You don't have to be a grown-up to pursue photography or make a movie. Giving your child a camera can open their eyes to the world and provide you with insight into what it looks like from their perspective. I have many years of camera expertise at (14 years and counting at PCMag alone), so I'm highlighting several suitable choices here for kids from pre-K through high school. This list includes a couple of our Editors' Choice winners—the one-touch Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 and the affordable Camp Snap Screen-Free—along with some DIY and analog options that can help to teach the younger generation what things were like before the world went digital.
Best Summer Camp Camera
Why We Picked It
The Camp Snap Screen-Free Digital camera is essentially a digital version of the classic disposable 35mm point-and-shoot, the type you'd pick up as a last-minute item on the way to vacation or summer camp. Today, most kids snap pictures with a smartphone, but that won't be allowed at a screen-free summer camp. The Snap Camera doesn't have a screen, just a viewfinder, so it works like an old-school camera, with lo-fi digital results from its 8MP sensor. The Camp Snap camera costs just $69.95, includes a preinstalled 4GB memory card, and a built-in 500-photo battery with USB-C charging.
Who It's For
Tweens and teens: The Camp Snap is a good fit for kids in middle school, high school, or going off to college. Its analog aesthetic, distraction-free use, and one-button operation are ideal for kids just learning to take photos, or attending a school or camp that prohibits devices with screens.
Best Analog Instant Camera
Why We Picked It
The Fuji Instax Mini 13 is a perfect first instant camera. It's affordable (though you have to feed it film, at roughly $0.85 per image) and has big, rounded edges that make it comfortable to hold. Everything is automatic, and it even has a mirror to help kids frame selfies, plus a self-timer for group photos.
Who It's For
Elementary school students: Young kids can get good results with the Mini 13 as everything is automatic, and they'll enjoy seeing instant film develop in front of their eyes.
Teens, tweens, and college kids: Instant film is perfect for middle schoolers who want to document their summer adventures, as well as teens and college kids who want to take party snaps or take up photography as a hobby.
The Best Retro Video Camera
Why We Picked It
The Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema leans into the retro nostalgia craze with a design inspired by old Super 8 movie cameras and includes 10 filters that mimic movie cameras from different decades, from the 1930s through today. It works with a smartphone app to edit clips together and share them, and even lets you print out an instant photo with a QR code link to a video so you can share clips with friends. The Evo Cinema also works as a stills camera and can print photos you take with it or any images you have stored on your smartphone, so not only is it fun, it's also versatile.
Who It's For
Tweens and teens: The Evo Cinema is a fun camera for those who want to record moments with friends and share them as instant film prints. Kids should get a kick out of its filter system, too, since it lets them make movies with an old-time feel.
Aspiring filmmakers: The Mini Evo Cinema is a capable photo camera, but it's more about movies and video. Its companion app includes a video editing timeline so budding filmmakers and future influencers can start learning the craft.
Best Action Cam
Why We Picked It
An action camera like the DJI Osmo Action 4 is a good choice if your kid is interested in recording their bike or skateboarding adventures. The camera is tough enough to withstand drops, records sharp, slow-motion 4K video, and can go as deep as 59 feet underwater. It offers strong stabilization, too, making it well-suited for vlogging.
Who It's For
Student athletes: The Osmo Action 4 is small, tough, and waterproof, so you can mount it to a bike, skateboard, or helmet, and it supports slow-motion video capture, two positives for athletic kids who want to show off their skills.
Aspiring influencers: The vloggers of tomorrow will enjoy using the Osmo Action 4 to start creating content. Its front-facing screen is perfect for self-recorded clips, and its video stabilization is fantastic, so you don't have to worry about getting a tripod for steady videos.
Best Film Camera
Why We Picked It
Film photography is trendy on social media platforms, so youngsters might want to try it out for themselves. The Kodak Ektar H35N is an excellent starter pick for anyone who's never used film before. It supports focus-free, one-button operation, is small enough for tweens and teens to use comfortably, and its half-frame format means you get twice as many pictures on a roll compared with a normal 35mm camera.
