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This is definitely going to be the next weekend project with my kids. They are so scared of spiders (daddy long legs in particular, our house has thousands of them).

Time to show the girls what they look like at 175x magnification!

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Maybe start with something that they want to see close up. For example, have each one pick something rough, something smooth, something that grows, a small toy, etc.

If your kids are anything like mine, starting by forcing them to confront a fear will just make them hate the technology and they'll be less willing to participate the next time you want to do a cool project with them.

Good idea, ease into it, show them some leaves, stem cross sections, then "hey I wonder what a sugar ant looks like..." lead into the spider gently

Spiders at 175x magnification look much worse. Not sure that this is a great idea. Even dust mites look scary at high magnification.

Try letting the spider walk all over you instead.

Yeah you're right, it will probably terrify them - I have tried though, play with the spiders, pick them up and put them outside, doesn't seem to help

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