One of our Favorite Science Tools for Kids: Micro Fi Wifi Digital Microscope
One of the favorite science tools in our house is our Celestron Micro Fi Handheld digital microscope. Although I have significant experience using a traditional compound light microscope in my Biology classrooms, this one provides a decent level of magnification and is so much more fun!
Let me start by saying that my kids received this microscope as a Christmas present and I don't have an affiliation with this company or receive compensation in any way for this post.
The Micro Fi digital microscope creates its own WiFi signal which allows you to stream video of microscopic images directly to your smart device. While streaming, you can record video or capture still photos using the camera button on the microscope or using your smart device. It's compatible with both iOS and Android. Supposedly, you can link 3 devices to the signal at once, although we haven't tried this feature yet.
It has a ring of 8 adjustable LEDs for illuminating anything you choose to look at. The 80x magnification is definitely lower than the 400x magnification you'd get with a traditional light microscope, but the focus knob makes it much quicker and easier to get a clear image. Maybe that doesn't seem important to you, but for someone who has spent more than her fair share of time focusing and refocusing microscopes for students, it's priceless.
What we love about this microscope:
-Although they're under my supervision, my 8 year-old and 6 year-old can use it independently. Plus, with the ability to stream to the iPad, they can all see the image at the same time. This is very helpful as I'm trying to explain what they're seeing.
-The portability allows my kids to easily move from object to object and satisfy their curiosity about each new image. It's the best form of scientific ADD.
-The ability to take pictures and video by themselves. They love that they have the control and I love the beautiful photos we can take.
Our favorite activity was observing the frog life cycle. My kids made observations about the frog eggs because they could see the embryos through the microscope. My husband, truly the fun parent, caught the eggs and we let them go as soon as they hatched.
I'd say that this microscope is a great tool for any amateur home scientist. It won't replace the traditional microscope in Biology class, but you'll have lots of fun practicing at home between classes!
If you're interested in the Micro Fi scope, you might want to see the official marketing video. If you like the more traditional approach, you may be interested in my Introductory Microscope Lab.
