Children are impressionable, especially when they are still young. With a little encouragement, they can thrive in a variety of skills. As the creators of a toy camera made especially for children, we cannot express enough our belief in the many benefits of photography for kids.
You may be curious as to how you get them interested or started in learning a new skill. We promise you; you don’t have to be a professional photographer for them to receive the many benefits that come from learning this skill. We’ve even got some great tips to help develop their interest. Let’s begin.
4 Ways to Develop Their Interest
- Find a Camera That is Meant for Kids
In all likelihood, your child’s first experience with a camera was probably the one on your phone. And while this is a great way to get their interested piqued, allowing them to have their own camera will let them express their interest at their own pace.
At Kidamento, we understand that selecting the right camera can be a challenge. The key questions you will want to ask are, can my child hold it easily, does it have automatic settings, is it simple to use, and is it durable? Knowing this, we made sure that all of our cameras addressed these requirements.
- Let Them Explore
A child’s exploration will be directly affected by their age. When a child is younger, such as three or four, many of the photos will be of their toes, blurry faces, and stuffed animals. Never fear that they aren’t learning this way. As we will explain further on, they are developing key skills.
After they have become more comfortable holding and working their camera, encourage them to look at their picture before they click. Next, let them explore from different angles. Remember, children view their world at a lower vantage point than we do.
Demonstrate to them that they don’t have to stand to take a photo. They can be lying down, standing on a chair, tilting their head, or even pointing their camera through some objects. Make sure to do the movements with them and show them how silly and fun it can be.
- Give Them an Official Title
Children love feeling important and being a part of something. As they are always observing, often in ways we never perceive, see if they would like to be the one to capture these moments with their camera. Tell them they are the official special moment photographer (or even let them pick their own title).
- Let Them Have Fun
The secret goal to all of this, and don’t let them realize this, is to let them keep thinking it is simply a fun activity. School-aged children spend a lot of time learning, because of this, we want photography to not only be accessible to them whenever they choose, but also stress-free.
We must remember to never express any disapproval with our children by telling them they aren’t doing it right. In the world of photography, particularly when it comes to kids, there is no wrong. After all, it is a form of art, is it not? If a photo comes out blurry, comment about the colour they captured, or encourage them to take their time.
7 Ways Children Can Benefit from Learning Photography
Now that we have addressed different ways to get your children interested in photography, let’s discuss some of the many benefits that come from learning this skill. As with other skills children learn, photography increases their self-confidence.
- It Builds Up Their Self-Confidence
Who hasn’t watched their children’s eyes light up with delight when they discover how to do something on their own? From learning how to wash their hands to riding a bike with no training wheels, these are the moments we cherish and for which we strive.
Knowing how to use a camera is another useful skill that will make your children come alive. Through their learning, they are becoming knowledgeable about a topic. This knowledge lets them be confident as does the pleasure they derive from it. This, in turn, can make them feel good about themselves.
Want to make them more knowledgeable, and in turn, build up more self-confidence? Ask them about what they know. Each time they feel appreciated for their efforts they will develop a sense of self-satisfaction, and in turn, their confidence will soar.
- It Develops Their Fine Motor Skills
As mentioned in verywellfamily.com, fine motor skills develop as children build coordination between their small muscles, such as their fingers and hands, with their eyes. We use these skills every day; when we write, type on a computer, pick up small objects, and so much more.
Recall when your children were babies and how much they wiggled around their arms and legs flailing uncontrollably. That is because they hadn’t developed this skill set yet. As adults, we don’t realize that working with small objects requires strength, dexterity, and fine motor control.
The use of a small camera involves all of the above-mentioned abilities. Little hands need to hold onto the camera, which needs strength, and push a button, which calls for dexterity and eye-finger coordination. If you want to help develop these skills, a camera is a great way to start.
- It Builds Their Innovation and Creativity
A child’s imagination is precious; it gives them that lovely innocence that we all love. Photography helps build upon how they see the world. They get to be creative and innovative with the pictures they take. And we, as parents, get to peek into this world through the magic of photography.
Children love to colour; we buy them colouring books to express their need and desire to add colour to the world around them. And what parent has not turned their back for a second to see their child colouring on the walls and floor?
Kidamento has a great solution that adds to their innovation and creativity. Challenge your children to create their own colouring pages by taking pictures of their favorite things. They will likely come up with their own ideas, but in case you need some, may we suggest stuffies, family members, or even food items?
Once they have taken these pictures, the sky is the limit with their imagination; use our Model P Instant Print camera and allow them to print pictures of their creative snapshots. The BPA-free paper is perfect for them to colour on and make their own; a seamless way to further enhance their innovation and creativity.
- It Helps Them Communicate Their Ideas
Photography allows them to express themselves. They call the shots; they get to choose what part of the world they want to capture. And even if they don’t realize it, it allows them to express their thoughts and feelings.
We often see at a young age the toddler tantrums. Many people view this as a tough time for parents to live through, but it is also just as hard for toddlers. Imagine how frustrating it must be to not be able to truly express how you are feeling.
Put a camera in the hands of a child and see the types of pictures they take. As they get older, maybe they develop a love for taking pictures of trees and outdoor shots. Maybe they develop an affinity for shadows and how light and dark play with one another.
The point is, this is how they are communicating their ideas. It may not be through spoken words, but it is there. And if they truly develop a passion for this art form, they may love to share it with you and verbally describe what they are seeing.
- They Are Learning How to Plan and Present
When your child is a preschooler, much of what they take pictures of is random. But as they progress with this skill, you will start to see them plan out the pictures they want to take. This is a great shared activity that you and your child can work on together.
There are many fun activities that you can do with them or challenge them with, that will require them to make a strategy as to how they will complete it. A seek and find activity is spot on for this type of learning.
At the beginning of this challenge, they will have to plan out what they need to do. Once it is completed, they can present their findings to you through their pictures. These types of activities also benefit our next skill set, that of visual-spatial processing.
- They Are Developing Their Visual-Spatial Skills
Visual-spatial skills are critical in many of the tasks we do each day. From driving a car to kids playing on the monkey bars. Understood.org explains that this processing allows us to determine how far objects are away from us and even from each other. If this skill is undeveloped, we may have difficulties learning math and reading.
As photography is largely visual-oriented, children can cultivate these skills through learning this art form. When they look through the lens of their camera, they have to consider how far away an object is, the space around the object, and where the object is located, i.e., under the chair, on the bed. Photography will unquestionably help develop this much-needed skill.
- It Strengthens Family Bonds
When children are learning a new skill, it often requires interaction with their family. Initially, the parents introduce the camera to their child. They explain and show them how it works. Through this interaction, they are actively bonding with you.
Each time they take pictures, the excitement of their accomplishment causes them to rush up to you and show you. Sharing opens the door to communication that is necessary for a parent-child relationship to flourish.
This time you are devoting to them, whether through learning, talking, or sharing, is all considered quality time well spent. It is through our interactions with one another that allows us to get to know and understand each other. Our children feel united and develop a strong family bond with us.
Ultimately, when it comes down to it, by giving a child a camera, you are giving them an experience; the experience to learn a new skill, to grow and have fun, to build up their self-confidence. While we would love the opportunity to be a part of your children’s growth, creativity, and development, we are sincerely happy to simply see the possibility of another budding photographer.
