And then there is the world of little things, seen all too seldom. Many children, perhaps because they themselves are small and lower to the ground than we, notice and delight in the small and inconspicuous...An investment of a few dollars in a good hand lens or magnifying glass will bring a new world into being. With your child, look at objects you take for granted as commonplace or uninteresting. A sprinkling of sand grains may appear as gleaming jewels.
- Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder