Summer is more than just a season, it’s a state of mind. It’s where kids feel free from the burden of classes, and childhood moments melt as fast as ice cream in the sun. If you’re a parent, grandparent, or just someone who knows how fleeting a giggle can be, capturing these moments matters. But if you’re reading this, you’re probably stumped on ideas for photos to take of your kids!
Don’t worry, you don’t have to be alone in this conundrum! From timeless traditions to 2025-inspired creativity, these 10 photo ideas will help you freeze-frame your kids’ summer stories in the most vivid, unforgettable way.
1. Golden hour glows
That soft golden sunlight just after sunrise or before sunset? It’s nature’s Instagram filter — and it doesn’t even need retouching. Grab your camera and head outside with your kids during these magic hours. Let them run wild in an open field or twirl in a sundress as the light kisses their hair. The glow is ethereal, and so is the magic of these photo sessions. Try shooting from a low angle to catch the sun flaring behind them or through blades of grass.
Just let your kids be themselves. You don’t need to orchestrate the perfect pose or the most album-worthy smiles. Their natural movements and expressions under this golden veil will create portraits worthy of framing. The best photos to take of your kids are the ones where they can be in their element. No forced smiles, no intricate poses, just them having fun under the golden light of the sun, living their childhood to its fullest!
2. Water play wonders
Sprinklers, garden hoses, and inflatable pools are great for cooling off. However, they’re also playgrounds of emotion and motion. Capture mid-air splashes, wide-eyed wonder, and that moment they gasp from the shock of cold water. Use burst mode to get crisp shots of every leap, twist, or cannonball. This is also a great idea for photos to take of your kids, as they will be too busy having fun to pose awkwardly. This gives you authentic, joy-drenched photos full of personality.
Want to take it a step further? Capture a sequence of splash moments and turn it into a moving photo collage — it’s a storytelling trick straight from the classic creative playbook. The best part about this is that it doesn’t even have to be a planned photoshoot. It can just be another family outing for you and your kids to enjoy. It’s great for capturing genuine moments of their childhood while also creating memories for you to cherish as you enjoy the water with them.
3. Ice cream moments
You haven’t truly documented summer unless you’ve photographed your child with ice cream dripping down their elbow. Go ahead — let them order that double scoop. Let the sticky chaos happen. These photos should be messy, sweet, and honest. Capture the progression — the anticipation in their eyes, the first bite, and the inevitable melty disaster.
Try shooting up close for texture — the sprinkles, the glossy cherry, the trail of melted cream down their wrist. These make for incredible dessert pictures, but also great macro shots of your kid’s irreplaceable delight. This is a great idea for photos to take of your kids, because not only do they get a sweet treat, but you also get to make use of that for a memorable picture. Go crazy with it, experiment with the angles, but there’s also nothing wrong with just taking a simple photo of them smiling ear to ear with ice cream splattered around them!
4. Nature scavenger hunts
Ready to combine photography with adventure? Send your kiddos on a nature scavenger hunt. Give them a list (bonus points for drawings!) of treasures to find — a feather, a dandelion puff, a heart-shaped rock. Then, let them take the photos themselves. Flip the camera around and let them direct the moment. You never know, maybe you have a future photographer in the making!
This allows you to raise little visual storytellers who know the value of sentimental photos during their adventures. Whether you’re deep in the forest or poking around the neighborhood park, you’ll come home with a collection of images that feel like postcards from a childhood expedition. This gives them the determination to take the best photos that they can, and you can also take little candid photos of them taking pictures of the treasures that they find.
5. Shadow play
Forget filters — shadows are your artsy best friends. A bright summer day is perfect for playing with silhouettes and outlines. Have your kids experiment with hand puppets, or use props like frisbees, pinwheels, or bicycles to cast funky shapes. Photograph them tracing their shadows with chalk for a two-in-one memory of them being creative, and the art that they made themselves.
For extra creativity, shoot in black and white to give your shadows a surreal, moody tone. Better yet, push the limits of what you can do with shadows by letting your kids in on the composition of your shots. Ask them what they want to do with their shadows and support them with their vision. You might just discover your kids are natural lighting designers!
