Family photo session with toddlers can bring up one specific question: Will my child actually cooperate?

Honestly? Maybe. Maybe not. And after 15+ years of photographing families around Utah County — Provo, Springville, Spanish Fork, all of it — I can tell you something important: cooperation doesn’t have to mean perfect smiles, folded hands, and looking at the camera.

Some of the best family photos happen in the in-between moments — the giggles, the running, the snack breaks, the tiny hands wrapped around yours.

But if you want to set your toddler (and yourself) up for success during your summer family photo session, there are a few things that make a huge difference. Here are my best toddler photo session tips to help make your family photos feel easy, fun, and genuinely beautiful.

1. Schedule Around Their Best Time (Not Yours)

This family photo session with toddlers tip matters more than parents realize. If your toddler normally naps from 1–3 PM, booking a family photography session at 2 PM because it fits your schedule is basically volunteering for chaos. For summer sessions, I typically recommend sunrise or sunset because the lighting is softer and more flattering (especially during those long, bright Utah summer evenings).

But if sunset cuts into bedtime and your toddler melts down every evening? That dreamy golden light won’t save us.

The best time for your family summer photos is when your child is rested, fed, and emotionally regulated. That’s the real magic hour.

2. Feed Them Before the Session

Hungry toddlers are unpredictable toddlers. Summer heat makes it worse. If you have an outdoor family photo session with toddlers, make sure your little one has eaten something with protein — not just fruit snacks and vibes. Think: cheese sticks, peanut butter toast, yogurt, protein muffins, smoothies. A full belly buys patience.

3. Bring Non-Messy Snacks (Your Secret Weapon)

Listen carefully: snacks are leverage. Not bribes. Strategic motivation. For a summer family photography session, pack easy, clean snacks that won’t stain outfits or melt in the heat — dry cereal, mini marshmallows, pretzels, crackers, fruit pouches. Avoid chocolate. Avoid suckers. Avoid anything red. Sometimes a quick snack break resets everything and gives toddlers the little pause they need.

4. Don’t Over-Prep Them

Parents mean well here, but this backfires constantly. Telling your toddler over and over to smile, listen, or behave creates pressure. And toddlers hate pressure. Instead, frame your family photo shoot like an adventure. Try: “We’re going to go play!” or “We get to run around outside tonight!” Kids respond to energy. If it feels like a performance, they resist. If it feels like play, they engage.

5. Let Them Be Toddlers

This is the biggest mindset shift I wish every parent had before their family photo session with toddlers:

Toddlers are not supposed to sit still. They are wired for movement, curiosity, and chaos. And honestly? That’s what makes this stage beautiful.

If your toddler wants to explore, run, collect rocks, or cling to your leg — I build around that. I’m not above sprinting across a field if a toddler suddenly decides to bolt mid-session. It’s part of the job, and it always makes for the best stories after.

Some of my favorite summer family portraits happen while kids are doing exactly what kids do. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is connection. That’s what you’ll want to remember later.

6. Dress for Comfort (Especially in Summer)

A scratchy dress, stiff suspenders, or uncomfortable shoes can tank a session fast. When planning outfits for your summer family photos, choose breathable, movement-friendly clothing — lightweight cotton or linen, neutral colors, comfortable shoes (or barefoot if the location allows).

If your toddler feels physically uncomfortable, their mood will show up in every photo. Comfort photographs better than “perfect” outfits every time.

7. Trust Your Photographer

If you’ve hired an experienced family photographer, trust that they know how to work with toddlers. I don’t expect toddlers to perform. I expect them to be toddlers.

I use games, movement prompts, snuggles, races, and breaks to keep things moving naturally. And if your child cries? That’s okay. If they need a minute? That’s okay too. A good family photographer knows how to adapt — and pivoting with grace is kind of my whole thing.

8. Adjust Your Expectations

If your definition of a successful summer family photo session is everyone smiling at the camera in every photo, you’re setting yourself up to feel stressed. Instead, redefine success. Success looks like: real laughter, tiny hands holding yours, nose scrunches, running barefoot in the grass, the way your toddler reaches for comfort. Those are the moments that matter. Those are the photos your kids will cherish someday.

A Glimpse into a Toddler Family Session…

Ready to Book Your Summer Family Session?

Summer is one of the best times for family photos — longer evenings, warm weather, wild little energy, and that golden light that makes everything feel nostalgic. And if you’re worried about your toddler cooperating? Don’t be. That’s my job. My approach to summer family photography is relaxed, playful, and built for real families — not perfect ones.

I’d love to photograph your family exactly as you are this season, messy moments included. Reach out to book your summer family photo session before the calendar fills up. Oh and find me on Instagram and say hi! >> @brookebakken

Because toddlers don’t stay toddlers for long. And this wild, beautiful season deserves to be remembered.