I have seen the specialist cameras for children, such as V tech, and none seem to produce good quality pictures, so I am looking for a digital camera which will not break if dropped, but is not necessarily extra durable, just good enough for my 5 year old!

I have to say that I have looked High and low for a digital camera which has a combination of: Minimal functionality, decent image quality, hardy build, cheap. There is nothing out there. I would recomend buying a 2nd hand camera or older model such as Olympus Mju 400 Digital Camera [4MP 3xOptical]. This is a hardy model, splash proof, a good lens cover and decent quality photos. I have owned one for years and am very fond of it.

What about this one!Lego Digital Blue LG10002 Digital Camera (3MP)

Put the money into one of the Olympus mini-range of tough cameras. They will resist to all the accidental damage anyone can inflict on them, and produce pictures that will look good alongside yours.

But, whatever camera you eventually buy, find places where you both will find loads of simple subjects for photography, take your child, the child's camera, your camera, and do your best to ensure that everyone in the party has a camera, and go do photography together. Photography in isolation could become a bore for a five-year-old, even a demand on his/her time like going to school or brushing teeth. Photography with your child will be the start of a life of photographic confidence.

I envy you: my kids are too old and my grandsons are too young! My sons caught my photography bug having followed as far as possible the above recipe, one is even a very good photographer, but try as I might my daughters both fell into line with my merrily technophobic wife, and prefer to be in front of a lens rather than behind it.

five years old? digital camera?

try poundland for a cheap disposable.

Today's five year olds know when they are being treated like mushrooms. If you insist on attempting to give a five year old a manifestly inferior product, you'd better wear a helmet...

Kids like to emulate adults, they like to be part of a group doing great things together and the same way, with comparable results. Go the whole way and get the kid something that will encourage the development of the first "grown-up" activity.

(Just modify the neck-strap to five-yr-old size and insist your little one always uses it)

Over the past couple of years I've bought 2nd hand digital cameras from my son from eBay - models that I know are easy to use & robust & produce good results. He had a Canon Powershot S50, which was brilliant until he dropped it onto a stone floor after over a year, & I've just bought a digital Ixus IIs. Both cost around £20 & are proper cameras, not toys. He has a neck-strap with each & is not allowed to use it unless it's strapped to him. He respects them & if they should break, it's not the end of the world. He also feels very grown-up using them. Once he's a bit older, if he's still interested, I'd go for one for the Olympus waterproof models. Good luck!

I should say that my son is now 5.5 & has been asking for a camera since he was 3.

what a fantastic recipe - thank you! I would never have thought of taking my own camera with him, and can really see the value in your approach. How exciting!

Great post & responses! I am a photographer and have run workshops in schools with children from 4 years and up. I usually teach them to always hold the camera by the strap and the kids are great and always super careful. I have only ever had two cameras dropped in almost seven years!! One of the major issues with a little one using a camera is holding the camera steady and being able to press the button as sometimes the shutter buttons can be quite stiff for little fingers. I'd recommend looking at the cheaper ranges and perhaps going to a shop to try a few out. Some of the lower end cameras now have face recognition and image stabilization which will help a lot.

Absolutely!!! Even adults should go to a store to be sure that they are actually comfortable with the camera, particularly with the advance of the camera without any form of view-finder. Steadying a camera at arm's length and operating the shutter can be more annoying than you would imagine if you haven't had a good inspection of a camera "in the flesh". Add to that the risk of finding the presentation of the instructions is alien to your personal logic, then imagine all that from the point of view of a five year old: tears of frustration on their way, for children and their parents!

In my little corner of England the photo stores that have survived this far are pretty sharp on prices. I am told by one that every day they check out some net prices to see how their prices compare. With a good bundle on the counter, and firm but sensible haggling, prices in the real world can end up just a teeny bit higher than web prices, but only by an amount that is rapidly repaid if any advice is needed. Having someone show you, camera in hand, is very different from an exchange of e-mails or a chat with a bored and under-paid call-centre employee. That's why people running photo-stores have developed an extra sense to sniff out the joker who buys on the web but still wants "in the flesh" assistance.

I have just bought a Pink Samsung ES55 for my five (& 1/2) year old daughter for Christmas, with a certain sense of trepidation! So I have found this comments thread very useful. She has been asking for a camera all year and is quite careful by nature, so when we looked at the kids cameras they all seemed to be about £30- £40 and a bit rubbish! My main concern is our not quite so careful 2 1/2 year old. My theory is she will only be allowed to use it during semi- supervised times and then it is stored away safely. Has anyone out there got any other advice? While we were away on holiday this year I let her have a go of my DSLR and she really did have an eye for a photo! So it's definately something I would like to encourage while minimising risk!

Look at waterproof cameras. Some of these are toughened at a reasonable price and tend to be a bit bigger and easier to hold for small hands. Unlike the v tech they are real cameras aimed at critical customers.

i have been looking for a camera for my son for Christmas. He is not yet 4 but can hold my camera and point it in the right direction and press a button. I thought about a kids cameras but have been put off by generally bad reviews about picture quality. I like the idea of waterproof cameras and will have a look at those now.

Thanks for all the helpful responses - I'm still looking! I like the look of the Lego camera, as my son loves Lego, so it's a possibility, but has anyone bought it? Is it any good? Or is it like the other children's cameras, with poor picture quality? If so, I'll carry on looking for something sturdy, possibly waterproof, but under £100. A tough challenge!