My kids had lots of fun with their first experiences taking photos on family vacations. Family vacations are great for photos. But with digital photography, there isn’t any reason kids can’t be allowed to take photos whenever they wish from preschool age onward.
Choosing a Camera
Typically, at age 3, a child is ready to learn how to use and take care of a point-and-shoot camera. Montessori philosophy recommends teaching children to use and care for real tools. A preschooler generally isn’t ready for a digital SLR camera, but even a digital point-and-shoot camera with zoom lens is manageable by most preschoolers with instruction.
There are children’s cameras that even a 2-year-old can use, but most children will do well starting at age 3 with a compact-sized adult camera. I definitely recommend a digital camera because it allows your child to take as many photos as he or she wishes.
Preparing a Montessori-Inspired Photography Tray
On the tray in the photo, I placed a digital point-and-shoot camera with zoom lens and wrist strap, a small easel (which can be purchased for $4 or less at a hobby store) holding examples of high-quality photos, and a small photo album with photo-safe pages for your child. The photo album in the picture is actually my daughter’s first photo album. You can let your child pick out a photo album or present it as a gift. For a classroom, you could have one album for the class with a few photos from each student (decided by the number of students and number of album pages).
The photos on the easel could be of a variety of photography categories, such as animals, landscapes, people, flowers, parties, sporting events, and architecture – both close ups and photos taken with a wide-angle lens. You could also stand up a photography book (either a child’s book or a book of fine photography) on the shelf next to the tray. I’d put the photography tray on a low shelf with art materials because photography is generally thought of as an art.
Presenting the Activity
1. Show your child how to take the tray to a rug or table.
2. Show your child the photos on the easel. Tell him or her to hold each photo very carefully by the edges so it doesn’t get smudged or bent. (You could say something like: “See how I hold each photo very carefully by the edges so I don’t bend the photo or get fingerprints on it.”)
During the preschool years, most children don’t need to be told how to take good photos. It’s more important that they’re allowed to be creative and enjoy the process of taking photos. Because of the preschooler’s absorbent mind, looking at high-quality photos can help teach the elements of photo composition.
3. You can say that a camera is a special piece of equipment people use to take photographs. You can also say that the camera on the tray is your child’s to use whenever he or she wishes if it’s treated very carefully. Tell your child it’s important to always keep the camera on his or her wrist (or around the neck if you have a neck strap) when the camera is being used. Show how to use a camera case when the camera will be taken outdoors and/or away from home.
4. Demonstrate how to hold the camera, how to get the subject in the finder, how to use the camera’s zoom, and how to press the shutter-release button. Point out that you hold the camera very still when you take a photo so the picture turns out clear, not blurry.
5. After your child takes some photos, upload them to your computer and help your child decide which photos he or she wants to delete and which should be printed out for the photo album.
6. Allow your child to place the photos in his or her photo album, using the techniques for handling photographs.
7. Show your child how to put the materials back on the tray and the tray back on the shelf. Your child should do this each time he or she is finished using the photography tray.
More Photography Ideas for Multi-Level Learning
Photography for Kids from Big Learning
Teach Your Child How to Take Good Pictures from Teach Kids How
Photography for Kids from National Geographic Kids
A Photography Unit for Elementary-Aged Kids and Older
Depending on their age and ability, older children can learn about the workings of a camera and the same photographic techniques an adult can. It’s helpful to go through the photo manual with your older child and discuss photographic techniques and exposure settings. Give your child a chance to practice with various techniques and types of photography.
Here are some helpful posts about creating photography units for elementary-aged and older children:
13 Lessons to Teach Your Child about Digital Photography from Digital Photography School
Photography and Film Lessons from Vocational Information Center
Most important of all, follow your child’s interests to help your child develop a love of photography – something that can give a lifetime of enjoyment! 🙂
I have a post called Go on a Smile Hunt with Your Child with smile-related photography ideas and ways to make a difference through Spontaneous Smiley.
