Why Photography For Kids?

You learn how a camera works and see the many science and technology applications; you learn about sensors, how light works, and how the lens works.

Taking good photographs has a technical side: learning fractions helps frame the best photos. You also develop fine motor skills: holding the camera steady and hand-eye coordination.

Developing your own photos teaches you how to mix chemicals, timing, light-sensitive materials, and more!

The list keeps going of the skills you can learn!

Slowing to capture moments allows time to think, ponder, and wonder. Nature is healing. The tactile world of touch, sound, and color – calms our souls. Spending quiet time wandering to take photos allows for self-discovery and evokes emotional connections and feelings of peace, happiness, and self-expression.

Choose your own subject, composition, lighting, and mood…the options are endless and up to you!

Photographing nature or events is personal. It’s you connecting with a subject. In this social media-obsessed world, the value of genuine personal connections has been lost, and the obsession with oversharing and popularity has taken over. Photography can help kids learn that they can connect with nature personally and that it’s their private experience that not everyone needs to be invited to see. It can be their own secret world of wonder.

The natural world is a great teacher of patience. It has its own schedule, and it won’t be rushed. You may want a bird photo right now, but you may have to wait for it to come into view or perch.  A sunset can take a while to show its perfect colors, or a butterfly to fold its wings just so. But patience is an invaluable skill to learn, and it often leads to perfect moments we can treasure.

Photos show connections. They tell stories. A connection between you and a subject, a connection between two subjects…such as two sisters playing together 😊 We need to learn to connect with people, creatures, and things first before we can capture their true essence. This intimacy is the lifeblood of human life.

Learn to watch the flight of a bird or the movement of clouds so you can predict when to take the perfect photo. Analyze the best place to sit and wait, the best time of day, and the best weather. Observing people, things, and animals allows us to capture them in their finest moments.

Young children are proud of their accomplishments: a perfectly performed drawing, craft, and cartwheel. Seeing their own photographs displayed – especially ones they are proud of – helps build pride and confidence. The better their skills develop, the more their confidence grows.

These skills are crucial for success in STEM and visual arts. For example, architects and artists, biologists, medical workers, engineers, and geologists benefit from strong spatial skills. Photography allows experimentation with different camera angles and senses of scale.

Life is a delicate fabric woven together from many tiny moments. It’s not all about that splashy vacation or that one big moment of glory – pleasure and enjoyment can come from life’s little daily gifts – watching squirrels play, a butterfly drying its wings or a giant bumblebee landing on a delicate flower.

You must prepare your gear, where to go, and where to look. This is an invaluable life skill.

Seeing the beauty of nature through the lens engenders an appreciation for it and a desire to protect it. Trampling, destruction, and trash make for ugly photos. Spending time with a subject in an effort to photograph it can bond you together – you get attached to a tree, a flower, or a little animal. It also promotes respect for how animals go about life – you can’t force, interfere, or encroach; otherwise, damage can be done, or they will just run away!