A vlog is basically a diary in video form. Public vloggers make theirs for an audience, but the principle is to record what happened today. It works best for kids when it stays within the family. Nobody judges, nobody counts likes, and your child can focus on what they want to show.
A private vlog has one advantage: you don't have to edit or keep an eye on anything. Your child films, the family watches.
What to film in a first vlog
The easiest start is a day in their room. Your child shows their favorite toys and films a game from start to finish. Activities with a clear ending also work well, such as building with blocks, baking or doing a puzzle. Kids know when to switch the camera on and when to switch it off, and each episode gets a natural ending. Another idea is a walk or a family trip. Your child films whatever catches their eye. It could be an unusual tree, a puddle, friends at the playground. And if they like, they can be a guide who shows the family around their room, pointing out where everything is and why it matters to them.
Try agreeing on a simple plan in advance, for example three shots: the beginning, the main thing and the end. Your child knows what to film and doesn't have to come up with anything else. You don't need a script or any rehearsal.
How to get started so your child sticks with it
Film the first episode together. Your child picks the topic and holds the camera, and you ask: what do you want to show, what happens at the end? Ask just enough so they have something to continue with, and don't speak for them. If your child feels shy in front of the camera, film a test shot first and watch it together. The child decides: when they want to stop, the episode is over.
The same start and end turn clips into a series
It helps if every episode starts and ends the same way. Your child comes up with a greeting or a gesture for the start, and the same sentence or wave at the end every time. The individual shots then turn into a regular show, and it's easy to tell where an episode begins and where it ends. The length can be short, even half a minute. Once there are more of them, your child can number them.
A title card works well for the intro too. Your child draws the episode name on paper, films it as the first shot, and as the last shot films a sheet that says The End.
How to film it with LAMAX PixelKid1
LAMAX PixelKid1 is a kids' camera that records video in Full HD. It has a selfie camera, so your child can appear in the shot themselves. The selfie camera is handy for the start and end of an episode, when your child says hello or waves. You'll find a tripod in the box. It's especially useful for vlogging: you put the camera on a table or a shelf and your child has free hands for whatever they're showing. Before the first shoot, insert a microSD card of up to 32 GB, which is where the camera saves all recordings. Your child can watch the finished episode right away on the 2.4" display.
Three things improve any recording. Film by a window with daylight, because darkness makes the image worse. Put the camera on a steady surface so it doesn't move. And film short shots that are easy to put together. If your child wants to film handheld, teach them to rest an elbow on the table or on a knee. The shot then shakes less.
Premiere at home
You can transfer the finished episodes from the microSD card to a computer and play them on a bigger screen. Invite the family, even grandma and grandpa, and let your child introduce the episode. If you want music, play it separately, for example from a phone. The video stays on the card and on the computer, you don't upload it anywhere.
After the premiere, ask which shot your child liked best and plan the next episode. Your child has a reason to keep filming, and you get a collection to come back to.
FAQ
What is a vlog? A vlog is a video diary in which someone films what they are doing or experiencing. It was originally made by creators for an online audience, but it works just as well as a private family record.
Does a vlog have to be published? No. A vlog can stay within the family, on a memory card or on a computer. A kids' vlog doesn't need a channel or an audience.
Does my child have to talk to the camera? No. A video diary can be made of pictures alone, for example shots of a game, a room or a trip. Talking is an option, not a requirement.
What should my child film in a first vlog? Best of all, whatever they know and enjoy: playing with toys, building with blocks, baking or going for a walk. One topic per short episode is enough.
Where should I save a child's video? On the microSD card in the camera, and to be safe, copy the recordings to a computer as well. You can create a folder for them that your child names after their series.
A first vlog doesn't have to be perfect
A slightly blurry room, uneven light and a line at the end that your child says the same way every time is enough. Years from now, those are the shots you'll be glad to rewatch.
