Best telescope for a 4yo?

[baby-makes-3]

DD wants a telescope to look at the stars -- any recommendations for a usable one for a child that age -- not too expensive, but still something better than a little toy one that doesn't really work?

thanks!

[zeldamomma]

If it were my child, I'd start by looking for opportunities for him to look through other people's telescopes (the Astronomy departments of a couple local Universities have gatherings that are open to the public about once a month.) The people there might have recommendations for a good first telescope too. There are a bunch of telescopes on my local craigslist.

[Qbear'smama]

We got this one for DD, priced well and quite a nice first telescope:

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-2102...9572498&sr=8-1

DH loves it, too.

[skai]

I'm just posting to say how COOL it is that you're getting her a telescope!

I got my first one at 8 and I kept it next to me every day for a while.

[baby-makes-3]

Thanks for the tip -- will check that one out!

And yeah, I was kind of surprised -- don't even know where she heard the word "telescope" but she said "the thing to look at the stars" so I know she knows what it is !

[Qbear'smama]

That's really sweet. DD really got interested in space and planets so may as well encourage interests they show, who knows if they're budding astronomers?