banana!) You can even look at living things and then let them go on their way. My 3 year old can't get this set up entirely by himself (yet) but if I get it focused, he can easily then adjust the eyepieces to work for him.I thought that this would be too simple and too babyish for my older kids but now I think the stereoscope is the way to go for kids (and adults) of all ages. This is a great one to start with and then you can move up to ones with even higher magnification if you wish. (I'm already wondering about a stinkbug at 40x!)

I am a pathologist, which means I use microscopes for a living, and I recommend this to any parent who wants an introductory scope for a child, age 5-12. Compound scopes, which transmit light through a slide on a stage, have disadvantages in this age group - 1) to get decent optics you really have to spend more than a couple hundred dollars; the cheap ones are just a disappointment, 2) you have to buy slides to have things to look at, because it is hard to create your own slices of things that are thin enough to see through, and you don't have the means to stain them at home, and 3) the view is better with two eyepieces but that gets very expensive with a compound scope. This product is a stereoscope, which means there are two powerful magnifying lenses pointed at your subject. Having two eyepieces means you can see the object in 3 dimensions, with depth perception. The object sits on a platform, which can be reversed to a black field if your object is light in color, and a small LED provides the light source (battery powered). You can put anything on here and see it at high magnification, in good detail - the optics are great for the price. For example, bugs, leaves, rocks, circuit boards, even living things like worms or pond bugs in water. It's very kid friendly, no preparation needed, just find something interesting and put it on the stage. Can also be used by the grownups to repair jewelry or other micro tasks. They do make slide sets expressly for this kind of scope, such as AMSCOPE-KIDS 48pcs Kids Plastic Prepared Microscope Slides of Animals Insects Plants Flowers Sample Specimens for Stereo Microscopes or similar (basically tiny things like insect wings and slices of plants, etc).

I was worried about purchasing this stereoscope for my 4 year old for Christmas because reviews are on both ends of the spectrum. Because of this, I opened it right away when I received it to check that everything worked correctly. It seems in perfect working order. It's easy to use and the magnification is great. It shows a very nice close view and allows for any number of objects to be viewed under it, which makes it great for exploration. A great introduction to the micro world in a simpler way then starting off right away with a powerful microscope. This will show plenty to keep a young child wondering about what things look like up close and to discover details in anything from insects to fabric or even in prepared slides. At my sons age I'd use plastic slides perhaps down the road. There will be enough objects for his examination to keep him very busy at first. I thought the build was nice. Definitely not a heavy serious piece but made much better than some of the cheap microscope kits I see at toy stores. This is a Christmas gift so only time will tell how it will hold up. That's why I didn't give 5 stars and I will definitely update if it fails in anyway. My son and 6 year old daughter will love this. I think they are both old enough to use this with some supervision. It is small enough to be taken into the field by an older child or adult. It is somewhat fragile as any instrument of this type is. It will not stand up to rough handling in my opinion. If you have a younger child who knows to respect items that need more gentle care and are not just toys then I think this will work fine. One thing, I find the price slightly high. I got a good deal when it was a lightning deal but I'd still say it should be slightly less. I think 40 to 45 dollars is the right retail price for this item but at the same time I would of paid full price because there was nothing else that met all my needs in this category that seemed good. I have no regrets about buying it and it's probably the gift I'm the most excited about because it opens up a whole new world for my son and I'm glad that at 4 years old he says he wants to be a scientist! I'm happy to support this notion any way I can.

Bien, facile, amusant.

Great product

This is fantastic lab scope and is used by my grandchildren everyday. Nice and clear visual. Very nice product!

this is excellent quality for the price. Love the light feature as mirrors are difficult for children to use. As a scientist myself this is an excellent piece of kit. Good magnification to get a child excited.

This is a great microscope! We use it all the time and it works much better than the other ones we’ve looked at