CHOOSING A CHILD'S FIRST DIGITAL CAMERA

Wondering how to pick the perfect camera for your child? Here's the nitty gritty about choosing your child's first camera, including what to consider, what's available, andwhat works best with little hands.
Every parent knows that children love cameras, from either side of the lens.Digital photography has madeit fast and affordable totake dozens -- or even hundreds or thousands -- of pictures when trying to get the perfect shot, which means our children often see us with a camera in our hands. And of course our children want to be like Mom and Dad, and have a camera of their own.
For many of us, buying a camera for ourwanna-be-photographers is the only way tokeep our own cameras safe. Purchasing a child-friendly camera is also a terrific way to share one of our favorite hobbies, and to encourage our children to look more closely at the world around them.
When choosing a child's first camera, you'll want to consider the following questions:

Is the camera easy to use?


Regardless of the child's age, a first camera should be easy to useright out of the box.A simple to operate point-and-shoot model will meet the needs of all beginning photographers. To guarantee success, your child's first camera shouldn't have too many buttons or options.

Is the camera friendly to small hands?


Your child's camera will need to be large enough to be held easily, and buttons should be large and conveniently placed. Preschool and kindergarten aged children do well with the Fisher Price Kid Tough Digital Camera, which has large dual hand-holds with slip-resistant bumps for a steady grip.Slightly older childrensometimes prefer the Kidz Cam Digital Camera, which is much smaller and requires a much higher degree of fine motor skills (note:the Kidz Camdoesn't have a display screen, so it's necessary to transfer the pictures toa geputer in order to view them).

Are the viewfinder and LCD display screen large enough?
Is the camera durable and will it hold up to everyday bumps and spills?
How much memory does the camera have, and can the memory be expanded?


Cameras that allow you to install a larger memory card will allow your child to take more photos.

Does the camera gee with a USB cable to connect to your home geputer?


You'll need to transfer the pictures from the camera to your geputer, or perhaps you'll want to connect the camera directly to a printer. Either way, you'll need a cable to hook the two together.

What type of software is included with the camera?


You need software to transfer photos from the camera to the geputer or printer. Most newer home geputers have photo transfer software installed, and the camera will also have appropriate software included on a CD. If you lose the software CD, you can usually download a free copy of your missing software directly from the camera manufacturer's website.
Some children's digital cameras gee with additional software that allows the child to create projects with their photos.
Here's a list of cameras that might be appropriate for your child's first camera:
FISHER PRICE KID TOUGH DIGITALCAMERA:


640 X 480 resolution for quality 4" x 6" prints