Top 5 Free Sites That Let Children Have Fun With Photographs

With the advent of digital photography and the ease with which computer software can modify and manipulate even the most rich and colorful photographs, new applications and websites began to surface that allow children to have a great deal of fun with photographs. The following list represents the top 5 photo manipulation websites and applications created specifically for children.

1. BigHugeLabs.com - This is easily one of the best sites for kids to have fun with photographs. Everything on the website is absolutely free, with design projects, activities and games that kids will love. Have fun along with your kids through activities like making a motivational poster, customizing a jigsaw puzzle or even creating a beautiful mosaic from your favorite photographs. When your kids see the sort of wonderful creations they can make at this website, they'll want to do these photo projects with you all the time!



2. MAGIX FunPix Maker - This free software application lets kids add all sorts of fun special effects and distortions to their pictures, resulting in some of the most comical images you'll ever see. The photo editing interface is very simple and intuitive so even computer savvy children as young as five or six could figure it out. Buttons all along the left side of the screen let you do things like expand or shrink, twist and fade sections of images. With a little imagination, your child can take a simple image of your pet and turn it into a very comical creation. The software installs with a 7 day trial, but you can obtain the full version simply by filling out a free registration form.



3. My StoryTown - The owners of My StoryTown, a website full of fun and educational activities for kids, created this wonderful "show & tell" gallery where children from all over the world can upload their own photos of any toy, pet, drawing or anything else they're proud of, and add it to the show & tell gallery. Just like show & tell in school, the child can add a title to describe what that thing means to them, but unlike in school they'll be sharing those special thoughts with other kids from all around the world.



4. Kodak Fun for Kids - Kodak, the leader in creative and inexpensive photography products, offers an entire section on their website with complete photography projects that parents can do with their kids. From creating a photo memory card game to building an art album together, each of these detailed projects lists the required skill level and the estimated time to complete it. Each of the projects describe all of the materials that you'll need, and they are available in printable format.



5. Befunky.com is a creative website for older kids where they can import their own images and add innovative and unique photo effects that make those photos "funky." Kids can convert photos to a pencil sketch, a pop art portrait, an impressionist painting and much more. Kids can upload their images from a computer or another website, or they can capture an image from the computer webcam. In free mode, processing time takes a little longer, and there's a "BeFunky" banner along the upper left corner of the image. However, kids will have a lot of fun when they see their photos converted into works of art.



All of these sites offer a fun experience for kids of all ages, as well as an opportunity to expose children to the many ways that photography can be exciting.