Ditching the smartphone: We tested the myFirst Camera Insta 20 with a toddler

THERE is something deeply nostalgic about a child holding a physical photograph - one they took themselves, watched appear on the spot and can physically press into a scrapbook or tape to a bedroom wall.

In a world where childhood memories mostly live behind glass screens or vanish into cloud storage folders, myFirst Malaysia is attempting to bring back that tactile magic with its Camera Insta 20. Billed as a dual-display instant printing camera for children, the device launched locally at a promotional price of RM299 until May 31, in time for the school holidays.

While the tech specs are modern, the underlying appeal is old-school.

At a time when children instinctively swipe at screens, this device offers a return to something tangible. Kids point, shoot and within seven seconds, a physical black-and-white print slides out.

No apps, no wireless syncing and no waiting.

Singapore-founded child tech firm myFirst founder and chief executive officer G-Jay Yong said technology should empower children to create, explore and connect with the world around them, not simply consume content passively.

“With the Camera Insta 20, we wanted to create a product that blends innovation, creativity and family bonding into one simple experience that children can truly enjoy," he said in a statement recently.

The joy of physical discovery

We took the camera out for an afternoon with a toddler in tow, curious to see if a monochrome print could hold its own against the bright animation of modern tablets.

The design is lightweight and fits easily into small, eager hands, requiring almost zero learning curve. Within minutes of unboxing, our young tester was already framed against the world, looking at ordinary things with fresh curiosity.

The real charm of the experience emerged when we turned the afternoon into a quiet game.

On a walk through the park, we created our own "Can you spot a..." game, where he became fully aware of his surroundings, spotting a bird, finding a round leaf and photographing odd-looking leaves, transforming a routine outing into a shared adventure.

The camera became a tool for close observation and each quick thermal print felt like a tiny trophy of discovery.

The prints themselves look like small, inkless receipts, carrying the soft, grainy charm of vintage snapshots. There was a quiet fascination in watching the image slide out, a sensory pause that kept our toddler completely engaged without a single request for a phone or a dose of online cartoon streaming.

Preserving fleeting moments

From a parent’s perspective, the device offers a gentle antidote to digital fatigue. It is sturdy enough to survive enthusiastic handling and simple enough to let children lead the experience.

The one thing to budget for: an album. Because printing is so effortless, children will print a lot. Ours certainly did. But that, arguably, is the point.

In a world where thousands of family photos sit unseen on phones and cloud storage, there is real value in a picture you can physically hold. These small thermal prints end up on fridges, in scrapbooks and pressed between notebook pages. They get looked at. They get kept.

It is a small but meaningful shift, from digital memories that disappear into folders to tangible ones that find their way into everyday life.

During our outing, we also took some pictures of strangers, policemen on duty and random people with their loved ones and printed the pictures as a keepsake for them. They were impressed and grateful for the tangible photos, with some immediately slipping them behind their clear phone covers.

During our outing, we also took some pictures of strangers, policemen on duty and random people with their loved ones and printed the pictures as a keepsake for them. They were impressed and grateful for the tangible photos, with some immediately slipping them behind their clear phone covers.

Designed for small hands

The hardware includes a dual-display, allowing children to easily switch between taking selfies and capturing moments around them independently. A small OLED panel on the front plays simple pixel animations and countdown timers to keep younger children amused.

The camera features a 16-megapixel lens and shoots 1080p video, built entirely with BPA-free materials. It also includes a removable protective cover that doubles as the paper compartment and ships with three rolls of thermal paper, a neck lanyard and stickers for customisation.

Originally founded in Singapore and now operating across more than 50 countries, myFirst focuses on creating closed tech ecosystems for children without the open-ended risks of connected internet browsing.

The Camera Insta 20 fits neatly into that space, being less about digital connectivity and more about capturing the physical world, one small print at a time.

Eight things to do with the myFirst Camera Insta 20

• Go on a shape hunt: Head to the park and challenge your child to find and photograph objects in different shapes - something round, something square or something that looks like a triangle. Print each one and arrange them into a shape collage at home.
• Build a nature checklist: Before heading outdoors, write a simple list together — a yellow flower, a bird, something prickly or a fallen leaf. Let your child work through it with the camera as their tool. Every printed photo is a box ticked.
• Start an animal spotter's log: At a zoo or animal park, print a photo of every animal your child spots. Arrange them in an album or on a board at home and add the animal's name beside each picture.
• Create a memory wall: Dedicate a corner of your child's bedroom to their prints. After every outing — a birthday party, a beach trip or a visit to a grandparent — add new photos to the wall to create a visual diary.
• Play a photo scavenger hunt: Give your child a list of things to find and photograph around the house or garden — something blue, something that makes a sound or something older than them. The first one to print all the photos wins.
• Make greeting cards: Print a favourite photo and stick it onto folded cardboard. Your child can decorate around it with markers or stickers for a handmade birthday or Hari Raya card.
• Start a holiday journal: Every school holiday, hand the camera to your child and let them document the trip their way. Their perspective — a close-up of an ice cream or a photo of their own feet in the sand — is often more charming than an adult's.
• Build a weekly photo album: At the end of each week, sit down together and pick the best photos from that week to print and add to an album, creating a simple ritual families can look back on.