Best Telescope for Kids

We all want our kids to develop a love for science and a sense of curiousity for the world around. Exploring the stars and planets around us with a new telescope is a great way to make this happen. Regardless of whether your child will become the next teenage astrophysicist like Ana Humphrey or not, this guide of the best telescopes for kids will make it easier for you to buy a telescope for your child, bond with them stargazing, and build that love of science that they will carry through life.

We have curated the list to balance cost and quality.  With all telescopes, you get what you pay for; but we wouldn’t recommend breaking the bank on a first telescope for a child. The list take this into account, and we’ve set out other criteria to consider at the bottom of the post. (Also, before we begin, please note that the products are available as of the date of this post, but that is subject to change. This post includes the author’s opinion, based on research and experience, of the “best” or “top” telescopes in this category; the opinions of others may vary.)

Our Take on the Best Telescope for Kids

Here are our 2021 recommendations for the best telescope for kids:

1. Gskyer 70mm AZ Mount Refractor Telescope for Kids

Our top pick for the best telescope for kids is the Gskyer 70mm. This is an excellent telescope at an affordable price that makes the perfect holiday or birthday present for a child that wants to get started with astronomy.

Scorecard – Gskyer 70mm AZ Mount Refractor Telescope

Why We Like It

An incredibly popular telescope, the Gskyer 70mm offers everything needed to get started with a decent-quality telescope at an affordable price.  The magnification (16x to 40x with the included 25mm and 10mm eyepieces) works well for beginners. The scope also includes a 3x Barlow lens, providing further magnifcation.  The telescope will provide good views of the moon, solar system objects, and star clusters.  Additionally, you can use the scope during daylight hours for wildlife observation and general viewing.

The Gskyer 70mm offers very good portability (fairly lightweight) and ease of use in a simple design. Gskyer has provided an acceptable build quality for the price, and the optics are glass and fully-coated.  The accessories that come with the scope set it apart, and will make it more interesting for your kid. It comes with a the smartphone mount, wireless remote control, multiple eyepieces, Barlow lens, 5×24 finder scope, aluminum-alloy tripod, and carrying case.  Overall, Gskyer has made a fantastic starter scope appropriate for kids or beginners.

Pros

• Perfect for kids or beginners
• Comes with smartphone mount, Barlow lens and a wireless remote control
• Sets up in minutes and simple to use
• Lifetime maintenance from Gskyer

Cons

• An introductory, traveling scope, not for high-powered viewing

Recommended Accessories

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2. Meade Instruments – Infinity 70mm Aperture, Portable Refracting Astronomy Telescope for Kids & Beginners 

Another popular choice as a first telescope for kids, the Meade Instrumenets Ininity 70mm Refracting Telescope offers a great option for viewers who like to watch both astronomical and terrestrial objects. The telescope features an achromatic refractor optical design with 700mm focal length, and includes two 1.25″ MA eyepieces (9mm and 26mm), a Barlow lens, an alt-azimuth mount and tripod.

This provides some good options for kids or beginners alike to explore the cosmos and outdoors. The 70mm aperture will give you sharp, clear, and bright images for the desired objects in the sky. Overall, it’s a great introductory telescope with good accessories that gives you what you need to get your child and any beginner started with astronomy.

Scorecard – Meade Instruments 70mm Refracting Telescope

Pros

• Higher magnification capability with lens options
• Can view both astronomical & terrestrial objects
• Sufficiently large aperture for a good price

Cons

• An introductory, traveling scope, not for high-powered viewing

3. Orion Starblast II Equatorial Reflector Telescope

The StarBlast II is one of the best telescopes to introduce your family to astronomy, with good value for money. The telescope comes with 25mm and 10mm Sirius Plossl eyepieces that provide 18-power and 45-power views. It’s short 450mm focal length combined with a 4.5 inch aperture provides for bright views. It also comes with a MoonMap, reflex sight, and adjustable-height tripod (though the quality of the tripod has much to be desired).

While not terribly expensive, the Starblast II is a price notch above some others on the list.  We think the improved optics are worth it, but this telescope would be more for older kids, in those pre-teen years, than the younger elementary crowd…

Pros

• Good Value for Money
• Great optics for a family friendly telescope
• Perfect for all types of outer space objects

Cons

• A bit heavier
• Some experience issies with equatorial tripod

4. Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Reflector Telescope

The AstroMaster (and the Gskyer) provide the highest quality scopes on the list. As promised in the introduction above, we have taken the higher price into account with this ranking. This telescope is more for supervised family viewing and/or older kids, not to mention adult beginners.

That said, the AstroMaster 130EQ provides absolutely great images. You can get great views of the moon and see the rings of Saturn. The AstroMaster comes with an above-average number of helpful features accessories, including two eyepieces (20mm and 10mm), a travel tripod, a StarPointer red dot finderscope and astronomincal software. The software helps you continue learning with your child from your phone or mobile device, when not necessarily with the telescope. We recommend getting a Barlow or extra lense kit as well for the added magnification.

Pros

• Higher magnification than most others on the list; great images
• Easily one of the best telescopes for older kids & beginners
• Good assortment of features, including software

Cons

• One of the pricier options (but worth it)

6. Orion 10034 GoScope II 70mm Refractor Travel Telescope Moon Kit

The Orion 10034 GoScope, as the name suggests, provides a lightweight (3.5 lbs) 70mm option that your child can grab, pack in the carrying case / backpack (included) and head outdoors with for a couple hours for play and exploration.  The telescope is great for hiking, camping and easy portability. It comes with a rugged, specially designed backpack that holds the telescope, tripod and all accessories.

