Before smartphones took over, holiday photos were full of surprises – red-eye, half-heads and that one shot with your thumb over the lens.
A new study has found Brits are missing the magic of those perfectly-imperfect holiday prints.
The research, commissioned by the holiday group TUI, revealed six in 10 parents feel a pang of nostalgia for the days of getting a roll of film developed after a family trip.
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But since the rise of smartphones, family photos from overseas trips rarely get printed.
The study also showed that 63% of adults feel hard copies of photos are more meaningful than digital images.
A whopping 52% of participants also admitted they haven’t used a camera that wasn’t an iPhone or similar device for the last three years.
The findings suggest that children who capture pictures and then engage with printed photos are more likely to retain these happy memories into adulthood.
In an effort to re-capture this nostalgia, TUI is launching new ‘Mini Memory Makers‘ photography masterclasses at selected kids’ clubs this Easter.
Little snappers aged three to six will be kitted out with cameras and put in charge of capturing the family holiday snaps by shooting the quirky things they love.
To make the memories last a lifetime, they will also receive free prints of their ‘imperfect pictures’ when they get home; a move that has been backed by experts.
Supporting the campaign, clinical psychiatrist and memory skills expert, Dr Tharaka, said: “Memory is critical to how we learn about the world and navigate our way through it from the day we’re born.
“On a practical level, it drives our basic functional capabilities, from learning to talk to avoiding things that may cause us harm.
“On an emotional level, positive memories can improve mental health, build resilience and buffer us against negative experiences.
“Recalling happy childhood holidays can provide a sense of stability and grounding, and photo albums provide a trigger to transport us back to specific moments, helping to evoke the emotions we felt at that very point in time.
“When children are actively involved in a task, their brains are more engaged, leading to stronger neural connections and better memory formation.
“So, getting them to call the shots on the holiday photos could make the memories they are capturing far stronger, whether they’re budding photographers or their handiwork captures more than a few imperfections.”
The Mini Memory Makers masterclasses will be available at three kids’ clubs across the Canary Islands and Cyprus.
TUI BLUE Orquidea, TUI BLUE Aeneas and TUI BLUE Flamingo Beach will host the classes.
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