How to prepare young kids for your family pictures.
3 Simple steps to help young kids be ready for family pictures.
You really want to have great family pictures but you are worried your kids will not cooperate. If you have this concern, you are not alone. In fact, most parents worry that their kids might make family picture taking a challenge.
One of the best things you can do before having family pictures taken is to prepare your kids for the experience. Kids, just like adults, are more relaxed and happy when they know what to expect in a situation. There is nothing like the fear of the unknown to make anyone nervous.
These 3 simple tips will go a long way in preparing your children for fun, enjoyable, family pictures.
Follow these tips to prepare young children for family pictures.
During the week leading up to your family photo session:
~ Talk to them about what it will be like to have pictures taken. Share with them where you will be going and what to expect. Let them know that you will be with them the whole time and that you are going to have fun. Kids love to have fun with their parents and they feel secure knowing you will be staying with them.
~ If they don’t already know me - show them a picture of me so that they know what to expect me to look like. If they have met me before you can talk about the last time they saw me. (I have a few pictures on my about page)
~ Create excitement and anticipation by doing a fun count down activity with the kids. For example, you could make a paper chain with as many loops as there are days until the photo session. Each evening cut off a loop.
~ Check out books from the library about getting pictures taken. Reading books together helps kids visualize and learning from stories (and pictures) is a kid favorite.
~ Pretend play! This is one of my favorite ways to prepare kids for all kinds of things. Pretend play is one of the best ways kids learn and they really enjoy it. Play “getting your pictures taken” with your kids a few different times in the days leading up to the scheduled session. Take turns being the one getting their picture taken and being the photographer. “Playing photographer” is imaginative play- something young children are so good at and enjoy!
Choose outfits and shoes your children are comfortable in.
~I’ve never met a kid that enjoys being uncomfortable! Children are often sensitive to that way clothes feel. Yes, I know you want coordinated and cute outfits for the whole family- but just think about how the clothes will feel. It is hard for kids to have fun if their shoes are hurting their feet or if their shirt is itchy. Select clothes that they feel good in.
~You can even do a “play photographer” pretend play session while in the clothes you want them to wear in family pictures. This will give you an opportunity to see if the children are comfortable. This is especially helpful if they will be wearing new outfits they have never worn before.
~Back up outfits are not a bad idea! That way if something random happens on the way to the session you have a back up! Or- you can wait until you reach the session location to get kids dressed. This keeps clothes from wrinkling in carseats or getting spills on them, or getting wet from a diaper blow out! As moms we know how fast kids can get their clothes a mess. LOL.
The day of your family photo session:
~Make sure kids are well rested. If they still take naps make sure they don’t miss it. Plan for a restful, relaxing, day. Avoid activities that typically wear kids out, like swimming!
~ Make sure your kids are not hungry! Eat before the session. Who can have a good time if we are hungry?
~Smile and be relaxed and happy. Children feed off of our emotions. If we are stressed or anxious they will feel it. Do all you can do to be prepared in advance so that you aren’t rushing last minute to get out the door. If you are like me, rushing makes me feel stressed! - And- for some reason whenever I needed the kids to move quickly they moved slower than ever!
~ Avoid bribing children with “If you are good at pictures we will get or do XYZ” after pictures. I have heard parents using these bribes as threats during sessions. “Bobby, look at the camera and smile if you want to get XYZ.” or “We won’t be able to go for ice cream if you don’t look at the camera and smile.” I promise you- these things don’t make kids feel like smiling or cooperating.
~Come to the session knowing that kids will be kids- and that is perfectly normal and totally fine! Don’t pressure the children to behave a certain way- We will go with the flow and have a good time. I will capture great pictures and moments through what might feel like chaos. You will cherish having pictures that freeze time for this exact season of your life!