The scope is just as good for daytime birdwatching as observing the moon at night. It includes a 5×24 finder scope for easy aiming and two 1.25″ telescope eyepieces (25mm and 10mm) for 16-power and 40-power views. The standard Orion MoonMap 260 seen with other Orion options also helps your child learn about lunar features and understand what they are seeing. The GoScope is definitely one of the winners when it comes to complete package for those who want to see their kids run out and explore.

Scorecard – Orion 10034 GoScope II 70mm Refractor Travel Telescope

Pros

• Great option for portability and exploration
• Good accessories like the Orion Moon Map and backback
• Can be used for bird watching and daytime viewing
• Lower price

Cons

• Limited astronomical use beyond observing the moon

7. Orion 10033 Funscope 76mm Tabletop Reflector Telescope Moon Kit

If you’re looking for a tabletop telescope to try out astronomy with your kids or family, we can recommend the Orion 10033 Funscope. The Orion 10033 Funscope makes a good purchase for kids, with a low price and lightweight (only 4 pounds). The scope is sufficiently powerful to see craters on the Moon, bright planets in our solar system, and brighter sparkling star clusters and nebulas.

The telescope includes a 76mm optic that allows 60% more light than typical beginner telescopes, and it comes with two Kellner eyepieces as well as the Orion Moon Map 260. The moon map will help kids find and identify the features of the Moon, helping them appreciate what they are seeing.

Scorecard – Orion 10033 FunScope 76mm TableTop Reflector Telescope

Pros

• Great tabletop option for introduction to astronomy
• Very user friendly; good for younger children
• Lower price

Cons

• Limited astronomical use beyond observing the moon

8. Orion Observer 60mm Az Refractor & Starter Kit

The Orion Observer 60mm Az refractor telescope comes with a lot of beginner friendly material to help kids get started in the world of astronomy. This includes the standard Orion Moon Map 260 as well as an Exploring the Cosmos book and a Star Target planisphere star chart so that you can identify what’s in the sky at any point throughout the calendar year. Reading through the books that Orion provides is a great way to get kids used to the terminology of space exploration, and is so interesting that in the beginning your kid may spend more time in the book than using the scope. The telescope itself uses a 60mm refractor using 25mm and 10mm eyepieces that are high quality glass lens, and not the plastic ones you would find on a lesser telescope.

Pros

• Lots of fun accessories
• Easy to setup and use
• Can be used for daytime viewing
• Lower price

Cons

• Limited astronomincal use beyond observing the moon

9. Solomark Travel Scope Telescope For Kids

Another very good travel / “grab and go” telescope for kids, the Solomark is straightforward to pack and carry, easy to set up and use, and suitable for your kids to interested in exploring outdoors with daytime or nightime viewing. It comes with two 1.25″ eyepieces K20mm and K9mm for 20-power and 44-power views, as well as a backback and mobile phone adapter for snapping those social media pics on the go. If you’re seeking a flexible and straightforward telescope for your kids, this Solomark Travel Scope is a good option for them.

Pros

• Very kid-friendly and portable
• Bright, clear optics
• Can be used for bird watching and daytime viewing
• Good assortment of accessories

Cons

• Limited astronomical use beyond observing the moon

10. Twin Star Compact Kids Telescope

The Twin Star Compact Kids Telescope made our list for those who have younger, elementary-aged children in mind. This is simply the lowest priced option, with a very basic set-up and simple, but decent-enough quality design. Twin Star covers off the basics with  a 60mm object lens, an additional 15x and 50x magnification from 6mm & 20mm .965″ diameter eyepieces, a 2x Barlow lens and a tripod. The telescope provides decent power at a low cost.

You can easily change out different eyepieces and lenses for different the observational needs, and the telescope gets good reviews for being user-friendly and having a compact design.  Additionally, you can order this telescope with some other extras with some extrass that include a carry case, activity sheets, stickers, and moon maps. Overall, this telescope fo kids is a versatile, straightforward and very low cost telescope worth your consideration.

Pros

• Different magnification options and lenses
• Easy assembly and simple design
• Assortment of accessories
• Very low price

Cons

• Accessories come with different price packages

Criteria When Buying a Telescope for Kids

When buying a telescope for kids, we recommend remembering a few key criteria:

1. Your child’s expectations – Fostering an understanding of what your kids are seeing through the telescope will help them keep interest. Couple stargazing with educational videos and activities to broaden their minds. This will help get the most out of your telescope time. NASA has a great website and videos to help spark interest, including the following:
   • Short video on the Milky Way: http://www.youtube.com/MX3PIkbTQwQ
   • Education Side with Constellations and Crafts: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/starfinder/en/
2. Quality v. Price – Balancing price and quality is important when buying a telescope for kids. On one hand, you don’t want a professional-grade telescope for a first one. On the other, if you don’t pay for quality, your telescope may not actually let your child see something interesting. The telescope reviews below  only include telescopes with solid reputations for quality but with limited features, so they generally fall in the moderate price range for the market.
3. Accessories – We do not recommend going overboard with accessories for a first telescope. We would expect 2-3 eyepieces and certain key accessories (such as a Barlow lens, color filter kit, and star maps) to suffice when buying a telescope for kids.

The recommendations above take points 2 and 3 into account. (Point 1 is up to you!)

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