Make a video tour
Plan, film, and edit a video tour of your home, backyard, or classroom with adult permission using a phone or tablet, practicing clear narration.
About this activity
Plan, film, and edit a video tour of your home, backyard, or classroom with adult permission using a phone or tablet, practicing clear narration.
What you need
Step by step
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Step 1
Ask an adult for permission to make a video tour of your home backyard or classroom.
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Step 2
Decide which place you will tour today: home backyard or classroom.
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Step 3
Make a list of five stops you want to show on your tour.
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Step 4
Write one short sentence in your notebook about what you will say at each stop.
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Step 5
Practice reading each sentence aloud twice so your narration is clear and confident.
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Step 6
Gather any small props you want to show and put them near the stops.
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Step 7
Set your device on a tripod or a steady stack of books so it will not move while filming.
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Step 8
Turn on lights or open curtains so each stop is bright and easy to see.
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Step 9
Record a 10-second test clip to check the picture and sound.
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Step 10
Watch the test clip and adjust one thing if the picture or sound needs fixing.
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Step 11
Film each stop one at a time while speaking your sentence and showing the area or object.
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Step 12
Watch all your clips and choose the best take for each stop.
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Step 13
Open a simple editing app and import the chosen clips.
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Step 14
Edit your clips by trimming and arranging them into a single tour video and add a title.
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Step 15
Share your finished creation on DIY.org
Fun facts
How do I plan, film, and edit a video tour of my home, backyard, or classroom?
Start by getting adult permission and picking a safe route to film. Plan a short script or bullet points for each stop and practice clear narration. Film steady shots, hold the camera horizontally for most platforms, and capture establishing, mid, and close-up shots. Keep clips brief and retake if needed. Use a simple editing app on the phone or tablet to trim clips, add titles, adjust audio, and export a shareable file with adult approval.
What materials do I need to make a video tour with a phone or tablet?
You need a charged phone or tablet with a working camera, adult permission, and a quiet place to record narration. Optional helpful items include a small tripod or stabilizer, headphones with a microphone for clearer audio, a notepad for your script, simple props, and a basic editing app. Also have a charger or power bank and a safe place to store the finished video before sharing.
What ages is this video tour activity suitable for?
This activity suits a wide range: ages 5–7 can participate with heavy adult help and simple narration; ages 8–12 can plan, film, and edit with supervision; teens 13+ can work more independently and explore advanced editing or storytelling. Adjust complexity, filming time, and responsibilities to match the child’s attention span and technical skills, always ensuring adult permission and safety rules are followed.
What are the benefits, safety tips, and variations for a child video tour?
Making a video tour builds storytelling, language, sequencing, planning, and basic tech skills while boosting confidence. For safety, get adult permission, avoid filming private information or strangers, stay in safe areas, and handle devices carefully. Variations include themed tours (nature, favorite toys), time-lapse sections, guest-guided tours with family members, or adding subtitles and music in editing to make the project more creative and accessible.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
I don't have a tripod — what can I use instead?
Follow the instructions' suggestion to use a steady stack of books or place your device on a heavy shelf or cup to keep it from moving while filming.
My 10-second test clip looks dark or the sound is faint — what should I change?
As the instructions say to 'watch the test clip and adjust one thing,' open curtains or turn on lights to brighten the scene or move the device closer to where you speak to improve audio.
How can I adapt this video tour activity for younger or older kids?
For younger kids, choose three stops, have an adult help set the device and edit clips, and read aloud one practiced sentence, while older kids can plan five detailed sentences, record longer takes, and add trims and transitions in the editing app.
How can we extend or personalize our finished tour before sharing on DIY.org?
Use the editing app to add a custom title, simple captions or music, include themed props at stops, and trim clips into a polished single tour before uploading to DIY.org.