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A young child happily takes a photo with their Kidamento kids digital camera Credit: Reviewed / Lisa Lawrence

The Best Digital Cameras for Kids of 2024

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A young child happily takes a photo with their Kidamento kids digital camera Credit: Reviewed / Lisa Lawrence

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Editor's Choice Product image of Kidamento Model K
Best Overall

Kidamento Model K

Check Price at Amazon

A terrific kids' camera that is destined to inspire a new generation of shutterbugs. Read More

Pros

  • Excellent photo quality
  • Intuitive features
  • Large viewing screen

Cons

  • Photo download app can be glitchy
Editor's Choice Product image of Prograce Kids Waterproof Camera
Best Value

Prograce Kids Waterproof Camera

Check Price at Amazon

A durable kids' camera that sporty kids will love. Read More

Pros

  • Durable
  • Fun to use
  • Cool-looking

Cons

  • Video games were distracting
  • Photo quality is so-so
Editor's Choice Product image of Olympus Tough TG-6
Best for Older Kids

Olympus Tough TG-6

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A workhorse of a camera, the Olympus Tough is easy to use, is filled with intuitive features, and takes incredible photos in all kinds of conditions. Read More

Pros

  • Intuitive
  • Durable
  • Excellent low-light capability

Cons

  • Expensive
Product image of VTech KidiZoom PrintCam
Best Instant Print Camera for Kids

VTech KidiZoom PrintCam

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This printcam allows kids to print out photos to their hearts' content, without breaking the bank. Read More

Pros

  • Cool flip camera lens
  • Affordable photo prints
  • Fun creative graphics

Cons

  • Sub-par photo quality
  • Prints start to fade quickly
Product image of VTech KidiZoom Camera Pix

VTech KidiZoom Camera Pix

Check Price at Amazon

For a low price point and sturdy kids’ camera, this is a popular and basic option. Read More

Pros

  • Lightweight and sturdy
  • Fun intro camera for kids
  • Over 30 photo effects

Cons

  • Hard to set-up
  • Low photo quality
  • Games are the biggest draw
  • Best Overall Kidamento Model K
  • Best Value Prograce Kids Waterproof Camera
  • Best for Older Kids Olympus Tough TG-6
  • Best Instant Print Camera for Kids VTech KidiZoom PrintCam
  • VTech KidiZoom Camera Pix
  • What You Should Know About Buying a Digital Camera
  • More Articles You Might Enjoy

A good kids’ camera can open up a whole new world for a child. Whether they dream of being future social media influencers, or they just want to take a stab at exploring their artistic side, having a camera as a kid can supercharge their creativity while being a ton of fun. If your child has started asking for your cell phone to snap some selfies, it may be time to investigate a starter camera for your kid.

We tested a range of kid-friendly digital cameras to find the best for budding photographers and filmmakers. The Kidamento Model K (available at Amazon) emerged as the best digital camera for kids for its usability and durability. This terrific little kids’ camera takes better-than-expected photos, is small enough to fit in a kid’s hand, and is super durable.

Also topping the list is the Olympus Tough TG-6 (available at Amazon) for older kids. Our Best Value pick is the Prograce Kids’ Digital Camera (available at Amazon).

Here’s to seeing the world through your kids’ eyes—and to getting your phone back. Read on for why these are the best cameras for kids of all ages.

Editor's Note:

The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.

Two Kidamento Model K cameras sitting on a wooden surface
Credit: Reviewed / Lisa Lawrence

We loved the durable exterior of the Kidamento, which made it almost indestructible.

Best Overall
Kidamento Model K
  • Recommended ages: 3-9
  • Lens: f/2.8
  • Screen: 3” touchscreen
  • Resolution: 1080p video, 48MP
  • Storage: 32GB

This cute little kids’ digital camera made us swoon over its diminutive size, soft and grippy body, and its intuitive and easy-to-use features. In fact, this camera was so easy to use that we never once had to break out the instruction manual. Just take it out of the box, charge it up, and watch your kids snap away.

Out of all the cameras tested, the design of this one elicited the greatest squeals of delight from our testers. The soft rubber exterior not only looks adorable, it has a comfortable and grippy feel and makes the camera nearly indestructible. If you’re looking for a digital camera for kids that will encourage young shutterbugs to hone and develop a love for photography, this is the best kids’ camera we’ve found.

What we liked best about this kid-friendly digital camera is that it puts photo-taking above all else. That may seem like a no-brainer, but the most common complaint with kids’ cameras is they can be so stuffed with games that they do nothing to develop foundational photography skills.

