3 of my Favorite Lifestyle Poses for Families

I’ll be celebrating 5 years in business this year (wow wow WOW!), and I wanted to share a few of my favorite family poses/prompts!

1) Play telephone

I love this one for families with at least 2 kids, especially when the kids are a little older.

2) Run up and surprise mom & dad!

This is great for 1 or more kids who are reaching a playful and mischievous age. I tell them I have a job for them, and then I tell them we’re going to surprise mom and dad with a hug on the count of 3. I have the kids stand off to the side (opposite sides, if more than 1 kid), and I pose the parents sitting down. Then I tell the parents (with a wink to the kids) that this will be a picture of JUST mom and dad. I count to 3 slowly and then say GO!!! The kids usually want to do this a few times, even though it’s no longer a surprise. I think the key to this one is making it sound super fun and super silly when you present the idea to the kids. If 1 of the siblings is under 2 or just shy, you might have that child sit with mom & dad. And if you have slightly older kids, mention that they should surprise the parents with a gentle hug (not a tackle…)

3) Swing your child

This is ideal for families with just 1, younger child (1-2 years). If there’s another sibling, version 1 can still be done by having that child hold mom/dad’s other hand. (And they’ll typically also want a turn at swinging.)

Note: This is a pick-your-own-adventure for the parents. I offer up both of the pose options you see below, because not all parents feel comfortable swinging a child by the arms. I want the decision to be completely in their hands!