When I think about how far night vision technology has come since its creation during World War II, I’m simply amazed. What was once restricted to military use has now been made available to the entire family—including kids. And I’m not talking about rinky-dink night vision either. This is high-tech fun stuff!

Take for instance the Eyeclops 2.0 Night Vision Stealth Binocular a device I recently reviewed here on NightVisionReport.com. This inexpensive night vision device (around $80,) uses real infrared technology and can be used by everyone in the family, even though it’s classified as a night vision toy for kids.

Let’s face it: Today’s kids are into technology. In fact, it seems they’re rather bored with anything else these days. They’ve got smart phones, tablet computers, e-readers, and home computers capable of hacking into top-secret sites! It’s crazy.

I have to laugh sometimes, thinking back to college where I had to take a semester-long class on how to boot up a personal computer. Remember having to enter things like this just to start the computer: A://drive/boot/please/work/this/time…? It all seems silly now, but that was cutting edge technology back then. Now it’s prehistoric!

Night vision is another high-tech toy kids will love. Kids of course can use night vision technology for play, but night vision technology can also serve as a great educational tool. With the right night vision device, you could teach them about nocturnal animals, the stars, home security, safety uses, and so much more. Let me illustrate just a few uses.

Creatures of the Night

As a kid, I loved to discover new things, particularly about animals. The same is true for most children. Just put a dog, cat, or hamster in front of a child and their face usually lights up.

Now imagine what would happen if, looking through night vision goggles or binoculars, your child could see possums, owls, snakes, deer, coyotes, bobcats, even bears—all in their natural habitat. And doing this as a family could be a wonderful bonding experience.

I used to do a lot of camping and backpacking when I was younger and would have loved to sit and watch animals at night around my tent, or search the stars through night vision goggles. It can get very boring on such trips after nightfall and a night vision device would have helped pass the time in a fun and educational way.

So next time you plan a camping trip with your kids, consider taking an inexpensive Eyeclops 2.0 Night Vision Stealth Binocular along. It’ll give you plenty to talk about around the nighttime fire.

Stargazing

The night sky is filled with wonder! The stars have guided sailors since the dawn of civilization, drawn explorers since the advent of flight, helped orient lost souls at night, and have even guided three wise men. And the starry night sky has captured the attention of most of us at one time or another, whether camping out at night, or simply standing on the rear deck looking up, wondering what’s beyond the galaxy.

You will be amazed at how a night vision device can light up the nighttime constellations, helping children locate and learn them easier. All it takes is a night vision device with some magnification, not unlike but much less than a telescope.

The difference is that a night vision device like the Night Owl x5 NOXM50 Monocular can serve multiple purposes whereas a telescope can only be used for one purpose. And unlike a telescope, this monocular fits in your hand making it ideal for portability and packing when travelling outdoors.

One fun activity to do with your child is to help them find the constellation representing their horoscope sign. Whether Virgo, Sagittarius, Leo, or Pieces, they’re each represented by a constellation. What about learning about the North Star and some of the planets in our solar system.

Do your kids love stories? Challenge your kids to find the constellations Pegasus, Cassiopeia, Orion, and Hercules while telling them the stories of Greek mythology.

Home Security

Teaching kids about security is a harsh reality these days. Naturally you want to shield them from all of that, but you would do better to educate them and establish alertness.

It doesn’t have to be scary and intimidating as I discovered recently with my own family when suddenly we discovered some after-dark visitor was stealing from our garden! The whole event turned out to be educational and fun for the kids when their surveillance operations finally revealed the culprit to be a raccoon that was living in a nearby park.

You might think a flashlight would do the trick, but not if you want to keep your movements secret. Night vision allows you the opportunity to move around safely in the dark and unveil the shadows in dark corners.

A critical item to be included in every home security plan is a night vision device. They have become so affordable that there really is no reason for not having one in your home. Whether you use a cutting edge Night Owl iGEN 20/20 Monocular or a high-tech night vision toy for kids like the Eyeclops 2.0 Binocular, you’ll want the benefit of seeing in the dark around your house, when you and your children are at home.

Search and Rescue/Disaster Preparedness

Does your family have pets? Have they ever gotten away from you? At night? Well you probably know the stress and anxiety this brings especially for kids.

Search and rescue can be fun when you have the night vision to rival your pet. Uncover their route of escape and favorite hiding place without having to wait for daylight throughout a sleepless night.

At the same time, teach your kids about survival and disaster preparedness. Make them aware and get them involved with your family’s plans in such an event. With a night vision device you can move around in darkness without hurting yourself and find the way to a place of safety.

The Night Owl iGEN 20/20 Monocular can be a terrific addition to any emergency preparedness kit. Even a low-cost night vision device like the Eyeclops 2.0 Night Vision Stealth Binocular can be an indispensable tool. Consider including one in your emergency preparedness kit, the car’s glove compartment and on your boat. I am speaking from experience when I say you’ll be glad you did.

Fear of the Dark

You might also consider purchasing a night vision device for kids who are afraid of the dark. With kid-friendly night vision devices like the Eyeclops 2.0 Binocular, that fear can be reduced—even eliminated.

Kids will suddenly want to play in the backyard at night, conducting special operations against their friends and siblings, or simply sitting outside observing what happens after dark. You could even join in the fun!

Well, I could go on and on about the many uses for night vision. The important thing to remember is that these night vision devices can be great fun for the whole family, wonderful educational tools, and great resources in times of distress.