Fun Friday: Give a Kid a Camera

Fun Friday activities are quick-and-simple ways to explore nature in your own backyard. 

In response to my holiday gift ideas post last week, many of you shared that your little one either already has a digital camera or will soon be getting one (hee, hee). Here’s an idea to help your child see nature in an entirely new way.

How it works: It’s simple – set your little one free with camera in hand to take pictures of whatever’s out there worth seeing. The only stipulation is that they snap shots of nature. (Older kids may prefer to shoot videos instead.) Your front or backyard is the perfect place to start. You might be surprised by the results.

Here are a few favorite shots my son has taken recently. First off, shadow play:

The view of the tree off our porch in Yosemite:

And my personal favorite, a shot of his brother reaching for a pine cone:

If your child needs a little encouragement, you could offer some suggestions: take pictures of items that are a certain color, size or shape. Or take pictures of trees or animals.

Don’t forget to download the pictures as soon as you can – kids love to see their work. You might even want to print out a few favorites for your child’s nature journal or just to put on the wall.

Why it’s so fun: Kids love pretending to be grown up, and a camera is a very grownup toy. Giving a kid a camera to take pictures of whatever they want is pretty powerful. As an added reward, you get a glimpse of how the natural world looks from your child’s perspective.

Variations on a theme: To keep this activity quick and simple, I usually send my son out the front or back door. For added fun, take the camera with you on longer outings — on the trail, at the beach or park, or wherever your exploring takes you.

Happy adventuring!