How to Use a Magnifying Glass With Kids

A magnifying glass is one of the most useful and least expensive tools for a young scientist. It slows children down and teaches them to look closely, which is the first skill in all science. Here is how to use one well.

The most important safety rule

Never look at the sun through a magnifying glass, and never point one at the sun. The lens can focus sunlight to a very bright, hot point. It can hurt eyes, burn skin or set paper and leaves alight. Teach this rule before the child touches the lens: it is for looking at things near us, not at the sky. Keep it out of direct sunlight when you put it down, and store it somewhere sensible. An adult should supervise young children at all times.

How to hold it

Many children hold the lens far from the object and see a blur. Show them this method:

Hold the lens close to your eye, about a centimetre (half an inch) away.
Bring the object towards the lens until it is sharp. For something that cannot move, like a leaf on a tree, move your head closer instead.
Keep both eyes open if it is comfortable. Many people find this easier.

Practise on something flat first, such as a printed page or a coin, then move on to curved or moving objects.

What to look at

Start with things that stay still and are safe to handle:

Leaves, bark and moss.
A feather, a seed or a flower petal.
Fabric, paper and food such as salt, sugar and a slice of fruit.
Your own fingertip, skin or hair.

Later, look at living things gently: an ant on a path, a snail, a spider in its web. Look without touching, and do not hold insects in the lens for long. Leave them where you found them.

Observation games

I spy, close-up. Hold a small object under a cloth. Let the child look through the lens at one small part and guess what it is.

Same or different? Compare two leaves or two grains of sand. Ask your child to find three differences.

Draw what you see. Look for a full minute, then draw it, adding at least three details. Look again, and see what you missed.

Treasure tray. Collect small things on a tray, such as seed pods, shells or stones. Let the child sort them by what they notice.

Questions to ask

What do you see that you could not see before?
What shapes, colors or patterns do you notice?
Does it look rough or smooth? Does it have lines or dots?
What do you wonder about it?

Writing the answers down turns looking into data. Our post on science drawing and observation skills shows how.

Choosing a magnifier

A simple hand lens with a magnification of about 5x to 10x is plenty for children. Larger lenses are easier for small hands. Check the lens is not cracked and the edges are not sharp. If you use a clip-on or stand version, it still follows the same sun rule.

Cleaning and care

Wipe the lens gently with a soft, clean cloth. Store it in a case or box so it does not scratch.

Taking it further

Once your child is comfortable, try comparing views. Look at the same leaf with the naked eye, then with the lens, and draw both. Ask what changed. Try looking at printed pictures in a newspaper to see the tiny dots they are made from, or at fabric to see the weave. Each of these shows that things which look smooth or plain from far away can have a lot of detail, and that is a good reason to keep looking.

Where to go next

Take your lens on a walk with the nature journal guide or try backyard science through the seasons. For a lesson on living things nearby, try Who lives in our schoolyard?, which works just as well in a garden or park.