Get kids reporting the news on anything and everything. The growth in confidence that you will see in just a short time is incredible! You can report as a classroom, a school, a private organization, and even at home. Kids love to see themselves reporting the news as they watch an “actual news report” with pictures and/or video clips attached. They feel so official and are proud to share with each other and families.
What is a News Reporter?
A reporter is a professional journalist who gathers information, investigates news stories, and writes or broadcasts news reports for various media outlets such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, or online platforms. Reporters are responsible for gathering facts, conducting interviews, researching, and verifying information to create accurate and engaging news articles or segments.
Reporters cover a wide range of topics, including current events, business, sports, entertainment, science, and more. The role of a reporter involves being on the ground, attending events, conducting interviews with relevant individuals, and observing firsthand to collect information.
Reporters don’t just have to be professionals out in the field, reporters can be KIDS, too! Kids love reporting what is going on around them. Stories can be as small as the installation of a new water station to a field trip to a local science company. Reporitng the news as school gives familes a chance to get a peak into the day in the life of kids at school.
In recent times, the role of reporters has expanded to include multimedia elements, such as recording video interviews or creating interactive online content. This is especially true as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok grow. Reporting and recording is an easy way to get kids reporting, especially when they get a “Take 2” and a “Take 3.”
How to Get Started News Reporting Kids in the News
Getting started can be simple. We started with a microphone and my phone for recording. The kids were very interested any time the microphone came out. They loved the opportunity to use it so why not let them use it more often with news reporting kids will get excited about. We used a simple bulletin board background, stood in front with the microohone and reported the news.
To create a kids news video, Canva is the best tool for simple video creation. You can find intro and outro templates, even with the free version. Grab a video template in canva, upload your kids news video, add pictures and music, then download the video and an MP4 video. You can post on a kid-friendly YouTube channel like we did here:
News Report Example Kids in the News
We wanted to get even more kids involved in the news reporting process so we added a clacker and landscape clipboard to hold the script so kids were not looking down at their papers. This allowed at least 3 kids to be involved in every news report. We also started interviewing staff and class members to expand participation even farther.
if you want kids BEGGING to speak or just want them to gain confidence speaking, start News Reporting Kids will love!
Steps to Get Reporting in the Classroom, at School or Anywhere
If you’re interested in reporting news for kids, here are some steps to help you get started:
- Familiarize Yourself with Kids’ News Topics: Start by researching and making a list of newsworthy topics kids would like to report. Get a sense of the topics kids want to cover by giving a survey or simply asking.
- Understand the Target Audience: The audience for news reported by kids is generally classmates and/or families. You can target a specific audience if you are trying to spread the word about an event or specific topic.
- Choose Your Reporting Format: Decide how you want to present the news by kids. You could create videos for a YouTube channel, host a podcast, or even develop interactive content for an educational platform. Choose a format that aligns with your skills and preferences that you will be able to manage with ease.
- Research and Prepare: Stay informed about current events and news stories that are relevant to kids. Mostly, capturing events and learning activities in the classrooms provide enough stories to stay busy and keep an news channel current.
- Develop Engaging and Accessible Content: Kids’ news should be presented in a way that is accessible and engaging for young and old audiences. Use simple language, avoid jargon, and break down complex concepts into easily understandable pieces. Consider using visual aids, infographics, or interactive elements to make the content more engaging and interactive. Kids can write their own script, which encourages writing and it is easier to report when it’s in their own words.
- Test and Gather Feedback: Notifiy families and eliminate the possibility of concerns prior to publishing content. When you feel good about family and school support, start publishing your news content and gather feedback from families or teachers. Listen to their opinions, suggestions, and concerns. This feedback can help you refine your approach and make improvements to your reporting.
- Continuously Learn and Evolve: Keep up with the latest trends, feedback, and developments in kid’s news reporting. Stay open to learning new storytelling techniques, technologies, and best practices in engaging audiences.
Remember, reporting news by kids requires a responsible and sensitive approach. Strive to provide accurate information, encourage critical thinking, and promote positive values through your reporting.
Check out a news report sample kids will get excited about.
Resources and Ideas for Kid Reporting
Here are some ideas for kids’ news reporting:
- Daily Classroom Activities: Classroom activities can include learning, reading, hands on projects, teamwork, art projects and more! Kids love the opportunity to report on just about everything. All stories are newsworthy if a kid is willing to report it!
- Exploring Science: Anytime you are provide hands on science activities, it is a good time to report. Kids love hands on activities and get to report the outcome of the activity at hand.
- Fun Facts and Trivia: Develop a regular segment that presents fun and interesting facts about various subjects like animals, history, geography, or even pop culture. Kids love learning new things, and this can be an engaging way to provide educational content.
- Kids Making a Difference: Highlight stories of young people who are making a positive impact in their communities or the school, local community, state, nation or the world. Showcase inspiring examples of kids involved in charity work, environmental activism, or initiatives promoting equality and inclusivity.
- Book and Movie Reviews: Introduce a segment where kids review and recommend books, movies, or TV shows. Encourage them to share their thoughts, discuss the themes, and provide recommendations for fellow young viewers or readers. This is a great way to promote reading MORE books!
- Cultural Celebrations: Feature stories on different cultural celebrations, holidays, and traditions from around the world. This can help kids learn about diverse cultures, customs, and celebrations.
- Healthy Habits: Educate kids about the importance of health and wellness. Share news on nutrition, exercise, mental well-being, and healthy lifestyle choices. You can also provide simple recipes or workout routines suitable for kids.
- Fun Challenges and Activities: Create interactive segments where kids can participate in challenges, puzzles, or quizzes related to various subjects. This can be a fun and educational way to engage young viewers or readers.
- Field Trips and Special Events: Field trips can be a great way to include many kids in the news reporting process kids will love! They can interview each other about their favorite moments. Special events can include special assemblies, visitors, school-wide events and more!
Remember to tailor your reporting style, language, and content to the age group you are targeting. Make the news visually appealing with colorful graphics, engaging videos, or illustrations. And always prioritize accuracy, reliability, and child-friendly content in your reporting.
Watch a news report example Kids in the News here. This report is on our field trip to a park! As you can see, we record the intro using a green screen, add pictures and music in the middle, interviews and an outro. Most was done using Canva!
If you would like digital or printable templates, check out this Teachers Pay Teachers resource.
Conclusion
Most of all, have fun with the process of News Reporting Kids will LOVE! The confidence kids gain is worth the effort to get started with reporting news with kids today.