The Kidamento Model K, however, was obviously designed by photo buffs. This point-and-shoot camera can take photos up to an astonishing 48 megapixels, making it a formidable option for image quality. We also liked that it looks and feels like a shrunk-down DSLR, yet is automated to get the best possible photos for a young child who hasn’t yet honed their photography chops.

A large viewing screen allows kids to easily frame their photos, and cute little frames, icons, and emoji allow kids to put their personal stamps on picture taking. We love that it has a built-in selfie mode (because kids love a good selfie), and it also comes with a brilliant little app that allows you to easily download pictures to your phone or tablet over Wi-Fi.

The f/2.8 lens ensured that all photos we took were crisp. The touch screen is intuitive and laid out in a way that will prepare your budding paparazzo to easily transition to a more complex camera when they’re older. It’s perfect for their small hands, too.

Pros

  • Excellent photo quality

  • Intuitive features

  • Large viewing screen

Cons

  • Photo download app can be glitchy

Buy now at Amazon

$79.99 from Best Buy
A child uses his prograce camera when climbing outside
Credit: Reviewed / Lisa Lawrence

The Prograce is a great on-the-go camera for kids.

Best Value
Prograce Kids Waterproof Camera

Recommended ages: 4-12 Lens: 2f Screen: 1.77” Resolution: 1080p video, 5MP photo Storage: MicroSD support up to 32 GB

A kid-appropriate take on a GoPro, the 5-megapixel Prograce is a tiny, mountable camera housed in a waterproof and shockproof plexiglass casing. It’s a great kids’ camera for young adventure-seekers with a budding interest in photography. It comes with a full suite of mounts and has HD video functionality, making it a great, well-priced option with plenty of versatility.

The burst shooting function makes it easy for kids to capture the dynamic movements of their friends. Unfortunately, we found the photo quality of this kids’ camera to be only so-so. The overall appeal of the Prograce had more to do with capturing video while playing hard.

This is a fun little camera for kids that can shoot from the back of a skateboard, a surfboard, or the handlebars of a bike and is compact enough to go anywhere your kids’ adventure takes them.

Pros

  • Durable

  • Fun to use

  • Cool-looking

Cons

  • Video games were distracting

  • Photo quality is so-so

Buy now at Amazon
Two children look through camera viewfinders, including the Olympus Tough TG-6
Credit: Reviewed / Lisa Lawrence

The Olympus Tough TG-6 is easy to use and has great picture quality.

Best for Older Kids
Olympus Tough TG-6
  • Recommended ages: 6-adult
  • Lens: f2.0
  • Screen: 3”
  • Resolution: 4K video, 12MP photo
  • Storage: SD cards up to 512GB

The Olympus Tough TG-6 lived up to all its claims of durability, usability, and so much more.

As good for entry-level photographers as it is for seasoned shutterbugs, we were pleasantly surprised that the Olympus Tough TG-6 turned out to be one of the easiest to use right out of the box. The zoom buttons on this 12-megapixel camera were easy to master and the video button was intuitive, even for a child as young as 6 years old. We loved that this camera was so instantly gratifying that our testers were immediately hooked.

While this was incredibly usable and kid-friendly, this is no kiddie camera. That said, it could be great for a kid that’s ready to get technical. It’s got a bright wide-angle setting. It’s also at the top of its class for waterproof compact cameras, making for excellent underwater and low-light photography.

Since this is less of a kids’ camera and more a grown-up camera that’s easy-to-use and durable enough for children, it’s the perfect camera to grow with your kids. The photos and videos are high-resolution. The memory card compatibility goes up to a full terabyte.

Moreover, you can easily upgrade this camera over time with lens adaptor packs, including a fisheye, a telephoto, and a ring flash adapter for macro photography. This feature was unique to this camera versus other compact waterproof cameras we’ve tried, increasing its longevity.

Pros

  • Intuitive

  • Durable

  • Excellent low-light capability

Cons

  • Expensive

Buy now at Amazon
A child holds the VTech KidiZoom in front of their face, taking a photo with it.
Credit: Reviewed / Lisa Lawrence

The VTech KidiZoom is reasonably priced and loads of fun.

