Looking for something fun, educational and interactive to do with your little one? Try showing them how to use the camera on your phone to take pics of the great outdoors while you’re on a walk. See the world through their eyes!
Every morning, rain or shine, without fail, during the stay-at-home order we’re under here in California, Connor Claire and I go out for a walk around the neighborhood, so we can get some fresh air, stretch our legs, and get allllll the wiggles out. We’re usually out about an hour, which is enough time to wear her out before her nap, and that nap time is golden! (I’ll usually do some work or squeeze in a workout.)
Sometimes, we’ll just casually wander around and check out flowers and say hi to the neighborhood cats, but other times I’ll try to do a more structured outdoor activity to keep things interesting, like this one: learning how to take pictures.
You definitely don’t need any fancy equipment. Your phone (ideally, with a sturdy case and a screen protector in case of accidental drops) or an old digital camera will work fine.
You also don’t need extensive photography experience. With phones these days, the pictures practically take themselves.
Connor’s hands are still very small, so I help her hold the camera while she takes her pics, but other than that, she makes all the executive art director decisions. When we’re walking around and she sees something she wants to take a picture of, she tells me to stop, and I take the phone/camera out. I help her decide if she wants the picture vertical or horizontal, then we frame the shot, and she pushes the shutter button.
A few things to keep in mind
- Still like statues: For a clear, sharp picture, you and your little one will want to stand as still as possible to minimize the movement of the camera. I’ll have Connor do a little “wiggle dance” or run a few circles, and then when it’s time to take the picture, we pretend to be statues and stand as still as possible.
- Choose a theme: Consider choosing a theme before you start your walk, like flowers in your neighborhood, dogs, or numbers. Our theme for our latest photography session was “signs of spring,” which ties in with what we’re doing for preschool homeschool this week.
- Crazy about collages: If you can print pics at home, print your child’s favorite pics, and have them glue the shots into a collage.
This activity isn’t just for the kids, either. How about stretching your photography muscles, too? Use your phone’s camera on your walks outside to document what moves you!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Well, it looks like I’ll be doing a lot of outdoor activities like this one with CoyCoy in the near future because the schools in Marin will probably be closed until at least May 1.
I love the funky angles. Those turkeys are amazing, too, how they go from FLOOFED feathers to flat. 🙂 Great job, Connor Claire!
My hubby has been shooting pics of empty Waikiki beaches during his morning jogs; super eerie to see here, but I’m also happy for clearer waters and recovering coral reefs. I’m sure city dwellers notice clearer air, too. I’ll take my silver lining where I can find it. 😉
Great idea. Nationwide, a lot of schools aren’t opening for the rest of the school year, so you might have even more time with Connor.
I get the feeling she’ll be out of preschool until the end of the year. On one hand I’m so grateful for the time with her, on the other hand, I know she misses seeing her friends at school. She’s an only child and so the only “kids” around her are me, El Hub and the cat. lol We’re not nearly as fun as the other three- and four- year olds in her class! Occasionally she’ll ride bikes (at a safe distance) with a couple of kids from down the street but it’s not the same thing.
Our school district said the kids will be out until May 1st. My trainer has two boys and she texted me to say she doesn’t think they’ll be going back to school this year and she doesn’t have the heart to tell them. She’s not sure whether the school district will hold everyone back a year or just promote everyone and hope they can all keep up with the work next year.
I love the photos of the chalk drawing on the pavement. And you have turkeys!!!!
While on my walks I’ve been taking pictures of the clouds. They seem to be fluffier and whiter lately. Dear Husband has been calling them Studio Ghibli clouds because they remind him of scenes from their animated movies.
What a great idea! Isn’t it interesting to see what they think is worth taking a photo of! I love your suggestion to choose a theme before heading out. We often have ‘drawing competitions’ in our house, and they often say they don’t know what to draw, until we give them a theme. I wonder whether there are any good apps for older kids to make digital collages? I love the collage idea, but we don’t have a printer at home!