Traveling with Kids, Beyond Packing Backpacks. My Young Son and the Camera, It's Not Just Taking Pictures, It's Complex Preparation for Life.

My younger son did get crazy bored when we were nearing approach for landing ... so I let him enjoy time with my smart phone camera. He took pictures, set them in the frame, and really took his time to snap EXACTLY what HE wanted in the picture.

Kids are constantly learning. I know he won't become an expert photograpaher just because he is using my camera here but he will learn something. Or it's the start of him learning something. I can remember the moments my dad took a moment to let me look thru the lens and snap a pic. Those moments were few and far between. I hope to give my kids waaaayyyyyy more of those moments.

Traveling with Kids, Beyond Packing Backpacks. Getting Kids "mentally" ready for long trips is just as important. "How to Talk to kids" about your upcoming vacation., a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Again, the kids are learning about photography. They have NO IDEA what happens when you push the pic button.... Here he is learning about what's in the frame, lighting, etc. experimenting is how kids learn. I knew in this moment, it wasn't about a quality photo, it WAS about my son learning for himself - what will happen and how his pic will look.

Traveling with Kids, Beyond Packing Backpacks. Getting Kids "mentally" ready for long trips is just as important. "How to Talk to kids" about your upcoming vacation., a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Then we went thru and deleted the ones he wasn't pleased with. I can only say this was a sanity saver for mom, but also he learned about cameras, the importance of staging and setting up your photographs, the frame (what gets "cut out"), lighting, and then, reviewing pictures to see how the photographs turned out (because as we all know they don't always turn out...). We talked a little bit about why certain pictures were too dark, or had parts "cut out."

Traveling with Kids, Beyond Packing Backpacks. Getting Kids "mentally" ready for long trips is just as important. "How to Talk to kids" about your upcoming vacation., a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Taking GOOD pictures IS NOT a simple thing. Yes you can point and shoot. Which I often do. But I want my kids to understand what "process" means. SO when they do pursue hobbies, crafts, and projects throughout their lives, THESE MOMENTS - a simple photograph on an airplane awaiting landing - helps build the skills they need to be successful. Look at all the factors described involved in taking a photograph... those are all steps in a process. That's A LOT for a kid to understand and grasp. Yet, broken down in to small "teaching moment" chunks, its very doable. For mom and son.

Make Mistakes. Breathe. Reflect. and Laugh.Out.Loud!