My guide for best kids cameras is here! I know that the internet will be bursting with things that you can do with your kids once they’re out of school. One thing that I’ve done and I love to see others do is photo challenges.

I think summer is a great time for kids to explore photography because they’ve got extra free time, it’s creative and it’s a nice quiet time activity. If you’re looking to buy a camera for your kids, here are my best kids cameras recommendations.

Cameras for three to seven-year-olds

My first recommendation is the Kids Selfie Camera off of Amazon. It’s relatively inexpensive and I like that it’s small making it a great size for younger kids to handle. The controls are simple to figure out and I love that it’s so accessible for really young kids.

I got my kids a KidiZoom Camera when they were younger and it has lasted the test of time. 10 out of 10 for durability. I originally got it for Marjorie when she was two and it’s been through two more kids, dropped more times than I can count, and still works. I don’t love that it has games on it, but it might be the perfect fit for you and your kid, so I would definitely look into it.

Cameras for eight to twelve-year-olds

Recently, I gifted Marjorie my old point-and-shoot camera from when I was younger, so if you’ve got an old camera lying around, pull it out! Mine needed a battery replaced but we found a replacement part on eBay so even if yours is missing pieces, I would look into it.  If you don’t have an old point-and-shoot, I would recommend spending somewhere between $50 to $100 for a new one because your child is fairly responsible at this point and will probably want something a little more advanced than the cameras above.

Temporary cameras for kids

 My general temporary go-to for most kids would be a film camera. When my family was in Maui over Christmas, we gifted each of our kids a film camera and they loved it. I wasn’t worried about making sure they didn’t lose it and they loved taking photos and winding up the camera after. Surprisingly, some of the photos turned out pretty great!

And maybe while you’re looking to get your kids in photography, you might want to dabble in improving your skills as well! Check out my blog post on best cameras for first-time buyers and users and how to improve your mom photography skills.