20 Conversation Starters for Taking Better Photos of Kids

By Alissa Marquess Zorn on May 16, 2014 (updated February 3, 2022)

Join us for more tips and trick for great kid photos, Register for Beryl’s FREE Mini Photography Class. Beryl will present her “One Ingredient Fix” to help you get pictures you’ll treasure of your kids.

9 times out of 10 moms enter my Momtographie classes frustrated that their kids hate getting their photos taken, that they won’t look at the camera, and in fact turn and run the other way resulting in a blurry mess.

I know how frustrating this can be, and I want to issue a challenge to you today that may change the way you think of taking photos of your child – and get better results for both of you!

I don’t think this is actually about your kids hating photography. It’s about them hating having to disengage from what they love to do (playing, running, moving) and actually sit still for you.

A few weeks ago I needed photos for a blog post I was working on. It was getting down to the wire to get photos snapped so one morning I said to my almost 4 year old, “Let’s go take some pictures together right now.”

“NO!” she adamantly barked back.

Frustrated and ready to give up I took a peek outside and saw a break in some early morning rain clouds that left several puddles on our street.

“Ok, so you don’t want to take photos, let’s go put on your rain boots and jump in rain puddles instead.”

“OK!” she squealed.

I told her that if I let her jump in puddles she had to let me bring the camera, and she agreed. My daughter became much more agreeable when she knew she was about to play, use her imagination, and have fun.

When we can make photo taking into being more about the kids and meeting their needs and less about getting a perfect shot, that’s where the magic will happen and your beautiful photos will begin falling into place with less effort.

Because really, all your kids want and need is to be filled with opportunities to play and connect with YOU. When we can engage them in conversation, fun, and play that’s when they’ll forget the camera even exists. Today I’m going to help you get this process started.

Use the tips below to start talking and connecting. Allow these conversation and activity starters simply open up the opportunity for discussion to continue to flow.Be sure to bring the camera along so when the perfect moment arises all you have to do is point and click.

20 Conversation Starter Photo Ideas for Kids

Ask About Their Day

Who did you play with at school?
What toys did you use?
Where did we visit?
Should we eat ___________(insert best thing ever here) for breakfast/lunch/dinner?

Incite Their Imagination

I heard there’s a magical creature living in mommy’s lens. What is it?
What should we pretend to be today? (superhero, princess. doctor, chef, teacher, etc…)
Let’s go explore where the garden monsters/fairies/gnomes/bugs live!
Did any of the creatures/monsters/fairies/etc… crawl inside mommy’s camera? Can you see them in there?

Play A Game – try one of these conversation games, or go for a classic game from below:

Simon Says
Red Light, Green Light
Staring Contest (Into the Lens!)
Quiet Game
I Spy
Hopscotch

Do Something Unexpected and Silly

Bust out in song
Have a private dance party
Bring out the tickle monster
Make funny noises
Tell a joke

Happy snapping!

We’d love for you to join us for more tips and trick for great kid photos, Register for Beryl’s FREE Mini Photography Class. Beryl will present her “One Ingredient Fix” to help you get pictures you’ll treasure of your kids.