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Original poster

Does anyone have a kids digital camera for their 3YO?

26 replies

mamadiva · 24/02/2009 09:08

I was thinking of getting one of these for DS's 3rd BDay but not sure which one to get as there seem to be a few and are they as tough as they say?

Recommendations please?

OP posts:
NorthernLurker · 24/02/2009 09:18

I think 3 is rather young to buy something so complicated and expensive actually. Why don't you get a cheaper film camera and see if he likes taking pictures - then you could go for the digital for Christmas when he is better able to use and appreciate it? My daughter used to have a 'Kipper' camera which was quite good fun???

SpaceTrain · 24/02/2009 09:24

My 2.5 yr old DD got given one for Christmas (the Fisher Price one) and she loves it. Uses it every weekend and is so excited by her pics. It has proven to be very robust so far. The pics don't look great quality on the little camera screen, but the print out fine.

amazonianwoman · 24/02/2009 09:56

I got DD a cheap "adult" digital camera for DD's 4th birthday - much cheaper than the kids' versions and just as easy to operate, probably higher resolution too.

I think it is a Vivitar - only cost £29.99 or £39.99 incl memory card. Try Toysrus, Tesco, loads of places. I got her a pink one - you can get blue etc too.

stealthsquiggle · 24/02/2009 10:01

DS had the Fisher Price one for his 3rd birthday - loved it from day 1 - he is 6 now and still uses it. We may get him a more 'adult' one but only so that he can pass that one down to DD (2.5). It has also proved very resilient - it has been thoroughly maltreated and is absolutely fine.

NorthernLurker - the 'instant gratification' element of digital cameras is what appeals - and you don't have to police their use as there is no film/processing costs.

EldonAve · 24/02/2009 16:14

we have the v tech - mine love it

FiveGoMadInDorset · 24/02/2009 16:17

We gave DD a Vtech one for Christmas, she loves it as do all the adults.

cmotdibbler · 24/02/2009 20:23

DS (2.9) loves using my camera, and is pretty good with it both in terms of taking pictures and care of it. As Amazonian says, they can be so cheap now, that it's probably better - and you do want to instill some care about cameras so that they don't wreck adult ones they get hold of

mistlethrush · 24/02/2009 20:30

Ds got a Vtech for his christmas present - he's 4 in April - we got it partly to reduce wear and tear on our camera. He also loves the picture additions and has come up with some good ones...

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 24/02/2009 20:35

we got out ds1 (3.4) the v-tech for Christmas and he loves it. He's getting some pretty decent shots now and loves the funny extras that you can add on! he's also not discovered the games yet which I'm pleasd about

Tortoise · 24/02/2009 20:36

DD1 got the Vtech one for her 5th birthday. She loves it takes some good photos with it.
She also like playing the games on it and editing her photos to put clip art and frames etc on.
It does eat the batteries though. So get some good rechargable ones if possible.

squeaver · 24/02/2009 20:39

Dd (4) got the Kidizoom one (is that the V Tech one?) for Christmas and she absolutely loves it.

Picture quality is a bit shit (but the pictures are being taken by a 4 yo) but so what?

She has a little photo album and we print pics out from my computer (just on plain A4, nothing fancy) and she cuts them out and puts them in there. It's probably her favourite thing to do.

mistlethrush · 24/02/2009 20:53

We delete most of ds's! (which is the great thing about digital cameras)

Quality much better on the computer (and print out) rather than the small screen on the camera.

DanJARMouse · 24/02/2009 20:56

The Little Tykes ones are rubbish!

Dad bought one each for the DDs for christmas, and im so disappointed.

They really dont look like very good picture qualities - but i havent uploaded any of them yet....

Original poster
mamadiva · 25/02/2009 12:34

Thanks everyone,

so would you recommend getting a proper digital camera? I was just thinking I would'nt have to worry so much aout him dropping it or if we took it to the park etc.

I know I need to make him understand that he can't go around throwing cameras or dropping them but if h did by accident I would'nt worry about it so much.

OP posts:
charlotteolivia · 25/02/2009 12:39

if you are worried about him dropping it, most cameras have a hole for a wrist strap, why not attach a lanyard to it so he can wear it round his neck?

Original poster
mamadiva · 25/02/2009 12:44

oh that's a good idea, never thought of that.

Assumed the kids ones would be easier to use and be a lot more durable but from reviews they are just crap quality and very expensive, as well as the fact they look HUGE and I imagine would be hard to hold.

OP posts:
slug · 25/02/2009 13:00

We got DD a cheap adult one from Tescos. It has the advantage of being pink and therefore worthy of being taken care of.

CantSleepWontSleep · 25/02/2009 13:28

I wouldn't get a proper digi camera. They are not robust enough. DD (just turned 3) got the kidizoom one for Christmas (having already broken the shutter on our normal digi one), and loves it.

CantSleepWontSleep · 25/02/2009 13:31

Good chunky hand grips on kiddizoom, and viewfinder is for 2 eyes rather than 1 like an adult camera. A just 3 yr old will not master a one eyed viewfinder.

Hulababy · 25/02/2009 13:42

The kid's ones take very poor quality photos, even on their best settings, from what I have seen.

Depends on your child and how they are with things.

DD was 3.5 (IIRR) when she got a proper digital camera and she still uses it regularly now, nealry 7y now. We showed her how to use it in point and click and she picked it up within minutes. We got a nice chunky one with reasonably good quality too. DD loves taking photos and it is has def been a good buy.

I think digital are better than film for young children as
(a) they have the screen instead of a view finder which is def easier to use, and
(b) they can take 100s of photos and it costs no more money for them to see them.

mistlethrush · 25/02/2009 13:56

You have a ds (like me) - so even if you say be careful, it will get forgotten every now and again - ds has already dropped his camera several times. Do you really want something like that bobbing round their neck? Ds holds his (with wrist strap on) until he gets tired and then it gets put in one of our pockets. We got ours in Costco - quite a lot cheaper - shop around, you might find similar good deals. The VTech one is so easy to use that he has taught himself, although we have suggested that he tries to take pictures of people's faces rather than their groin area (!) or feet.

I wouldn't have got ds an adult one, and am very pleased with his. The picture quality at the moment is mainly due to the way he takes pictures or what he decides to take a picture of rather than any fault of the camera!

Original poster
mamadiva · 25/02/2009 14:22

kay think I might get the Vtech one then.

They had thema few days ago in Argos for £36.99 now £48.99 soo but I think in terms of durability a normal one may be a false economy as I imagine it would break much easier, the Little Tikes one seems to be the cheapest at £25 but has the worst reviews.

OP posts:
CantSleepWontSleep · 25/02/2009 14:27

£50 at elc but there's always a 20% code knocking about, and free delivery until end of tomorrow over £50, so just get a little something else whilst you're at it.

squeaver · 25/02/2009 14:30

Honestly who cares whether the photos are good quality? They're going to be taken by a 3 year old!

Do as CSWS says. The Kidizoom one is VERY robust.

HappyMummyOfOne · 25/02/2009 22:15

DS had the blue fisher price one and it was fab. Very sturdy and child friendly.

Rarely uses it now as prefers dads but it was ideal at the time. Didn't tend to print the pics as they were of random things most times

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