How to prepare your toddler for your session

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We absolutely love photographing children. They are honest, expressive, funny, and wonderfully unpredictable. No two sessions are ever the same, and honestly, that is part of the magic.
Between Caitie and me, we have raised nine children, worked in education, preschool, special education, art, and spent years photographing families along the Emerald Coast. We understand that every child has a different personality, comfort level, and way of experiencing the world.

Our biggest goal during your session is simple.

​We want your child to feel safe, relaxed, and genuinely happy.
When children feel comfortable, real smiles happen naturally. Those are the moments you will treasure years from now.

​And please know this right now.
We do not judge children or parents.

Children get overwhelmed sometimes. Toddlers melt down. Some children are shy. Some are sensory-sensitive. Some need time to warm up. Some are bursting with energy after sitting in traffic all day on the way to the beach. All of that is completely normal.
Amy has experience teaching special education and is trained as a Registered Behavior Technician, so there honestly is not much we have not seen over the years. We have never viewed a child as “bad.” Usually, there is simply a need that has not yet been communicated — whether that is needing reassurance, space, movement, attention, or just a break from the unfamiliar environment.

Beach sessions are exciting, but they can also be a lot for little ones.
Think about it from a toddler’s perspective for a moment:

• A new place
• Bright sun
• Wind
• Sand touching their feet
• Waves making loud noises
• Adults asking them to sit still and smile

That is a lot happening at once.
Children often look to their parents to decide whether a situation is safe and enjoyable. If you stay calm and relaxed, your child is much more likely to feel secure too.

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Tips for Preparing Your Child Before the Session

  Once we are at the session we won't have a lot of time to coax out natural smiles for each shot. So how do we get the little ones to understand the concept of smiling on command when there's nothing in particular to smile about? We have a few tricks but there are things you can do to help as well. ​

Talk About the Beach Ahead of Time

​ If your child has never visited the beach before, start introducing the idea beforehand. Show them photos or videos of the beach and talk positively about it.
Some children absolutely love sand. Others immediately decide it is the worst substance ever invented.
If your child is sensitive to textures, it can help to let them play with sand, dirt, or kinetic sand at home beforehand. If you already know your child dislikes sand touching their feet or legs, just let us know. We can work around it with blankets, chairs, towels, or other simple adjustments.

Don’t Over-Hype the Session

​This surprises some parents, but sometimes too much anticipation creates pressure.
Instead of:
“We HAVE to get good pictures tonight!”
Try:
“We’re going to take a little walk on the beach and meet some nice photographers.”
Keeping it casual helps many children feel less anxious.

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Newborn to One Year

      Babies are wonderfully easy to entertain sometimes. Peek-a-boo, bouncing, silly noises, sneezes, and exaggerated expressions work surprisingly well.
If your baby has a favorite song, sound, or game that reliably gets smiles, please tell us. We will happily use it during the session.
And remember — we only need tiny moments. One genuine smile can make the image.

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Ages One to Three

  Toddlers are busy little people with very important toddler business to attend to.
Favorite songs work wonderfully at this age. Games like:

• “If You’re Happy and You Know It” where you pat your leg helps get their hands where they need to be as an added bonus!
• Peek-a-boo
• Counting games
• Animal sounds
• Silly questions

…all help keep their attention.
If possible, having a grandparent, sibling, or another adult standing behind me and being silly can make a huge difference.
Also, toddlers do best when adults stay upbeat. The second they sense frustration, they usually double down on the chaos like tiny emotional attorneys.

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Three to Five

 Preschool children are just starting to understand the world around them and how they fit into it. This means they are in constant motion, we have to be quick! There are a few tricks I use that you can practice at home. One is, I will draw a circle in the sand and tell them that is their very own spot and we just have to stand in it and count to five.  Simple games feel much more fun than instructions. Visual timers and counting can also help children who struggle with transitions or sitting still.​​

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What if my child has a meltdown at our session?

Sometimes they do. And that's ok. 
We never force children into uncomfortable situations. If something is not working, we shift gears. We walk.  We cuddle. We take breaks. We play. We make adjustments. 
Some of the sweetest photographs actually happen in-between the “perfect pose” moments:

• snuggles with mom
• being carried by dad
• giggling while running
• holding hands near the water
• shy smiles while hiding behind a parent

Children do not need to behave perfectly for beautiful images to happen. I want them to have a good experience so future sessions will become a breeze!

A Few Practical Tips for Session Day

• Try to keep naps and meal times as close to normal as possible. An overtired toddler on a hot beach is basically a tiny drunk pirate.
• Bring water and easy, non-messy snacks. Avoid chocolate, suckers, or anything brightly colored that may end up all over little faces and outfits.
• Let your child help choose their outfit if possible. Children are often more cooperative when they feel included in the process.
• Pack wipes, a small towel, and baby powder. Baby powder works wonders for removing sand from little feet, legs, and faces without irritation.
• If your little one is wearing a dress, bloomers or shorts underneath are always a good idea. Trust us on this one. At some point they will decide to demonstrate their gymnastics skills.
• Let children run and explore a little before the session starts if possible. Getting familiar with the environment can help nervous little ones relax.
• Arrive a few minutes early so nobody feels rushed or stressed trying to find the location.
• Children respond far more to emotions and tone than words alone. If they see smiles, laughter, and calm energy, they usually mirror it back. Playing games and keeping things light almost always works better than pressure, threats, or constant bribing.​​

​And most importantly: Please Don’t Stress

​Children feed off our energy. If you relax and trust the process, they usually will too.
We promise — some of our favorite images have come from sessions parents thought were complete disasters at the time.
Real smiles, cuddles, movement, and personality matter far more than perfect behavior.
And yes… we may still keep Smarties in our camera bag as a backup plan. Professional photographers have tricks too.

                 If you have anymore tips or tricks that have worked for you let us know in the comments below! ​​