Photo Credit: Photo on easel by Danny Perez Photography from Flickr Creative Commons.
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
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Wud luv to try this on my students:)
Thanks, Leah! I’d love to hear about your experiences with it! 🙂
Deb – I will definitely try this with my kids this summer. Even though they are older, they will benefit from this activity. Perhaps it will be one of our summer projects. Thanks for the great ideas! Happy Monday! 🙂
Thanks, Larri! Photography is an awesome summer project! I think that’s when both of my kids started taking photos. Happy Monday to you, too! 🙂
Interesting idea Deb! I love this activity 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind comment, Natasa! 🙂
Love this! My almost 5 year old has really been into taking pictures lately. DH and I have been looking at getting him a camera for his bday, I’ll be trying out this idea as well. TFS!
Thanks, Jennifer! That’s a great age for your son to have fun with photography! What an awesome birthday present a camera would be! 🙂
Had to share these pics my 5yo took of his toys…https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150289418899335.345413.794244334&l=de8305adb5&type=1
That’s awesome, Jennifer … I love it! So glad to see your son is having fun with photography, and it’s great he’s taking photos of things that are important to him. Thanks for sharing the photos! 🙂
My children love to take turns taking picture with my old camera. I love the idea of giving them some good pictures to focus on and allow those to inspire new ideas with their budding photography!
Thanks for your comment, Heather! Using an old camera of yours is a great way to inspire your kids in photography! 🙂
Nice project ideas! My kids, 3, 8, and 10, enjoy digital photography. The three-year-old was given a toy digital camera but he much prefers using a real one.
Thanks, Jeremy! It’s interesting that kids definitely prefer real equipment! It’s great that you’re giving your children the opportunity to enjoy digital photography! 🙂
I just linked to you from my blog….
Thanks so much, Jennifer! I really appreciate it! 🙂
This is a really good idea! It makes me realize how silly I am not to let the kids use my camera. Some of that is comes from the last new camera being dropped in a dog water bowl when he was almost 2. But if I can trust him to use a real knife, I should be able to trust him with my camera in the same learning process.
Thanks, Kelli! I can see why you were hesitant after ending up with a camera in a dog water bowl! But, yes, if you can trust your son now to use a real knife, he’s probably ready to use a real camera, too! Have fun! 🙂
Wow! Brilliant post! Love the Montessori inspired element – goes to show “Montessori” is just as modern as any other approach! Love all your pointers and tips!
Thank you for linking up to Kids Get Crafty!!! Always a pleasure to have you stop by!
Maggy
Thanks so much for your kind comment, Maggy! I love how you’re using photography, too! 🙂
Funny enough I just did most of what you wrote yesterday when I handed down my point and shoot to my oldest and he handed down his point and shoot to my youngest… I had no idea I was having a Montessori lesson, bur did most of what you wrote (minus the tray). 🙂 I’ve not been very good about printing photos for my boys (or myself, for that matter)… I’ll make sure to do that now that I’ve read your lesson plan. Thanks, Deb!
Thanks for your comment, Michelle! It’ll be fun to see the photos your boys come up … with guidance from you and your husband, they’ll have an amazing start in photography! Have a wonderful 4th of July! 🙂
Such a great tutorial! My DD has a camera…and I never let her touch it. I really need to set this up for her! Thank you for linking up!!
Thanks so much! I hope your DD has fun with photography … most kids love it! Thanks for hosting the Pinterest link-up! 🙂
It never fails! Whenever I am looking for a way to incorporate a unit in the Montessori fashion I can just pop over here and there it is. Amazing. Thank you so much! Our homeschooling journey wouldn’t be the same without your help!!
Thanks so much for your very kind comment! I’m so glad my unit-study posts are helpful for you! Your comment made my day! 🙂
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Hello Deb, I am here again,
Thanks for providing the useful statistics.
A thoughtful insight and tips I will use on my upcoming blogs.
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