From Tots100

1.

Scavenger Hunt

Send your kids on a Photo Scavenger Hunt. Send them on an adventure to photograph as many things as possible beginning with a certain letter, how many things can you find that start with ‘M’ ?. Give them a list of things to go and find, or play photo bingo. The first person to photograph something beginning with a vowel wins. Make it a challenge, and be willing to play with them.

2.

Tell a story

Get their creative minds working and into story writing mode. Get your children to take ten photos and then include the items, places or characters in a story. Or give them family photos and get them to write a story about what happened and when.

Start a Family journal or scrapbook and get your children to recount the events under each picture. If pictures say a thousand words get your children to write some of those words down.

3.

Show and tell

One of the best way to enjoy photography with your children is to go through their pictures with them. Take the time to look at the pictures they’ve taken. Give them praise and positive feedback. If they’ve chopped off Auntie Sue’s head in an image then talk to them about how to improve their images next time.

Show your kids pictures you’ve taken and ask them for advice. It’ll make them feel like their opinion is valued.

Create your own photo story. “All photographs are memento mori. To take a photograph is to participate in another person’s (or thing’s) mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time’s relentless melt.” ― Susan Sontag
Create your own photo story. “All photographs are memento mori. To take a photograph is to participate in another person’s (or thing’s) mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time’s relentless melt.”
― Susan Sontag

4.

Learn colours and numbers

Use Photography to help your little ones learn their colours and numbers. Set them a challenge to walk around the house and photograph objects that are all a certain colour or start with a certain letter. Can they find objects that start with the letters in their name?

5.

Set up your own Gallery.

You know those 50 free prints you were given as an offer? Put them to use and print your children’s photography. Frame their images and let your children present them. They may surprise you with just how insightful their images can be.

Leave them up for a while and show them to family and friends who come round. Your children will feel like they’re really valued.

6.

Self Portraits

For older children, get them involved in taking self portraits. Set them off with a Project 52 challenge and get them to take a self portrait a week.  It’ll help with them having a positive body image. Especially when you introduce them to step number 7 and they discover the delights of pic monkey.

7.

Use editing software

There are tons of photo editing software programmes out there. Sites like Pic Monkey are superb, and most of their features are free. They’re simple to use and have some really fun editing features for kids. Their new facebook photos will be out of this world.

8.

Assign trip photographers

I know it’s hard, but when you go on a family trip let the kids take the photos. It might just get those grumpy teenagers involved a little bit more if they’re in charge of capturing the whole event.

9.

Try Something new

Ever made a .gif? Google it. They’re hilarious! Will have your kids in stitches!

Try a long exposure with a sparkler or a torch. There’s a great explanation of just how to do it here.

10.

Get a polaroid

Polaroid Cameras are so much fun. There’s something great about having an instant photograph.

Not the cheapest way to see your prints, but a fab way to get your children interested in photography.

If you’ve got any amazing ideas please feel free to add them in the comments below.

Happy Snapping!