A skill such as creativity is precious to be nourished in a growing toddler. Children are born with incredible imagination but if the needed tools are not provided, it can die pretty easily with time.
One way to encourage creativity is to introduce your toddler to the art of photography. This is where a camera for your toddler comes in place.
The benefits of encouraging toddlers to take photos
Providing your toddler with a camera that they’ll be safe to use has several benefits. As mentioned above, taking pictures will nourish their imagination and make them see the world through their own unique angle. Developing the skill of photography will also boost their confidence, not to mention their capacity for observation.
The best thing you can do by giving your toddler their camera while travelling is giving them a chance to communicate their ideas, thoughts, and feelings. It will have a positive effect on their growth as confident individuals.
3 types of cameras for toddlers
1. Digital point-and-shoot cameras
Point-and-shoot cameras are still cameras primarily used for simple operations. Most use focus-free lenses or autofocus and automatic systems for setting the exposure options. These are cheaper than DSLR, thus a popular and affordable choice for beginners.
These cameras will be easy enough to be used by a toddler but still produce quality pictures.
2. Action Cameras
Action Cameras are compact, have a rugged build, and are easy to operate. Standard ones are waterproof and come with mount options, making them great for capturing adventurous pursuits, such as cycling, snowboarding, or fun at the waterpark.
With the action camera, you won’t have to worry that your toddler will break it or make it wet. With it, your toddler has many possibilities for capturing awesome videos on the go.
3. Kids-oriented cameras
As you can imagine, kid-oriented cameras are developed to offer more than just simple photography. Children’s cameras usually include games, fun filters, and are extremely durable.
With these cameras, toddlers can explore photography, play games when tired of taking photos, or even instantly print their works of art, if the camera includes such a feature.
4 factors to consider when choosing a camera for a toddler
1. Intended use
Because of the different kinds of cameras there are that you can buy for your toddler, you need to consider how they will be used by the little one. The camera can be used:
- in motion – perfect for a family that loves the adrenaline
- to play games and enjoy extra fun features – suitable for a child that would use it not just for photography
- to develop the skill of photography – for the toddler whose caretakers love photography and want to pass on the hobby to their kid
2. Durability
This one’s a no-brainer. Most kid-oriented cameras have already been designed to survive a fall or ten. However, if you’re choosing to buy a point-and-shoot camera, it might be oriented for adult use, as well, so make sure it has a sturdy design.
3. Battery life
Not all cameras have been designed with travelling in mind. Depending on the kind of travelling you do, it is important you check how long is the battery life of the camera you’re buying.
If you’re enjoying a fun time at the pool or the beach, those trips will not take awhile, and you can charge the camera when back at the hotel. However, if you’re taking road trips for long periods of time without access to enough electric outlets, your toddler’s camera will need to survive longer than a couple of hours.
4. Image quality
This one is quite subjective. Photography for toddlers will be a space for exploration, so the quality of the photos might not be of the utmost importance. Especially, if they can print the photos and do arts & crafts out of them.
However, if you’ve noticed your toddler is keen on photography, you can always opt for a more expensive camera, which will provide the tools for the little one to improve the skill of taking photos as time passes.
7 Best cameras for toddlers to take pictures on the trip
- VTech KidiZoom Duo 5.0
- OurLife Kids Underwater Camera
- Nikon CoolPix W150
- MyFirst Camera 3
- Fujifilm FinePix XP140
- MyFirst Camera Insta 2
- Agoigo Kids Waterproof Camera
1. VTech KidiZoom Duo 5.0
Price: $84.99
Features of VTech KidiZoom Duo 5.0:
- Five-megapixel dual camera
- Digital photos and videos
- Comes in 3 colours
- Front and rear-facing cameras
- Includes games
- Enhance photos with frames, stamps and wacky effects
- Record the voice and apply funny effects
- Front camera 1600 x 1200 pixels
- Rear camera 640 x 480 pixels
- 256 MB of memory
- 4x digital zoom
- Requires 4 AA batteries
VTech KidiZoom Duo 5.0 is perfect as a first camera for a toddler. It’s appropriately priced, built to last, and is packed with kid-friendly features like a selfie camera, lots of digital effects, video mode, and even some basic computer games.
