Best Budget Kids Telescopes

Best Budget Kids Telescopes

If your kids are interested in astronomy just like you are, then you should get them a kid telescope. Kid’s telescopes provide a way for kids to enjoy the wonders of the universe and stimulate their imagination and exploration skills. These telescopes are simple to use, lightweight and great for use at home and on the go especially during camping trips.

There are a multitude of telescopes designed for kids and they all fall under different price categories. Luckily, most of these telescopes are reasonably affordable. So, it you want to nurture the passion of your little explorer, here are some of the budget kids telescopes you can choose from. Let’s take a look.

Best Budget Kids Telescopes- Our Top Picks

  1. Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Telescope Toy

Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Telescope Toy

 

 

The Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Telescope Toy is a fully functional telescope with a 10x magnification. It’s suitable for viewing earthly objects that are not so far away. It’s also suitable for both boys and girls who are above the age of 4.

Weighing just 1.69 pounds, this telescope is lightweight enough for your child to carry it without your help. This makes it ideal for on-the-go use when you child is out hiking, camping or on an adventure trip.

This focus-free telescope comes with a wide field of view, so your kids will have an easy time spotting the targets. The 2 extra-wide eyepieces will fit on your little explorer’s eyes for simple and frustration-free viewing. To top it all, this telescope helps stimulate STEM skills by encouraging your kids to explore and discover new things.

Features

  • Suitable for both boys and girls
  • 2 large and comfortable eyepieces
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Age range: 4 years and older
  • 10x magnification
  • Collapsible tripod for tabletop viewing
  • Simple and fun to use.
  • Focus-free viewing
  1. Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope

Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope

 

 

 

The Celestron FirstScope Telescope is a perfect telescope for introducing kids into astronomy. It features a 76mm Newtonian reflector which collects enough light need for bright and clear image production. It’s simple to operate and perfect for both day and night use.

This telescope features a lightweight and portable design which makes it convenient for your kid’s next outdoor activity. It’s very stylish so many kids will certainly love. Moreover, it has two eyepieces, a 20mm and a 4mm eyepiece. You can start with the 4mm eyepiece when your kids are younger, then switch to the other one when they have developed their skills. Above all, this top-notch telescope provides high-quality views at night so you can get best deep-sky views.

Features

  • Large 76mm primary mirror
  • Two eyepieces: 4mm and 20mm
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Table-top design
  • Stylish and decorative design
  • Simple to observe with
  • Day and night operation
  1. Orion 10015 StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope (Teal)

Orion 10015 StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope (Teal)

 

 

This is a compact and portable reflector telescope suitable for every member of the family. It has a significant 4.5-inch aperture and a fast f/4 focal ratio suitable for viewing both celestial and terrestrial objects. It provides bright, crisp and detailed views of the moon and planets as well as a wide view for celestial objects such as nebulas and stars.

Another impressive thing about this telescope is that it comes pre-assembled. This saves you the hassle of having to set it up yourself. Besides that, it comes with a stable tabletop base which offers smooth altazimuth motion for simple manual tracking of the objects. It also features an EZ Finder II reflex sight for smooth aiming and two Explorer II 1.25” Kellner eyepieces.

Features

  • Substantial 4.5” aperture
  • Comes pre-assembled
  • Stable tabletop base
  • Age range: 13 years and above
  • Two Explorer II 1.25” Kellner eyepieces: 6mm and 17mm
  • EZ Finder II reflex sight
  • Fast f/4 focal ratio
  1. Celestron- AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian Telescope

Celestron- AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian Telescope

 

 

 

The Celestron- AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian Telescope is a powerful reflector telescope that’s works well for observing both celestial and terrestrial objects. The user-friendly design makes it ideal for all astronomers regardless of their age or skill levels. It has high-quality features to give you the correct views of both the land and the sky.

This telescope features a 114mm primary mirror and fully-coated glass optics for bright and clear image views. The quick setup makes it the ideal telescope for both kids and adults. Not to mention the lightweight frame that makes it simple to carry and the German Equatorial mount that allows for simple and accurate pointing.

With this telescope, you get two eyepieces, 20mm and 10mm. You also get an adjustable tripod that works well with people of different heights and a StarPointer Red dot finder scope.

