How to Prepare Young Kids for a Family Photoshoot (Without Stress)
As a family photographer — and a mom myself — I can promise you this: young kids do not need to behave perfectly for beautiful photos to happen. Some of the sweetest moments come from the in-between moments, the giggles, the movement, the cuddles, and even a little chaos.
But there are a few simple things that can help make your session feel smoother and more relaxed for everyone.
Try to Schedule Around Nap Time
This one makes the biggest difference. An overtired toddler usually has very different plans for the evening than smiling at a camera. If possible, avoid scheduling your session during nap time or close to bedtime. Even older kids can become emotionally overwhelmed after a long, busy day, especially when a session happens during golden hour in the evening. A slower, calmer day beforehand can really help children arrive feeling rested and happy.
Keep the Routine as Normal as Possible
Kids thrive on predictability. If possible, try not to pack the day with too many activities before your session. Birthday parties, long outings, errands, skipped naps, rushed meals — it all adds up quickly for little ones.
A calm day often leads to a much calmer session.
Don’t Forget Snacks and Water
Even happy kids can suddenly become emotional when they’re hungry. I always recommend bringing:
- water
- and maybe one “emergency snack” you know your child loves.
The only little trick?
Try not to let your child know about the snacks right away — otherwise the session may quickly turn into a snack negotiation. Instead, keep them nearby and use them only if needed. Also, choosing non-messy snacks helps avoid accidental stains right before photos.
About Toys: Sometimes Less Is More
Parents often ask if they should bring favorite toys. Usually, I recommend leaving toys in the car unless you genuinely want them included in your photos. For many young children, a favorite stuffed animal or toy becomes emotionally very important once they see it — and understandably, they may not want to let it go for the rest of the session.
That said, comfort items are absolutely okay if they help your child feel safe and happy. Sometimes those little details even become meaningful memories later.
Try to Avoid Phones During the Session
This one surprises many parents.
For family photos, I usually recommend avoiding phones as much as possible during the session. Sometimes phones can help briefly during individual child portraits — especially with toddlers. If we’re trying to capture a quick smile or direct attention toward the camera, a favorite song or short video can occasionally work for a moment.
This is especially true when little kids are surrounded by interesting props, flowers, baskets, or anything else competing for their attention. But during family photos, phones usually create more challenges than help.
Once a child gets the phone, they often want to keep holding it, look at the screen instead of interacting naturally, or become upset when it’s taken away. Instead, I try to keep sessions playful, interactive, and movement-based so children stay engaged with you, not with a screen.
And usually, those genuine little moments create much more meaningful photographs anyway.
Don’t Stress About “Perfect Behavior”
This may be the most important tip of all.
Young children are not meant to stand still, smile on command, and look at the camera for an hour. They explore, move, cuddle, wiggle, laugh, run away, and sometimes need breaks.
That’s okay. Some of the most beautiful family images happen when parents stop worrying about perfection and simply focus on being together. Your job is not to create perfectly behaved children for the session.
My job is to work with your children exactly as they are.
Trust the Process
This may be one of the hardest parts for parents — but also one of the most important.
During the session, try to relax and resist the urge to constantly remind your child to:
- “Look at the camera!”
- “Smile!”
- “Say cheese!”
- or the classic parent whisper-shout:
“If you cooperate, you’ll get ice cream.”
Honestly, “cheese” almost never creates the soft, genuine smiles parents are hoping for anyway. Usually, it creates the very serious “I am performing for adults right now” smile. And little kids are often much happier interacting with you than staring directly into a camera. Sometimes the most beautiful image is your child looking at mom and laughing naturally — not perfectly posing at the lens.
If I need your child’s attention toward the camera, I’ll guide that moment myself.
And if I’m not trying to get them to look at me, that usually means something beautiful is already happening exactly as it is — a cuddle, a laugh, a little conversation, a real connection between you and your child.
Those are often the moments that end up meaning the most later.
