Top 5 compared
The best kids' cameras
A camera made for small hands, and a great many pictures of the dog.
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The top 5 at a glance
A kids’ camera is a small digital camera built tough for small hands, with simple buttons and a screen to frame the shot. Plain ones take photos and video, often with frames, filters and simple games; some add a flip lens for selfies, and instant-print cameras print a copy on the spot on thermal paper, so there’s no ink.
Megapixel figures matter less here than how well a camera stands up to drops. Most of these are rechargeable and come with a memory card, so there’s nothing extra to buy; the VTech runs on four AA batteries, and its microSD card is bought separately. Instant prints come out in black and white, though the photos saved to the card are in color.
What matters
- A soft case or shockproof shell that can take a drop.
- A card reader or cable for moving photos to a computer.
- A wrist strap or lanyard, so it isn’t dropped.
- An age range on the box that matches the child.
#1Gofunly Kids Camera (ages 3–8)
$20–$30
A small 1080p camera in a soft cartoon silicone case that shrugs off drops, with the memory card and a card reader in the box, so the photos can go onto a computer the same day. Twenty-eight frames, six filters and three puzzle games keep a four-year-old busy when the dog won’t sit still.
What owners say: Owners are pleasantly surprised by the photo and video quality and say it’s the right size for small hands. A few have had trouble reading the card on a computer.
A closer look: Set the date and time right away, so the first photos aren’t stamped with the wrong year. The lanyard is worth using from day one: a camera around the neck survives a walk far better than one in a pocket, and the silicone case takes the knocks.
- Soft silicone case, lanyard
- Card reader in the box
- 20 MP photos
- 28 frames and 6 filters
- 3 puzzle games
Best for: A first camera
- Screen
- 2 in
- Video
- 1080p
- Memory card
- Included
- Power
- Rechargeable (2–4 hrs)
- Instant prints
- No
#2VTech KidiZoom Camera Pix Plus
$30–$50
The toy-store name, built like a toy: a chunky KidiZoom that runs on four AA batteries, with more than 40 effects, four games, panoramas stitched from up to five shots, and Talking Photos that play back the child’s own voice over a picture.
What owners say: Easy enough for a three-year-old to work out alone, owners say, and tough: one survived a night out in the rain. The games and effects get the most use; the photos themselves are not the point.
Heads up: Photos are 2 megapixels and the video is low resolution, so treat it as a tough creative toy rather than a camera for keepsake shots.
A closer look: Pack a set of rechargeable AAs with it: four batteries at a time adds up. There’s no card in the box, and a microSD card is the only way to get photos onto a computer, so add one if the pictures are to be kept. The two-handed grip and viewfinder suit the youngest photographers.
- Two-handed grip and viewfinder
- Records a voice over photos
- Panoramas from 2–5 shots
- 40+ effects and 4 games
- 4x zoom
Best for: Three-year-olds and rough handling
- Screen
- 1.8 in
- Video
- 240p
- Memory card
- Not included (microSD to 32GB)
- Power
- 4 × AA
- Instant prints
- No
#3Gofunly Instant Print Kids Camera (H3)
$30–$50
Takes color photos onto its 32GB card and prints black and white copies on the spot, on thermal paper with no ink to buy, with three rolls in the box. A 2.4 in screen, 1080p video, a flashlight, 21 frames and an MP3 player make it a full-featured instant camera, and its 1000mAh battery runs four to five hours.
What owners say: Owners say a six-year-old can run it alone and that the prints are what makes it a hit; several also mention clear photos. Not every unit has lasted, with some reporting one that stopped working.
A closer look: Prints come out like a store receipt: grayscale, a little soft, and ready to be colored in with pencils, which is half the fun. Thermal paper fades in sunlight, so keep the ones worth saving in a drawer, and order spare rolls before the three in the box run out.
- 3 paper rolls included
- Built-in flashlight and MP3 player
- Prints ready for coloring in
- 10x digital zoom
- Keep prints out of sunlight
Best for: Prints to color in
- Screen
- 2.4 in
- Video
- 1080p
- Memory card
- 32GB included
- Power
- Rechargeable (4–5 hrs)
- Instant prints
- Black and white, no ink
#4Dylanto Instant Print Kids Camera
$30–$50
The same idea from another brand: color photos to a 32GB card, black and white prints from three rolls of BPA-free thermal paper, and a 2.4 in screen. Its 2000mAh battery charges by USB-C and runs three to four hours, and the soft shockproof shell is built for drops.
What owners say: Five-year-olds get the hang of it fast, owners report, and the printing is what they come back to. Some prints come out streaky, and a few units have given up early, so views on value are divided.
A closer look: Charge it fully before the first outing: the 2000mAh battery covers a day out with plenty of printing. USB-C means it shares a cable with most phones, so there’s one less to lose, and the soft shell is there for drops onto the sidewalk, not for the bath.
- Soft shockproof shell
- 3 rolls of BPA-free paper
- 16x digital zoom
- Flash, time lapse and burst
Best for: Long days out, printing as they go
- Screen
- 2.4 in
- Video
- 1080p
- Memory card
- 32GB included
- Power
- Rechargeable, USB-C (3–4 hrs)
- Instant prints
- Black and white, no ink
#5ARNSSIEN Kids Camera with Flip Lens (toddlers)
$10–$20
The lens flips through 180° for selfies, a 2.4 in screen frames the shot, and the storage card comes already fitted, so it works straight out of the box. Ten puzzle games, 31 frames and a real speaker for stories and songs loaded onto the card.
What owners say: Owners say it’s just right for toddlers, with clear enough pictures and games that keep them busy, and one is still going after a year; battery life gets mixed reports.
A closer look: Leave the card in: it’s already fitted, and the card reader in the box moves the photos across. Load a few songs or stories onto the card and the speaker turns it into a car-trip entertainer, and do as the maker suggests and set the date and time on the first day.
- 180° flip lens for selfies
- Speaker plays songs and stories
- Card reader included
- 10 puzzle games, 31 frames
Best for: Toddler selfies and car-trip songs
- Screen
- 2.4 in
- Video
- 1080p
- Memory card
- Included (pre-installed)
- Power
- Rechargeable (2–4 hrs)
- Instant prints
- No
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Gofunly | #2VTech Pix Plus | #3Gofunly H3 | #4Dylanto | #5ARNSSIEN flip lens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best instant print | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.7 |
| Price | $20–$30 | $30–$50 | $30–$50 | $30–$50 | $10–$20 |
| Screen | 2 in | 1.8 in | 2.4 in | 2.4 in | 2.4 in |
| Video | 1080p | 240p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p |
| Memory card | Included | Not included (microSD to 32GB) | 32GB included | 32GB included | Included (pre-installed) |
| Power | Rechargeable (2–4 hrs) | 4 × AA | Rechargeable (4–5 hrs) | Rechargeable, USB-C (3–4 hrs) | Rechargeable (2–4 hrs) |
| Instant prints | No | No | Black and white, no ink | Black and white, no ink | No |
| Best for | A first camera | Three-year-olds and rough handling | Prints to color in | Long days out, printing as they go | Toddler selfies and car-trip songs |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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