Digital cameras are everywhere today. Almost everyone has one in some form or other. Even if they do not have a separate digital camera, they probably have one in their phone, unless the phone is a true dinosaur, I don't think they even make phones these days without a camera. So with all the digital cameras everywhere, it's only natural to wonder if you should be teaching your child how to use one.
A lot of people buy a digital camera for their children just to use as a toy. And this is not such a bad idea. When a child has a camera of their own it helps to make them feel grown up, and teaches them a small measure of responsibility. Not only that, but it can help with their sense of play, and it will help teach them hand/eye coordination.
Some kids, just like adults, actually do have a natural photographers eye. These people, whether adults or children, just have a natural aptitude for looking through a lens and framing a picture-perfect photo every time. If you have a child like that, who also enjoys taking pictures, it might be a good idea to help develop that aptitude. I am not talking about forced learning here, just an opportunity to be able to work with something that you are naturally good at.
So, you may have a small child, and you are wondering if maybe they are too young for a camera? I really don't believe that there is any age at which they are too young. Now granted, if they are only a year old they certainly are not going to be able to take a picture without pure luck. They will, however, enjoy the bright colors and large knobs that are typical of the children's digital camera. Children as young as two years old, although three is the more common age, are able to take photos that are certainly worth looking at. And, since they are digital you don't have to pay anything for developing the pictures, only to print the ones that you, or your child, actually like.
So what should you look for when you were looking at children's digital cameras? Well there are a couple of different things that you should keep in mind. Number one in my book, is that children are notoriously hard on things, so you'll want to get one that is fairly indestructible. Even though they do not cost a lot of money, you don't want to have to run out and buy a new one every couple of months. Preferably, you will be able to buy one for the appropriate age group that they are at now, and it will last them until they have reached the next age level.
If your child is very young, besides buying an indestructible camera, you'll probably want to buy one that is brightly colored, and in addition has a large viewfinder and large buttons. Small children have not yet developed their hand eye coordination to be able to maneuver the smaller buttons. And all children love brightly colored things. You may think that a small child would do better with a small camera, however, that is not true. They still have trouble grasping small objects.
As far as quality goes, for the very young I do not think of a lot of money needs to be spent on high resolution cameras, but you will want to buy something that has enough resolution that when they do capture a good picture you are able to get a print from it. I would recommend something with at least five megapixels. You will also want to find something that preferably has a rechargeable battery to it, so that you are not constantly having to purchase new batteries, as digital cameras eat up batteries fairly quickly.
As your child gets a little bit older, you will want to upgrade their camera if they are enjoying having one. Over time, the cost of the higher-quality cameras will become more, but it will be worth the cost if it is a hobby that your child enjoys. As he or she learns more about photography, you'll also probably want to buy cameras that have more user functions. When they are small, there is no need to have these functions on the camera, you'll want a strictly point-and-shoot camera at that stage.
One of the nicest things about having digital cameras everywhere these days, is that they are no longer expensive. Over the last couple of years, the price of a children's digital camera has dropped to under , while a camera that is suitable for teenagers and even young adults can be had for under 0. So if you have a child who seems to have an aptitude, or an interest, in photography, go ahead and search out the perfect digital camera for them and let them begin capturing those Kodak moments.
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