6. Bubble bliss
Bubbles are floating poetry — fragile, unpredictable, and best enjoyed with squeals of laughter. A simple bottle of bubble solution can turn into a full-on photo shoot. Capture the wonder on your child’s face as they chase a cluster through the air, or focus your lens on a bubble catching the sky’s reflection. You can even get artsy by snapping a macro shot of the colors swirling on a single bubble’s surface.
This is also a great idea for photos to take of your kids because it’s cheap, but incredibly fun to play around with. If you’re quick and coordinated enough, you can try catching your kid’s reflection on the bubble, or make a magical composition with a shot of them surrounded by bubbles. These photos are the embodiment of carefree childhood — fleeting, beautiful, and infinitely fun.
Just be careful not to go overboard when shooting with bubbles, cause the cleanup is not going to be very fun. But if you have the patience, and you don’t mind the mess afterwards — this is a perfect and affordable photo idea!
7. Themed dress-up sessions
Celebrate imagination with this photoshoot idea! Give your kids free rein with costumes, props, or even face paint, then follow them on their fantastical journey. Today, they might be a jungle explorer with binoculars — tomorrow, a time-traveling chef from the Moon. Let them narrate their story while you document the saga. This can be another way to capture visual storytelling fueled by childhood wonder.
Composition is still key, especially for these types of photos to take of your kids. An astronaut is nothing without a backdrop of space or the illusion of a kitchen in their spaceship! Go all out and make your kid feel like who they’re dressing up as. Make the set feel natural, and a little roleplay with them can go a long way to make them play to their heart’s content and stay in character.
Stage a few dramatic poses, but let most of the magic unfold unscripted. Don’t stress yourself out too much by chasing perfection, you want to capture dreams in motion by letting them enjoy themselves.
8. DIY photo booth fun
Turn your living room or backyard into a pop-up photo booth. All you need is a bedsheet backdrop, string lights, and a box of random props (think sunglasses, bows, or paper mustaches). Let your kids direct the shoot or play “photographer” for a change. These sessions are goldmines for hilarious, candid expressions and sibling chaos. Thanks to smartphone timer apps and remote shutters, even the most tech-averse parent can get in the frame, too. Because yes — you deserve to be in the memory, not just behind the lens.
That makeshift photobooth can turn into an unforgettable childhood memory for your kids. So, don’t shy away from this idea just because you aren’t very good at arts and crafts. Even the simplest setup can fill them with enough joy to fuel them for the entire week!
9. Miniature world photography
The toys may be tiny, but their imagination certainly isn’t. Help your child build a tiny universe using figurines, LEGOs, or dollhouse pieces — then use your camera to enter their world. Get low to their eye level and use shallow depth of field for dramatic effect. Encourage your child to build stories with scenes! A dinosaur having a picnic, a robot band, or maybe even a fairy village hidden under a bush. All of these are a wonderful way to connect with your kid’s hobby while also teaching them subtle storytelling and composition techniques.
These micro worlds are where creativity meets storytelling — and in a time when AI toys and digital distractions are everywhere, this analog art form is pure magic. So get lost in the imagination, bring your toys to life, and enjoy this playful photoshoot with your tiny little director!
10. Barefoot adventures
There’s something timeless about barefoot childhood. Capture your kids’ feet as they stomp through puddles, walk across sun-warmed pavement, or dangle their toes from a tree swing. These shots are subtle and symbolic — they hint at freedom, confidence, and the unfiltered essence of being a kid. You can even make this a series! Take a photo of their footprints on the beach, the muddy ground in forests, and even just them stomping around your backyard’s sprinklers.
You don’t have to just take photos of their stompers either. Take photos of them enjoying themselves while hopping around or take macro shots of a trail of their footprints on the ground. The world is your kid’s oyster — this idea for photos to take of your kids can seem constraining at first, but it’s incredibly fun when you’re in the moment. Each photo tells a story from the ground up.
Embrace and immortalize your summer!
If you’re wondering what photos to take of your kids this summer, let this list be your guide — and your invitation to make the most out of their childhood. Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment. Summer isn’t about polished poses or perfect lighting. It’s about capturing real moments — muddy feet, melting popsicles, joyful chaos, and quiet wonder. These photos shouldn’t just stay in your album, these should be reminders of all the memories you’ve made with them throughout the years.
So go on. Step into the sun, camera in hand, soul wide open. Let your kids run the show. You’ll come back with not just pictures, but also stories!
