I got the kids a cheap little microscope for Christmas that attaches to your computer. While we've played with microscopes before, it's much more fun having one where everyone can see at the same time. Here are some things we saw:
A pine needle that we had just broken, with sap leaking out:
The horsehair of a violin bow:
The carbon fiber 'hair' of my Incredibow:
A cloth bag, showing how it's woven and looking a lot like a waffle:
A section of the bag where Julia had painted a number in white, showing how the paint is on the surface:
A crayon box, where you can see that the apparently solid colors are actually made with dots of a few different colors:
A fleece glove:
A paper bag, showing the fibers:
My wedding ring, looking very scratched despite feeling smooth to the touch. You can see the reflection of the eight LEDs on the microscope:
The hook side of velcro, showing that the hooks are loops that have been cut:
The hard part of any present like this is remembering to use it when the opportunity comes up again. Next time the kids are curious about something I think would show up well I'll get it out.