Features

  • Fully-coated glass optics
  • 2 1.25” eyepieces, 10mm and 20mm
  • 2 slow-motion control knobs Lightweight frame
  • Quick and straightforward tool-free set up
  • High-quality 114mm primary mirror
  • Sturdy, stainless-steel tripod
  • Manual equatorial mount
  • User-friendly design
  1. Meade Instruments – Polaris 70mm Aperture, Portable Backyard Refracting Astronomy Telescope for Beginners

Meade Instruments – Polaris 70mm Aperture, Portable Backyard Refracting Astronomy Telescope for Beginners

 

 

The Meade Polaris 70 German Equatorial refractor telescope is another quality yet budget telescope suitable for kids. Featuring a large 70mm aperture, the telescope gathers optimum light for bright, clear and sharp viewing. It works well for both land and celestial viewing.

This telescope has a sturdy equatorial mount with slow motion controls for smooth tracking of celestial objects as they move in the sky. It also comes with 3 eyepieces which provide low, medium and high magnification. For kids, they can start with the smaller eyepiece then move to the other options as they gain experience. More importantly, this product has a 2x Barlow lens which doubles the magnification for better deep-sky viewing.

Features

  • 3 eyepieces: 6.3mm, 9mm and 26mm
  • 2x Barlow lens
  • 70mm aperture
  • 90-degree erect image
  • Perfect for viewing both land and celestial objects
  • Refractor optical design
  • Equatorial mount
  1. Orion 09007 SpaceProbe 130ST Equatorial Reflector Telescope

Orion 09007 SpaceProbe 130ST Equatorial Reflector Telescope

 

 

If you are looking for a budget telescope that’s suitable for both adults and kids, look no further than the SpaceProbe 130ST Equatorial Reflector Telescope from Orion. It simple to operate and beginner-friendly. It utilizes a 130mm parabolic primary mirror which provides bright and great views of the celestial objects at night.

This telescope has a stable and precise EQ-2 equatorial mount with two setting circles and slow-motion hand controls. The short optical tube design makes the telescope highly portable while the fast f/5 focal ratio provides wide-field performance. Additionally, the telescope comes with two Sirius Plossl eyepieces that yields sharp and clear images with outstanding contrast. A 6×30 finder scope is also included to help you aim at objects in the sky easily.

Features

  • 1” aperture
  • Short 24-inch optical tube
  • Fast f/5 focal ratio
  • Two Sirius Plossl eyepieces: 25mm and 10mm
  • 6×30 finder scope
  • Stable EQ equatorial mount
  • Lightweight and portable
  • User-friendly and very versatile
  1. Celestron- Powerseeker 80EQ Telescope- Manual German Equatorial Telescope for Beginners

Celestron- Powerseeker 80EQ Telescope- Manual German Equatorial Telescope for Beginners

 

 

 

Here is another quality telescope from Celestron. The Powerseeker 80EQ Telescope is your best option if you are looking for a user-friendly telescope suitable for kids and adults. It has an erect image optic for viewing land-based targets and an Equatorial mount with slow motion controls for tracking moving celestial objects.

The small, lightweight and portable design makes it perfect for home and on the go application. Your kids can carry it whenever they are out camping or on an adventure trip. The telescope has fully-coated glass optical components which provide excellent image brightness and clarity in any lighting condition.

This powerful telescope features a 3x Barlow lens that trebles the scope magnification power. This helps you enjoy detailed views of the deep-sky all the time. It also has 2 eyepieces, 20mm and 10mm for use in different situations.

Features

  • Manual German Equatorial mount
  • 2 eyepieces, 20mm and 10mm
  • 3x Barlow lens
  • 80mm aperture
  • Lightweight, compact and great for travel
  • Fully-coated glass optical components
  • Erect image optics
  • Day and night use
  1. Emarth Telescope, 70mm/360mm Astronomical Refractor Telescope

Emarth Telescope, 70mm/360mm Astronomical Refractor Telescope

 

 

There is no better way of connecting with your kids other than spending some quality time observing the moon, stars and planets at night. To achieve this, you need a quality telescope such as the Emarth 70mm Astronomical Refractor Telescope. This telescope is perfect for every member of the family regardless of their age of experience.

Featuring a 70mm aperture, this telescope provides brilliant images as well as a wide viewing angle. The BAK-4 prims produce color-accurate images while the lead-free glass with several anti-reflective coatings enhance light transmission for bright and sharp image views. Besides that, this telescope comes with two eyepieces so you can enjoy excellent views at different distances. Lastly, it has a no-tool set up and it’s a great tool for teaching kids to develop their STEM skills.