Pros of VTech KidiZoom Duo 5.0:
- Photo Optimization – camera saves the best out of multiple shots
- Parental Control setting – has playtime limitation
- Durable
- Easy to use
- MicroSD expandable storage
Cons of VTech KidiZoom Duo 5.0:
- Slow shutter speed in low light
- Sluggish start-up time
- Digital zoom only
2. OurLife Kids Underwater Camera
Price: $38.99
Features of OurLife Kids Underwater Camera:
- Lightweight but sturdy design
- Waterproof
- Small and light camera
- Includes accessories such as mounting hardware for the helmet, handlebars on a bicycle, or any standard tripod/selfie stick
- Packaging includes batteries and the memory card
- 5megapixel photos
- 1280×720 video resolution
- Includes six decorative frames and video filters
OurLife Kids Underwater Camera is a decent starter kit for a toddler to get into photography. It is neither expensive nor fragile. Though it lacks photo and video quality, it delivers enough value at its price. You won’t be worried too much when mounting it to your hyperactive toddler’s helmet while exploring Copenhagen on a bike.
Pros of OurLife Kids Underwater Camera:
- Affordable
- Lots of accessories included
- Waterproof
- Memory card included
Cons of OurLife Kids Underwater Camera:
- Poor video and photo quality
- Not the best menu system
- Green cast on images and video
- Buttons need a decent amount of force to press buttons with the waterproof casing
3. Nikon CoolPix W150
Price: $159
Features of Nikon CoolPix W150:
- Underwater Face Framing mode – automatically takes up to four photos each time it sees a face in the pool or on a dive
- Picture-in-picture scene mode
- Waterproof
- 13.2-megapixel sensor
- 3x optical zoom & a 6x digital “fine” zoom
- Compatible with the Snapbridge app – transfer photos to the connected device
- Available in 5 colours
Nikon CoolPix W150 is an inexpensive, easy-to-use, and fun compact camera that’s aimed at active kids. Toddlers can have fun taking photos as you check them out on your phone which can be connected to the camera over Bluetooth.
Pros of Nikon CoolPix W150:
- Large buttons and simple to operate
- Rugged build
- Dustproof
- Shockproof from heights of 1.8m
- Freeze-proof down to -10Celsius
- Automatically uploads photos to the phone
- Wi-Fi connectivity
Cons of Nikon CoolPix W150:
- Lower quality images than most smartphones, especially indoors
- Limited shooting options
4. MyFirst Camera 3
Price: $99.90
Features of MyFirst Camera 3:
- 16-megapixel selfie-camera
- LED flash
- Video Resolution: 1920×1080
- Battery Capacity: 1000mAh
- Supports up to 32GB micro-SD
- Photo templates available
- Weighs 80g
The great thing about MyFirst Camera 3 is that it is designed for children but works almost as well as a standard digital camera. With the 16MP camera, your toddler will be able to take Full HD photos and videos.