Best Instant Print Camera for Kids
VTech KidiZoom PrintCam
  • Recommended ages: 4-11
  • Lens: unspecified
  • Screen: 2.4”
  • Resolution: 2MP
  • Storage: SD card support up to 32GB

This easy-to-use, 2-megapixel instant print camera was a favorite of our kid testers, while parents appreciated that they can print out their kids’ photos for about 75 cents an image. The paper is basically receipt paper, so you’re not getting the highest quality photos, but it does make for a fun experience for kids that won't break the bank.

You can also download all the photos stored on the camera. That way, you have them stored, and you can print your favorites on real photo paper for better longevity. The PrintCam also comes with a 4x digital zoom.

This is more than just a kids’ digital camera: It’s a handheld creativity device for aspiring graphic designers. Kids can create comic strips, coloring strips, name tags, cartoons, and more with pre-loaded graphics. So while this camera doesn’t take the sharpest digital images, it does make for an artsy experience that our testers loved.

Other fun features are cute frames and a cool lens that flips up to serve as a selfie camera. As with all VTech cameras, there are also loads of engaging video games on this model—a point that gave this camera high scores with kids.

The Kidizoom PrintCam doesn't really inspire a lot of photo-taking, but it does encourage creativity. Overall, this is a fun and durable camera for kids and a truly engaging toy that our kiddie testers didn't want to put down.

Pros

  • Cool flip camera lens

  • Affordable photo prints

  • Fun creative graphics

Cons

  • Sub-par photo quality

  • Prints start to fade quickly

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of VTech KidiZoom Camera Pix
VTech KidiZoom Camera Pix
  • Recommended ages: 3-9
  • Lens: unspecified
  • Screen: 1.8”
  • Resolution: 160x120 video (can be increased with microSD card) 2MP photo
  • Storage:MicroSD up to 16GB

While we haven’t tested the base model VTech Kidizoom camera, we had solid experiences with their instant print camera and felt this was worth mentioning here. This is a durable digital camera for preschoolers and up. It stands up to just about any bumps, drops, or “oopses” a kid can throw at it.

With a 2-megapixel sensor and a bit of a lag time when shooting, it doesn’t take the best photos. Still, it provided a bit of fun with the digital zoom lens and with photo collage templates.

Like most of the VTech cameras, this one has over 30 photo effects that will get your kid feeling creative and clever. It also comes loaded with game apps. As is often the case, the game apps seem to be the real draw for kids and are a distraction from the real use of the camera.

You’ll probably find your kid using it more for the video game feature than for its shooting mode. Kids loved it, but parents were disappointed that it quickly became nothing more than a gaming device and did nothing to encourage kids to take more photos.

Pros

  • Lightweight and sturdy

  • Fun intro camera for kids

  • Over 30 photo effects

Cons

  • Hard to set-up

  • Low photo quality

  • Games are the biggest draw

$32.89 from Amazon

What You Should Know About Buying a Digital Camera

What makes a good camera for kids?

A good camera for kids is simple, durable, and affordable. While a young teen may be able to handle something more complicated than a point-and-shoot, there’s no reason to try and give a film camera to a 3-year-old, or get an expensive mirrorless camera for a second-grader.

Generally speaking, the goal with a camera for kids is to foster interest and help them express themselves. They don’t need tons of megapixels—they just need to be able to point, shoot, and make memories.

Should a camera for kids have games?

Most of the cameras here include an LCD screen for taking pictures. It’s very common for a childrens’ camera to include games or other activities to play on that screen. Sometimes these are related to photography, like adding fun frames or stickers to the photos your kids have taken. Sometimes, they’re completely unrelated.

People have different opinions about this. Ultimately, we lean towards digital cameras for kids that emphasize the actual photography. Games can be fun, but there’s no shortage of ways for your kids to play video games—from tablets for kids to a Nintendo Switch.

Ultimately, we lean towards emphasizing photography with a kids’ camera. But the decision to avoid games or to include them is up to each parent.

At what age should a kid have a digital camera?

You can give a child a camera before the age of 5, if they’re expressing interest. As long as the camera is sturdy enough to withstand being handled by a kid, you’re fine. Some of the cameras listed here are expressly meant for children as young as 3.

Children are naturally interested in the world around them—asking questions, making observations, and forming connections about the things that they see. A kids’ camera like the ones featured here could be the start of a lifelong love of photography. But even if it just helps them express a short-term fascination, you’ve given them an enormous gift.

Meet the writer

Janelle Randazza

Janelle Randazza

Former Senior Staff Writer, Travel & Commerce

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Janelle Randazza is a writer/mother hybrid and taco enthusiast based out of Los Angeles, California.

See all of Janelle Randazza's reviews

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