My Living World Pocket Microscope Review

I was really keen to review the My Living World Pocket Microscope, mainly because I have only very recently finally given up and thrown away the one which belonged to my second oldest son - now 18. After 10 years use, inspection and misuse it finally came apart never to be repaired. It'll have seen a few sights...

The My Living World Pocket Microscope is made by Interplay - the children's craft, nature, technology and science kit specialists. We've reviewed several of their kits, but this is our first in the My Living World range.

Inside the box you have everything a young scientist might need - collection jars and labels, tweezers, slides, cover slips, as well as the all important Pocket Microscope itself. The cover slips are circular plastic, so they are good for little hands in that they do 'stick' to your specimen, but they are very fiddly. The recommended age for this kit is 6+, so younger users might need a assistance with this bit.

The microscope really is pocket-sized, only 140x48mm, and it requires 2 AA batteries which aren't included. Once powered though it has a light which directs into the lens area, so that whatever you are looking at is lit up and can be seen really clearly.

Included are two slides with 4 specimens each. One Textiles and one Grasshopper. I'm not so keen on including animal specimens because I'm a bit of a veggie hippy, and you aren't really sure how they've been collected. It is however a brilliant educational tool.

 

Here is the Nylon through the microscope...

We noticed we also had a bit of 'fluff' on our lens. The Pocket Microscope has a 30x lens, with a rotating adjuster to change focus.

It didn't take either of my boys long to get the hang of looking through the microscope, and we'll be taking it outdoors this weekend to collect some more samples. My 6 particularly wants to find a 'dead ant'....I can barely contain my excitement at that one...

The My Living World Pocket Microscope has a suggested age of 6+, and a recommended bargain price of only £9.99. Every child can make use of it and learn with it, and they really are added fun to take with you on a day out practically anywhere. I can also vouch for the fact they can last 10 years, and the batteries will last longer than you think too. Available now from all good toyshops and online.

Interplay offered a Pocket Microscope for one of my readers. That giveaway ended at midnight Sunday 29th May 2016.

 

We were sent our Pocket Microscope for review.