Give Your Kids a Photo Boost
Here’s a unique photo tip that just might benefit the entire family. If
you’re tired of seeing your kids dragging themselves through school and
hating every moment of it, trying giving them a "photo boost." It makes a
fun weekend project, and your children just may learn that studying—with
the right approach—can actually be fun. Ask your children to contribute to
a list outlining the major problems in the world today from overpopulation
and air pollution to poverty, race relations, divorce, and drugs. Have
each child select two major problem areas of special concern. Then have
each make a photographic record of the problems (the neighborhood
smokestack spouting soot, bumper-to-bumper cars lining the expressway,
homeless dogs wandering the street). Next, have each child "picture"
possible solutions to the problems. A photo of a family riding their
bicycles illustrates one way to cut down on air pollution from cars. A
farmer tilling his fields illustrates one way to generate more food to
help reduce world hunger. When the photos come back from processing, have
each child write a short caption for each of them, including what the
problem is, and what some solutions might be. This exercise helps to
develop social awareness, logical thinking, creativity, and reading-and
writing skills in children. It can be a one-time event or a monthly
challenge. The rewards for your children will be escalating school grades
and a marked sense of self-worth. And digital photography makes these
kinds of projects readily accessible even for young children.
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