Whenever we do talks to families about traveling with young children, we always recommend letting the kids take control over a camera.  Seeing what they see, from their perspective is a fun activity for the whole family.

Most often, we’ve given our kids our iPhones because that’s just what we’ve had accessible.  But, when we heard about the VTech camera, designed for kids, we decided to give it a whirl.  We actually received our first one as a birthday present at Jack’s party.  It was love at first sight.

Jack’s first camera

But, most recently, we tried out the VTech Twist camera, which has a rotating lens so kids can take photos of their surroundings or themselves (selfie-style).  We received the camera in-kind for a review, but the following opinions are genuine.

The lens at the top, in the middle, can angle upwards and towards the child, for selfies

Here are some features we enjoyed about this particular camera and brand:

• Durable design that protects the actual camera and lens from drops and tumbles
• It’s thick grip sides make it easy for kids to grasp
• Basic design is ideal for young children because they can figure a lot of the functions out on their own without adult assistance
• Our kids love the rotating lens because they enjoy taking pictures of themselves.  Lets face it, they also love features that allow them to twist and turn knobs.
• Five built-in games are great for restaurants, road trips and planes (they’re also relatively educational which is an added bonus)
• The camera’s bright colour (blue, purple, pink) make it easy to see on restaurant table tops, in luggage etc so it’s quite easy to track down
• The video and microphone allow kids to take their own memorable videos

It’s definitely a great price for what you get ($59.97 at Walmart, for example) and makes a fun gift for kids (for birthday gifts or holiday presents).

The only point we’d also add is that you’re getting what you pay for.  So, if you’re expecting portrait mode style images, you won’t get them.  The shots aren’t that clear.  But there are fun filters, stickers and designs built into the camera so kids can decorate the images.

You can also download them to a computer and play with the shots (editing) afterwards if there are some keepers.

A lot of the parents we’ve spoken with agree that cameras are a must-have travel product for kids.  Once you’ve seen how your children flourish with a little bit of creative control over the vacation, it’s hard to not give them one.