How printed photos benefit children
OCTOBER 25, 2023
Prints are dead, no-one prints their photos now. I hear this a lot and I'm as guilty as the next person of having a phone full of photos that only ever make it, maybe, to social media. But here's an interesting perspective on why it's good to print, and display, your favourite photos ...
It's good for children.
Don't take just my word for it, I've got science to back this up. A study conducted in 2009 surveyed 1,000 parents regarding their family photos. The results affirmed that the majority of UK families love to display their favourite snaps, but there is a hereditary element: those who grew up without photos on display were also less likely to have their own.
Does that matter? Yes, and here's why ...
1. Photos reinforce our sense of belonging
According to Professor Geoff Beattie, who at the time was Head of School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester, "we cannot underestimate the power of photographs to keep us feeling linked to others and belonging. They cement us into our networks.
"For children in particular, looking at photographs is part of the socialising process; learning who you are and where you fit into the family. By displaying photographs of our children at different stages of their lives, we are making a very public statement that we are proud of them."
Photos are how we often define our family units, especially the extended spheres, and others who mean something to us: "here's a photo of grandma and me" or "these are my cousins" or "here's me having fun with my teammates". These people matter to us, and we matter to them, that's why we have photos of them in our homes. We belong.
2. We're a visual species
We might have five senses, but humans have more brain cells dedicated to vision than all the other senses combined.
When a child walks past a photo of their family, their friends, themselves, it's an instant boost to their self esteem. You're showing them you're proud of them, not just telling them.
3. Tangible is better than digital
Having a phone full of photos, or even sharing them on social media, is all very well but how does that benefit our children? Mine certainly isn't on Instagram liking all my posts or replying to auntie Charlie's heart eyes emoji on Facebook.
Printed photos are always there, in our homes, available to everyone to see without having to scroll past a shot of the avocado toast you had for brunch two weeks ago. They elevate the subject way above that avocado toast, no matter how tasty you thought it was.
Printed photos, or photo albums, spark conversations, they deepen our understanding of our lives and they anchor us to our social circles.
So maybe we should be printing photos as much for ourselves as for our little ones ... what's on your walls?