Do you have binoculars sitting on a shelf collecting dust? You鈥檙e not the only one.
I鈥檓 always surprised at how many people go hiking, camping and travelling without them, especially when they can be so much fun.
If you own binoculars, you also own a powerful good-quality magnifier, a mini-telescope and a unique game piece and toy.
A magnifier? You bet! Just look through the opposite end of one side. Like using a microscope, though, put the object you want to view close to the lens, then pull it away until focused.
Dead insects can look mighty scary. You can examine flowers, leaves, shells and even rocks and more. Be aware that small children can have trouble knowing which eye to keep open.
You can make first kiddie鈥檚 binoculars for small children by taping two empty toilet paper rolls together. This helps them focus on objects to see them more clearly. They can be decorated with stickers or crayon pictures.
Binoculars make great first telescopes too. We know that you can see distances better with binoculars, but why stop at the trees?
On a clear night (and we鈥檙e blessed with these in the Okanagan) in a dark area away from light pollution you can see about 2,000 stars with your naked eyes, but with binoculars that increases to 8,000.
Look for the double star at the bend in the handle of the Big Dipper. Watch for star clusters鈥攐ne is near Cassiopeia.
And, if you鈥檝e never looked at the moon through binoculars, you鈥檙e really missing something! Nights around full moon time are best, but the full moon itself can be a little blinding.
So what can you occupy the kids with on that long drive to the campsite? Hand them the binoculars.
My kids got the biggest thrill looking through either end of the binoculars while twisting our way down windy roads. Make sure they can stomach it though.
Once at the campsite there are two games you can play with the binoculars. One is to simply lay out a rope on the ground like a snake. Looking through either end of the binoculars, try to follow the rope.
With the second game, you try to place rocks or cones into a jar while looking through either end again.
Okay, now go dust off those binoculars (most people neglect cleaning the lenses) and have some fun!
Roseanne enthusiastically shares her knowledge of the outdoors to help readers experience and enjoy nature. Follow her on Facebook for more.