Who It's For
Photography students: The H35N is a good option for high school students taking their first photo class or looking to learn what life was like before digital cameras. Parents will like that it gets 72 photos on a roll of 35mm film, which will cut down on developing fees versus full-frame cameras that only get 36 images on a roll.
Best Mirrorless for Pictures and Video
Canon EOS R50
Why We Picked It
The Canon EOS R50 is a good starter camera for older kids who want to learn how to use an interchangeable lens system. Its body is quite small, so it fits well into younger hands, and it includes a flip-out screen with touch support. The R50's autofocus is superb for an entry-level camera, and it includes eye detection for people, pets, and wildlife. An ideal starter camera for budding creators, it snaps pictures at 24MP and supports 4K30 video.
Who It's For
High school and college students: The EOS R50 is an excellent starter camera with manual controls and interchangeable lens support. It's ideal for kids taking a photo class, working on the yearbook, or looking to level-up their skills.
Best Rugged Camera for Photos
Why We Picked It
Middle schoolers, teens, and freshmen on their way to college should check out the rugged OM Tough TG-7. It's rated to withstand drops from up to 7 feet and can survive at depths of up to 50 feet underwater, all of which make it perfect to snap candids on the lake at summer camp. A high-magnification macro shooting mode encourages creativity, as does support for slow-motion video. The camera is a bit pricey, though, so it's a better choice for responsible kids who you can trust not to lose it.
Who It's For
Clumsy kids: The TG-7 is practically indestructible, so it's a good camera to get for younger kids, as you won't have to worry about a drop on the concrete breaking it.
Kids who love to swim: With a 50-foot waterproof rating, the TG-7 is a good pick for kids who spend time at the beach, lake, or pool, plus it'll be a hit if you're taking the kids snorkeling, as its macro focus can get cool photos of coral reefs and other undersea wonders.
Best Project Camera for STEM Students
Why We Picked It
Looking for a project to do with your school-age child? The Lomo Konstruktor is both a learning tool and a camera. It's an all-plastic 35mm SLR that arrives in pieces. After removing all of its parts from the plastic trees, it's up to you to build it. It's not a pricey investment, and even if you never run a roll of film through it, the process teaches budding engineers what makes a camera work.
Who It's For
STEM students: If your child is considering a career in engineering or photography, the Lomography Konstruktor is a great learning tool. It teaches kids about the complex mechanics that make a camera work, and will be a hit with Lego fans and other kids who love building toys.
Best Camera for Young Kids
Gofunly 3.0 HD Instant Print Camera for Kids
Why We Picked It
The Gofunly HD is an affordable instant camera that's a good fit for younger kids. Its rounded edges, selfie mirror, built-in flash, and large screen are all positives, and we like that it prints out black-and-white photos on inexpensive thermal paper, plus it saves digital snaps on an included microSD card in case you want to make a color print or share a snapshot from your budding Annie Leibovitz with friends and family. Kids will like its image filters, which can add a color cast or kaleidoscope effect to photos. It even has built-in games to keep your child entertained in between photo sessions. The camera is available in black, blue, green, pink, or purple, so you can get one that matches your kid's style choices.
Who It's For
Elementary schoolers: Kids in their single digits will get a kick out of the Gofunly HD. It comes in several colors, takes photos with just one button, and can make black-and-white prints on thermal receipt paper. Plus, it includes some games to keep kids entertained during long car rides.
Fujifilm Instax Pal
Fujifilm instax PAL Digital Camera (Pink)
Why We Picked It
The Fujifilm Instax Pal is one of the cutest digital cameras ever, so kids are sure to love it. The tiny one-button camera is perfectly sized for small hands, and even includes a set of detachable ears that, along with its wrist strap, make it look like a little cartoon mouse. It can print directly to an Instax Mini Link 3 printer (sold separately or available in a $149 bundle), or you can offload its pictures from its microSD card. It's a fun camera for younger kids and sells for around $50, making it an affordable way to get started with photography.
Who It's For
Younger kids: Kids in kindergarten and elementary school will love the Pal's cute design and simple single-button operation. It doesn't have a screen or viewfinder, which is a turn-off for older kids who want to get better at photography, but it's nonetheless a fun tech toy for the younger set.