The Best Kids’ Binoculars You Can Buy for $20

Thanks to early exposure to BBC animal documentaries and a hefty dose of Wild Kratts, my 8-year-old has always been interested in observing wildlife. After outgrowing the set of “kidnoculars” he received as a toddler, he was delighted to receive the Noptix Kids Binoculars from my husband’s cousin, who works at a national park and knows a thing or two about wildlife-spotting.

Light and compact, these binoculars are easy to adjust and hit that sweet spot of actually providing an up-close view of faraway birds and other animals, without zooming in so much that it is difficult for kids to find the creature they are trying to see. They come with a neck strap and a protective case with a belt loop, although I’ve found them to be pretty indestructible, even in the hands of younger kids.

My son got these for Christmas in 2019, when he was 5 years old, and we looked forward to using them on our next family trip. Of course, just a few months later, our only travels for the foreseeable future were walks around our neighborhood — and these binoculars were a constant companion and way to keep boredom at bay. With the help of the excellent Merlin Bird ID app, we would look for birds on our walks and identify them by their appearance or their calls. We tuned into the subtle changes from spring to summer, watching the birds come and go — every trip around the same five blocks a chance for something new and exciting to appear in the skies.

A lot has changed in our lives since then, but my son’s love of these binoculars remains. He packs them on hikes and family camping trips, and still pulls them out sometimes for family walks around the neighborhood. If you have a kid in your life who loves keeping an eye on the natural world, this reliable set of binoculars will help bring that world even closer.