Create a virtual flying tour
Create a virtual flying tour using maps, photos, and simple presentation tools; plan routes, add narration and images, then share your guided exploration.
About this activity
Create a virtual flying tour using maps, photos, and simple presentation tools; plan routes, add narration and images, then share your guided exploration.
What you need
Step by step
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Step 1
Choose a fun theme and a short title for your flying tour.
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Step 2
Pick 4 to 6 stops you want to visit on your tour.
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Step 3
Open your map website or app.
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Step 4
Pin each stop on the map in the order you want to fly.
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Step 5
Take or find one photo for each stop.
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Step 6
Open your presentation app and make one slide for each stop.
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Step 7
Label each slide with the stop name and a short caption.
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Step 8
Insert the matching photo onto its slide.
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Step 9
Decide where you want a route overview and where you want close-up maps.
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Step 10
Take a screenshot of the route on your map for the overview.
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Step 11
Add the route screenshot to your presentation overview slide.
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Step 12
Write a one-sentence narration for each slide.
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Step 13
Record your narration for each slide using the presentation app or a microphone.
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Step 14
Export your presentation as a video file or get a shareable link.
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Step 15
Share your finished flying tour on DIY.org.
Fun facts
How do you create a virtual flying tour using maps, photos, and simple presentation tools?
Start by picking a theme or route (city landmarks, world tour, family trip). Use Google Maps or My Maps to mark stops, then open a simple presentation tool like Google Slides or PowerPoint. Create one slide per stop with map screenshots, photos and short captions. Record narration using your device’s microphone or a free recorder, add simple zoom/pan animations to mimic flying, then export or share the presentation link.
What materials and tools do I need to make a virtual flying tour?
You’ll need a computer or tablet with internet, a mapping tool (Google Maps/My Maps, Mapbox), a presentation app (Google Slides, PowerPoint, Keynote), and photos or screenshots of each stop (your own or free stock). A microphone or screen recorder (Loom, OBS) for narration is helpful, plus optional headphones. Paper and crayons for a planning sketch can help younger kids. Check image permissions before sharing.
What ages is a virtual flying tour suitable for?
This activity suits ages 6 and up with adult support. Ages 6–8 can choose places, help collect photos, and narrate short lines with supervision. Ages 9–12 can plan routes, add images and record basic narration independently. Teens (13+) can research, use map tools, add animations and edit audio. Adjust complexity for experience and supervise online sharing and personal information.
What are the benefits and safe variations of making a virtual flying tour?
Benefits include building map skills, research, storytelling, sequencing, and digital literacy. It boosts confidence presenting and encourages curiosity about places. Variations: make a historical time-travel tour, follow animal migrations, craft a family memory tour, or turn it into a scavenger-hunt game. Safety tips: avoid sharing exact home addresses, use public images or get permission, and review recordings before posting.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use if we don't have a microphone or a presentation app that records audio?
Use your smartphone's Voice Memos to record each one-sentence narration, save the files, then insert those audio files into your slides in a free presentation app like Google Slides (or play them while screen-recording the slideshow) before exporting the video.
What should I do if my slides export without the narration or the video export fails?
Confirm each slide actually has its recorded audio attached (step: Record your narration for each slide), then try 'Publish to web' or screen-record the slide show while you play the narration to create a working video file.
How can I adapt this flying tour activity for younger or older kids?
For ages 4–6 pick just 3 stops, have an adult pin the stops on the map and take the photos for the child to drag onto slides and say one short sentence, while older kids (10–14) can choose 5–6 stops, write a one-sentence narration with facts, use close-up route screenshots, and export a polished video.
How can we extend or personalize the flying tour to make it more impressive?
Add background music and short transition animations to the exported video, include an extra quiz slide about the 4–6 stops, swap the static overview with sequential route screenshots to simulate flight, and use themed icons as slide labels and captions.