The Ultimate Guide to Cameras for Kids

With Christmas coming up, you may be thinking about gifting your child or a child in your life their first (or second or third) camera, which is why I have created The Ultimate Guide to Cameras for Kids!  I have recommendations for cameras for kids of all ages and skill levels.  Whether your toddler just likes to take pictures on your phone and you’d like to not find 62 pictures of his forehead or your teenager is interested in seriously learning more about photography, I have the perfect option.  I have 4 kids, so we have tested out all of these options over the last few years.  They have all held up well and have been well loved.  We’ll start with the youngest kiddos and work our way up!

• The Ultimate Guide to Cameras for Kids- Best Preschool Camera

• The Ultimate Guide to Cameras for Kids- Best Cameras for Big Kids

• The Ultimate Guide to Cameras for Kids- Best Cameras for Tweens

• The Ultimate Guide to Cameras for Kids- Best Cameras for Teens and Beyond

 

The Ultimate Guide to Cameras for Kids- Best Preschool Camera

So, best preschool camera? All my kids have wanted to take pictures starting around 2 or 3. After having to delete hundreds of images of my oldest daughter’s feet, forehead, and me trying to convince her to give the phone back, she got her first camera.

Over the last 8-9 years we have had a couple versions of this one and they have all been fairly similar.  It holds up well to dropping, is easy for little hands to hold, and easy to push the buttons for preschool fingers. My kids have all loved it! The image quality is definitely not the best, but for the durability of it, it is absolutely perfect for kids under 6.  It also has a few games and some funny things to add to the images in camera, like beards or animals or hats.  It really is the best preschool camera to help them understand basic functions, learning where to point, and just having fun.  An added bonus- it comes in pink or blue!

 

The Ultimate Guide to Cameras for Kids- Best Cameras for Big Kids

The best camera for big kids- well, actually the 2 best cameras for big kids are next.  I had a hard time choosing just one for this category because there are two super cool options.  These would be best around ages 6 to 10.  First, we have a camera that prints their picture! It isn’t really anything fancy, just black and white, but a really fun option for kids to see their images printed! Both this and the next camera are also kidizoom cameras, like the preschool camera.  They just make a really solid, durable camera, which is so important with kids!

The other camera I like for big kids is the Kidizoom Creator Cam! This one has a microphone, which adds the ability to create videos. They also have animated backgrounds! My kids love to act like they’re being chased by the dinosaur! This camera is a really fun one and also comes with a little tripod that can be used as a selfie stick. If your kids would like printing pictures and are more into the photography aspect, I would go with the print cam.  But, if they would enjoy videography, that creator cam is the way to go.

The Ultimate Guide to Cameras for Kids- Best Camera Tweens

The best camera for tweens is also a tie.  For those who want an instant print camera, this Kodak is super fun.  It instantly prints pictures with a sticky peel back so you can use them as stickers!

If they’re wanting a camera that will print better quality images and they’re a little more responsible, I would go with this Sony Cybershot.  This is a great point and shoot camera that will have better quality than a typical camera for kids.  It even works great for adults who want something a little better than their phone camera.  My kids have one that is probably 8 years old and they really love it.  It is nice that the screen on the back is bigger than most cameras for kids, too.

The Ultimate Guide to Cameras for Kids- Best Camera Teens

Best camera for teens! This is the age where it gets so fun! Teens can learn more about their camera. If they’re really interested in learning photography, they can learn to shoot in manual.  This is when I got into photography myself! First, I’ll start with, if photography isn’t something they really want to learn and they just want something to take pictures with friends, the Sony Cybershot from tweens will work great! BUT, if they’re ready to really get into it and learn, I would suggest a Canon Rebel.  Now, I actually shoot Nikon, but I have this for my daughter (well, an older version) who is 10 because I think it is just such a great beginner DSLR camera.  This one is definitely getting up there in cost, plus you’ll need to buy lenses.  Buying a used one, like in the link is a good compromise!

 

Bonus! This is my favorite camera book for beginners! It is super easy to understand and has a really good overview of what you will need to know to start using a DSLR camera, like the Canon Rebel.

Whether you are looking for something for this Christmas or are looking later for birthday, these are great options for the best cameras for kids for any age you are shopping for!

 

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