Pros of MyFirst Camera 3:
- A free shockproof case that resists drops, knocks, and bumps
- Includes stickers
- Lightweight
- Cute design in pink or blue
- Quality similar to smartphones
Cons of MyFirst Camera 3:
- Not waterproof
- Total of seven buttons which may be too many for a toddler
- Photos are slightly noisy
- Has no stabilization
5. Fujifilm FinePix XP140
Price: $199
Features of Fujifilm FinePix XP140:
- Available in 4 colours
- Weighs 207g
- Waterproof
- Freezproof to -10Celsius
- Shockproof
- Dustproof
- Zoom lens with a versatile wide-angle lens starting at 28mm
- 5x optical zoom with Intelligent Digital Zoom
- 16.4 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor
- CMOS-shift Optical Image Stabilization system controls camera shake minimizing image blur
- Up to 240 images with a fully charged battery
- Advanced SR Auto Mode
- Self-Timer Mode
- SMILE mode releases the shutter when it detects you are smiling
- FACE AUTO SHUTTER mode releases the shutter when it detects you are facing the camera
- Continuous Shooting Mode captures up to 15 frames per second burst shooting
- 4k High-Speed Video, includes 4x slow motion effect, and time-lapse recording
- Wireless transfer on low-energy continuous Bluetooth
- Available for the Fujifilm Instax Share printer
- Geotagging Function
The Fujifilm XP140 is a robust camera offering a range of shooting modes including 4K video recording. It is also capable of delivering excellent photographs even in underwater or low-light conditions. With an incredible amount of features and a sturdy design, this is a great camera for your toddler to develop their photography skills and be used by you, too.
Pros of Fujifilm FinePix XP140:
- Easy to use
- Lightweight
- Rugged, will survive a fall
- Produce decent shots in good light
- The decent range for the price
- Bright colours will make it difficult to lose the camera
Cons of Fujifilm FinePix XP140:
- The strap that comes with the camera isn’t too good
6. MyFirst Camera Insta 2
Price: $99.90
Features of MyFirst Camera Insta 2:
- Photographs and videos
- 12MP photo resolution
- 1920×1080 / 30FPS video resolution
- 1500 mAh battery capacity
- Memory Card up to 32GB
- 232g weigh
- Comes with 3 rolls of High-Quality Thermal Paper
- Neck Lanyard included
- Includes stickers, emoticons, and other filters
- Prints pictures right away, it takes only 10s to print
MyFirst Camera Insta 2 is a fun first camera for toddlers as they can not only take pictures but also have them printed out straight away. Toddlers can edit them with a number of filters and stickers, and give the pictures as gifts to their friends and family.
Pros of MyFirst Camera Insta 2:
- Easy to use
- Easier to develop an interest in photography with instant results
- Durable design
- Instant printing without running out of ink
Cons of MyFirst Camera Insta 2:
- No advanced settings, everything is automatic
- Printed pictures are low-quality
7. Agoigo Kids Waterproof Camera
Price: $36.99
Features of Agoigo Kids Waterproof Camera:
- Waterproof
- The underwater case protects the camera from scratches
- Available in 6 colours
- Comes with 32 gigabytes of memory
- 5.0 megapixels and 1080 HD IPS Screen
- Includes 28 fun frames and 6 filters
- 600mAh battery, used for 2-3 hours
Agoigo Kids Waterproof Camera is lightweight, rechargeable, and equipped with a waterproof case. Compared to other children’s cameras it has improved photo clarity and can be used while diving, swimming, or doing water sports.
Pros of Agoigo Kids Waterproof Camera:
- Photo clarity, high-quality image and video
- Automatic shut-off if no operation to preserve battery life
- Cute, small, and lightweight
- Includes durable lanyard
- Guarantee 3 months money back and 1-year warranty
Cons of Agoigo Kids Waterproof Camera:
- Takes 3.5 hours to be fully charged
- Not the best quality
This list should provide a sufficient range of cameras for you to choose from. Between our toddlers and relatives’ children, I’ve seen kids use a number of different cameras, and each has a different, yet fun purpose.
Important tips for taking pictures with toddlers
Let them explore
Just show how to point and shoot and let your toddlers develop their own ideas by noticing what they like and don’t like in the pictures they take. Cultivating their creativity rather than imposing your own adult point of view is important in the long run.
Just have fun
What better way to have fun than to have your toddler take photos of your family? Travelling with family should be full of silly goose time. And silly goose photos!
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You may also like to read about our pick of the best toddler travel beds, the best toddler travel car seats and the best toddler headphones.
