A Digital Camera for Kids

What toddler or preschooler hasn’t at some point picked up a toy camera, or even her parents’ real one, and pretended to be the next Ansel Adams or Annie Leibovitz? The Little Tikes My Real Digital Camera is made with several features that make it a safe choice for a first camera for young photographers to discover and record the world around them.

Features Include:

• Durable plastic construction with bright, appealing colors.
• A break-away neck strap for safety.
• Arrow buttons to scroll and view stored photos.
• A USB cable to easily download easy download of up to 1,000 photos onto a computer’s hard drive.
• Automatic and manual flash control.
• Photos can be deleted either on the camera on from a computer after pictures have been downloaded.
• Operates on 4 AAA batteries (Not included. The owner’s manual recommends alkaline batteries over rechargeable batteries for better performance).
• After a minute or so without use, the camera shuts off, saving battery power when young users forget to turn it off.
• Priced at about $40 to $50.
• Recommended for ages 3+

Like all digital cameras, the My Real Digital Camera has an LCD screen, as well as a dual viewfinder for young eyes. When the camera is turned on, the automatic flash feature senses the amount of light available and defaults to the flash if necessary.

The screen takes a few seconds to focus, which may mean lots of out-of-focus shots by impatient youngsters. Users must also hold down the shutter button, while holding the camera still, which can be difficult for some young children to do. Also, a grownup will likely have to download photos onto the computer; by the time a child is computer-savvy enough to perform that function, he or she is probably ready for a more complex camera.

Product Drawbacks

• Some users of the Little Tikes My Real Digital Camera have found the position of the shutter button isn’t accessible for a 3-year-old child’s fingers.
• The LCD screen isn’t the best quality, and photo crispness is along the lines of those taken by most mobile phones.
• The shutter delay makes it very difficult for squirmy toddlers and preschoolers to get the picture they think they’re getting. There’s a nearly 3-second delay between the finger push on the shutter button and the shutter’s release – an eternity for a 3-year-old.

Age 4 might be more appropriate for the successful taking of photographs with My Real Digital Camera. But because of its durable construction and features, there’s no harm in letting a 3-year-old play with it too, with adult supervision.

A Camera for Preschoolers

Not-too-Crisp Photos

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