The Checklist: Five Cameras For Kids
The Field Trip Newsletter #25
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When I was a little girl, my mom always had a camera around her neck and was often busy jotting down memories from our adventures in her journal. Now that I’m a parent, I try to model this same behavior for my son. Teaching children to document their adventures will give them a lasting artifact to remind them of their travels. They can write about the sounds and smells of a new place, sketch a structure, list the foods they ate, or write about the friend they met at the playground. Jump below for five fun cameras for your children to use year-round. - Erin
GIVING YOUR CHILD A CAMERA
Allowing children to partake in documenting their journey makes them more active and curious observers, and seeing the trip through your children’s eyes is such a special experience. I recommend buying a disposable camera or an inexpensive digital one and doing a short lesson on camera care and storage. Then let them be free to take pictures of whatever they want. The point is that they get to choose what they want to capture. Ask them about what they are shooting and ask why it drew their attention. It’s not about expecting masterful works of art, but rather about getting them familiar with seeing the world around them in a different way. Encourage your budding artist to notice small details and find the beauty all around them.
We started my son out with a disposable camera when he was just about two years old. Were the pictures great then? No, not by a long shot! But that wasn’t the point—giving him a camera at a young age helped him be more observant, gave him a chance to learn about how cameras work, and provided an opportunity for him to practice taking care of a camera while we traveled. Eventually, I gave him my old digital camera. We talk about how to care for it and how special it is, and how he has to use the neck strap whenever he’s taking photos.
Field Tip:
“My kids see me shoot photos informally all the time—I take photos on family trips constantly and also more formally on occasion; they have spent entire days on big sets with me where they can gain an understanding of the production aspects that go into a shoot. I really don’t speak to them about the technical aspects of cameras or anything like that, but I do like to point out when I see pretty light or just pretty things that would make for a nice photo. I hope that by using this more hands-off approach, they can choose to follow whatever path they’d like to—whether they do something creative in the future or not—and that that appreciation for beauty and art will affect whatever it is they do in life.”
— CHRIS OZER, a professional photographer, living in Los Angeles, California, with his wife Erin and their two boys. You can find Chris on Instagram: @chrisozer.
Five Cameras To Get Kids Started With Taking Pictures:
Instax Square SQ1 - this fun, instant camera is entertaining for kids and good-looking for design-conscious parents. It’s also straightforward to load the film, so children shouldn’t have too much trouble changing it out.
Canon Powershot - this compact little camera really packs a punch. It’s a great camera for a child that’s a little more advanced in the art of photography. On the flip side, it’s an effortless camera to navigate and learn, so it would be great for a nine-year and old and up.
Xinjia Disposable Film Camera - this sweet little camera is great as the first camera for children. It’s very inexpensive, so it’s not too precious either. Did I mention that it’s also waterproof?
Ilford Sprite 35-II - a fun step up from a disposable camera is great for kids without creating a lot of waste.
Diana F+ Camera and Flash - this is one of my favorite cameras! It’s so fun. It’s the darling of lo-fi medium format cameras. It’s also such a beautiful camera to look at.
There you have it! Five fun cameras to get your budding photographer started. So next time you take a trip or set out on an adventure, be sure to pack extra film and wait to see what they capture.
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