Make a travel documentary
Create a short travel documentary using a smartphone or tablet, plan local locations, record scenes and family interviews, then edit and narrate your story.
About this activity
Create a short travel documentary using a smartphone or tablet, plan local locations, record scenes and family interviews, then edit and narrate your story.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Pick a fun title and one main idea for your travel documentary and write them at the top of your notebook.
- 2
Step 2
Choose three local places you want to visit and list their names in your notebook.
- 3
Step 3
For each place draw a tiny storyboard with three planned shots such as a wide view a close-up and an action shot.
- 4
Step 4
Write three short interview questions to ask family members about each place and keep them on your clipboard.
- 5
Step 5
Choose simple props or a costume piece to use at each location and put them in a small bag.
- 6
Step 6
Charge your smartphone or tablet until it has plenty of battery.
- 7
Step 7
Check your device storage and delete old videos or photos to make room for new recordings.
- 8
Step 8
Go to the first location and record the planned shots from your storyboard.
- 9
Step 9
Ask a family member one of your interview questions and record their answer in a quiet moment.
- 10
Step 10
Repeat Step 8 and Step 9 at the second and third locations until you have all your footage.
- 11
Step 11
Find a quiet spot and record a short narrated introduction and ending for your documentary.
- 12
Step 12
Open a video editing app and arrange your clips in the order that follows your storyboard.
- 13
Step 13
Trim each clip so the story flows smoothly and the video stays short and exciting.
- 14
Step 14
Add your recorded narration and low-volume background music so voices stay clear.
- 15
Step 15
Export your finished travel documentary and share it on DIY.org.
Fun facts
How do you create a short travel documentary using a smartphone or tablet?
Begin by choosing two to four local places and planning a short story arc (arrival, highlight, reflection). Make a simple shot list and prepare questions for family interviews. Use a smartphone or tablet on a tripod for steady footage; capture wide, medium, and close shots plus B-roll. Record interviews with clear audio and get permission. Edit on an app (e.g., iMovie, CapCut): trim clips, add transitions, text and a voiceover narration from your child. Keep it under three to five minutes.
What materials do I need to make a travel documentary with my child?
You'll need a smartphone or tablet with enough storage and battery, a small tripod or stabilizer, and an external microphone or earbuds with a mic for clearer interviews. Bring chargers or a power bank, a notebook and pen for notes and questions, simple props or maps, and a child-friendly editing app (many free options). Optional items include sunglasses or hats for sun, a lightweight reflector for lighting, and printed permission notes for interviewees.
What ages is making a travel documentary suitable for?
This project works well for different ages: 6–8-year-olds can participate with hands-on guidance—choosing locations, asking interview questions, and doing simple narration. Ages 9–12 can plan shots, operate the device with supervision, and help edit. Teens (13+) can lead most of the process independently, learning advanced editing and storytelling. Always provide adult supervision for public interactions, road safety, and permission when filming other people or private places.
What are the benefits and safety tips for making a travel documentary with kids?
Making a travel documentary builds storytelling, observation, and tech skills, boosts confidence, and strengthens family bonds. It teaches planning, interviewing, and editing fundamentals. For safety, choose familiar public locations, get permission before recording people, avoid risky backdrops, and keep an eye on traffic. Protect privacy by not sharing personal details in footage and supervise uploads. Variations: create a theme-based mini-series, focus on nature scenes, or make a silent visua
Watch & Learn
Need help?
If we don't have a smartphone, tablet, or a video editing app, what can we use instead?
Borrow a parent's phone or use a basic digital camera to film the Step 8–10 shots, record narration on a simple voice recorder for Step 12, and edit on free computer or web editors like iMovie, Shotcut, or Clipchamp to complete Steps 11–14.
What should we do if videos stop recording because of low battery or no storage while we're at a location?
Follow Step 5 and Step 6 before you leave by fully charging your device, closing background apps, carrying a small power bank, and deleting or offloading old photos to cloud storage so you can finish Steps 8–10 without interruptions.
How can this travel documentary be adapted for younger children or older kids?
For younger kids simplify Step 3 to one drawn frame per place and limit filming in Steps 8–10 to a single short clip, while older kids can expand Step 1 with research, write extra interview questions for Step 9, and add advanced edits like transitions and color grading in Steps 11–13.
How can we extend or personalize the documentary to make it more polished or unique?
Add a custom title card and on-screen captions in Step 11, include a simple map graphic or time-lapse B-roll during Steps 8–10, layer low-volume location sounds under your narration in Step 13, and end with credits and a photo montage before exporting in Step 14.