Kids Camera - New Baden,IL

I second the Fisher Price camera. Our kids are older than yours and STILL think these are cool. They've made videos, photo scrapbooks both on paper and on a webpage and more. They're on clearance at Target and on Amazon.com right now, because a new version is supposed to be coming out. So you might find a deal right now.

I got a real camera for my son at right about age 3.

NikonCoolPix

$50 during the Amazon CyberMonday Sales. ($200 camera)

7 years later? It's STILL going strong / taking great pictures (has taken thousands and thousands... some of which are framed on our walls).

I'd get them both the 'same' "real" camera... just in different colors, or with different cases. Your 5yo will be able to do more 'stuff' with it (messing with balance, etc.), but they're both solid cameras you'll be able to use and enjoy for years and years.

OptionB is something a lot of my friends have done. I got my son a smart phone ages and ages ago... but iPhones can still be used for music, pictures, GPS, 911, etc. with no calling plan. Typically, the prev. gen sells for a dollar.

We bought the Crayola camera for our son and have loved it! Super tough, he takes great pictures! Very easy to use. It comes with software that you can use to print out the pics with extra stuff. Here's a link to it on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Crayola-2-1-Megapixel-Digital-Camer...

Simple? Try the Lego one. My soon to be 4 yr old has had it since Christmas and dropped it and it's still ticking. It doesn't take fantastic pictures but it's only 3ish megapixels. It's good for what it is meant to be. It makes her happy and the only thing I had to do is put a bit of clear tape over the usb port to prevent it being filled with play dough.

I got the Fischer price one for my 6 year old, she's now 7 and still uses it. It's awesome and fun for her. It's kid proof which is awesome cuz kids are kids.

Updated

I got the Fischer price one for my 6 year old, she's now 7 and still uses it. It's awesome and fun for her. It's kid proof which is awesome cuz kids are kids.

My kids have always just used our camera or my Hubby's iPhone... because it is a "camera" and video gadget too.
And they are fine with it.
My kids are now 5 and 9. They are careful with it. They love being a "photographer." We just teach them how to use it and how to care for it and how to be careful of it. Even my 5 year old son, is fine with it and I trust him, with it. And we taught him how to use our camera, how to focus and zoom etc., and he can.

Just get a regular point and shoot camera. Costco has some, for cheaper.

I bought my kids (5&6) the Discovery Kids tough camera. They love playing with it. It's super rugged and you can put words and picture frames on the pictures with the cameras software. Picture quality is terrible, but the kids dont seem to care. It's definately more of a toy than a camera.

I got this one for my nephew's 3rd birthday a few weeks ago. He loves it and it's really easy to use. The pictures he took were really funny, too!
http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Kid-Tough-Digital-Came...

I was in the same spot as you a couple of years ago, my daughter was turning 5 and really wanted a camera. ;-) I ended up just going and buying a "real" camera. You can find them just as cheap as the Fisher Price, etc. I read a bunch of reviews on the "kids" ones and no one seemed overly pleased with them, the ones that were happy still had things they wished were different. I figure for the price, just go with a regular camera for them. I'm not out any more money and even the cheap cameras can take a fall or two or more (as her's has!).
Good luck!