Features

  • No-tool set up
  • Adjustable tripod
  • 3x Barlow lens
  • Cross star 5×24 finder scope
  • K10mm and K25mm eyepieces
  • Erect image diagonal
  • BAK-4 prism
  • Anti-reflective lens coatings
  1. Celestron- 80mm Travel Scope- Portable Refractor Telescope

Celestron- 80mm Travel Scope- Portable Refractor Telescope

 

 

 

If you are looking for the best kid’s telescope for travel, look no further than the Celestron 80mm Travel Scope. It has a lightweight design that makes it easy to carry anywhere. It’s also perfect for viewing celestial objects and land-based objects as well.

The finder scope included helps you located distant celestial objects and it has a lower magnification which is easier for kids to use. Moreover, this telescope comes with two additional eyepieces for viewing targets in different distances. The adjustable tripod is designed to accommodate all kids regardless of how tall or short they are. Plus, it provides a stable and comfortable platform for long viewing sessions.

Features

  • Both day and night application
  • High-quality fully-coated glass optics
  • 20mm and 10mm eyepieces
  • Large 80mm lens
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Erect image optics
  • Quick and simple set up
  1. MaxUSee Kids Telescope 400x40mm

MaxUSee Kids Telescope 400x40mm

 

 

Last but not least is the MaxUSee Kids Telescope. This is portable kids telescope with high-quality optics. The fully multi-coated lenses facilitate maximum light transmission for bright and clear views while the 5×18 finder scope makes locating objects smooth and fast.

With the three interchangeable eyepieces, kids can use this telescope to view targets at varying distances. Another good thing about this telescope is the moon mirror. Kids can use it to identify the different features found on the moon surface. Above all, the telescope comes with a built-in compass that kids can use to point to a particular direction.

Features

  • 5×18 finder scope
  • Three interchangeable eyepieces: H6mm, H12.5mm and H20mm
  • Moon mirror
  • Built-in compass
  • Fully multi-coated lens
  • 40mm focal length and 40mm aperture
  • Simpe and quick set up
  • Flexible accessories

See Also

What to Look for in Best Budget Kids Telescopes

When buying a kids’ telescope, here are some of the key factors to consider.

Type of Telescope

There are three types of telescopes: refractor telescopes, reflector telescopes and compound telescopes. Most telescopes for kids are refractor telescopes. They have a long tube that’s attaches to the lens which magnifies the objects on the land or sky. They are easy to use and more affordable.

Kids Age

If your kid is under 7 years, it’s best to get them a telescope that’s less expensive but quality. It should provide bright, clear and sharp images so they don’t get frustrated by watching blur images.

For kids above the age of 7, you can get them a more sophisticated telescope. This includes bigger aperture, high-quality optics, additional lenses and astronomy teaching resources.

Kid Interest

Kids have different interests. If your kid is only interested in watching land-based objects such as birds and wildlife, go for a refractor telescope. On the other hand, if your kid shows interest in astronomy, a reflector telescope is way to go.

Intended Place of Use

If you want your kid to use the telescope at home only, there are plenty of tabletop telescopes you can choose from. However, if you child would like to carry the telescope during a camping or adventure trip, you’ll want to get them a portable tripod.

Ease of Use

A kid’s telescope must be easy to use and easy to set up or else your kid will get frustrated when they can be able to operate it. A complex telescope can even make the kid loose interest and you will have wasted a lot of money.

FAQs on the Best Budget Kids Telescopes

What should I look for in a beginner telescope?

First, the telescope must be simple to use and set up if it doesn’t come pre-assembled. The telescope should then have an aperture size of at least 2.8”/70mm. Lastly, the telescope should have a relatively low cost.

What’s the best Childs telescope?

The best telescope for children should come with a tripod, at least 2 eyepieces for use in different distances and a threaded lens that you can use to attach a camera. It should be easy to use and ideal for your kid depending on their age.

Can a 3 year old use a telescope?

It depends. If your 3-year-old kid shows interest in astronomy, you can get them a telescope that’s designed specifically for 3-year-old kids. This way they will start to learn the basics of using a telescope as they grow. You can also choose to wait until they hit the age of 5 which is a good age for kids to start using a telescope.

Conclusion

If you never though about getting your kids a kid’s telescope, we hope that this post has changed your mind. A kid’s telescope introduces kids to astronomy, boosts language development and sparks creativity. Get your kid a quality kid’s telescope and let them explore the moon, stars and planets as you do.