Top Kids Photo Projects

If you’ve got a passion for photography, chances are your children will want to get involved too. Whether you want to give your kids their own camera or let them use yours, there’s plenty of project ideas you can try out with them (under close supervision, of course). Here’s a few simple ideas to get you started - don’t forget to share your projects with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, we’d love to see what your family gets up to!

1. Pet photography

Your dog or cat may well be your little one’s best friend. What better way to express that bond than by encouraging a little pet photography session. Keep a close eye that neither pet nor child is getting bored - but it’s a great way to experiment with “portraits”, as well as exploring textures and even action shots.

2. Family portraits

You might have a million family photos, but how many are taken from the viewpoint of your youngest family members? Give the kids the camera and get them to take some family photos - whether posed or candid - for a unique snapshot of your family life.

3. Theme hunting

Kids love a treasure hunt - tie this in with a photography project by getting them to hunt out items or a theme. So it could be “letters of the alphabet” (an apple, a boat, a cat and so on), or shadows, or nature, or toys - pretty much anything you like - try a different theme every day or every week for a longer term project, too.

4. Garden macros

As the weather gets a little bit warmer, a photography walk around your very own garden can reveal lots of interesting subjects. Look for creepy crawlies, flowers and birds - get as close as you can by switching on your camera’s macro functionality.

5. Textures

A fun challenge is for your kids to find as many textures as possible - give them some hints regarding where to find them and send them on their way (brick walls, your sofa, the carpet, your pet’s fur - plus many, many more). If you’re feeling adventurous, you can show them how textures can be used in Photoshop as backgrounds or layers.

6. Unusual selfies

Even very young children these days are getting involved in the selfie game - but this challenge is all about capturing something a little different. Challenge them to photograph their reflections (whether in mirrors or in other shiny subjects such as metal or water), and shadows for an entirely different take on the classic self-portrait.

7. Colours of the rainbow

Photographs look fantastic all grouped together in the same colour block. For a fun week or month-long challenge, pick a different colour every day (starting with their favourite, perhaps) and challenge your kids to only photograph subjects with that colour, collating them all at the end of the day, week, month or even year.

8. “My Street”

A good way to explore your neighbourhood, make some local friends and show your kids that they don’t necessarily need to go far to get some good shots is a “My Street” project. Accompany your child on a walk up and down your own street, looking for interesting shots - which may or may not include abstracts, close-ups or texture shots.

9. Digital Filters and Effects

Most modern digital cameras and smartphones have a range of digital effects or filters you can apply to your shots. Your kids can have great fun trying out the different options, whether it be as simple as something like “black and white” or something a little more drastic.

10. Multiple exposures

Another fun effect which harks back to film days but is easily replicated by most modern digital cameras is a multiple exposure effect. Show your kids how to mix together two (or more) frames for an interesting result and have fun experimenting with how well (or not) some subjects work together.

What do you and your kids love photographing? Share your best shots with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.