Starter
Today is photo day! Photos tell stories too. A photo is something that captures a moment. It tells a story without using motion pictures or words. Sometimes we can get a lot from the photo – but we also often never learn the full story behind a photo. Taking photos is a great way to “capture” a memory, so we can remember or even see things from a time or place when we weren’t even there. Like mum+dad’s wedding! Today we will do lots of different games and activities with a camera but we can’t live behind the camera all the time. We need to find balance. We also need to be ‘in-the-moment and capture a moment in your heart and mind, without a camera. Give a quick tutorial on how to hold the phone/camera best if you need camera. For kids who aren’t ready to hold the phone yet – or if it is too much camera holding for one day – parents can be the photographer.
Choose 2-3 20-30 minute activities from the selection below:
Memory Lane
Bring out some family albums – maybe your wedding album! The kids will have lots of questions about what and who they see. You can also ask kids to describe what they see. Ask Who? What? Where? When? and Why? questions to help with their descriptions.
Self-Portraits
Take a bunch of selfies. Then the kid should draw a picture of themselves on paper. Compare and laugh at the similarities and differences.
Story Hunt
Have your kid/s walk around the house and photograph different colors, then shapes. You can also do an ABC version where they photograph letters they see OR objects that start with different letters of the alphabet. Assign roles and turns according to your kids abilities and dynamic.
Family Time Capsule
Make a list of some of the fun things you want to remember about this time in your life. Your favourite games to play, places to go, people to see, or outfits to wear. Snap photos of each of these items – or all together. Printed Time Capsule: Print the images and place them in a sealed envelope. You can simply tuck the capsule away in a corner/closet/room in your home. Digital Time Capsule: Save the images to the cloud (Dropbox would work well for this) and then write a letter with your child on Future Me. Schedule the letter to be sent to you in the future! https://handsonaswegrow.com/3-photo-activities-kids-love-taking-pictures/
Guessing Game
Take turns with your child, taking photos of objects, both ‘close up’ and ‘far away’. Then share your close up photos after they’re taken, and see if the other person can guess what it is.
Set Up A Photo Gallery
Print out some of the photos you’ve taken today (or previous ones) – they are going to set up a gallery! Clear a wall/table/area to display the photos. The kids can create frames from cardboard or paddle pop sticks, or decorate the outside of the picture itself.
Indoor Active
Play a game from your childhood, such as hopscotch/elastics/an indoor version of skipping rope (wiggle the rop on the ground and kids jump over it).
Outdoor Active
100 STEPS: Grab a camera. Together take 100 steps in any direction. When you get to 100 stop. You must compose and frame a photo from where you are standing. See where your steps take you and what you can create! You can also adjust the number of 'required' steps as you go.
Social
Whatsapp/share pictures with family and friends of what you did today/are doing right now.