If your child loves to watch other kids on YouTube, they may be asking you if they can start their own channel. If you’re ready to give them the green light but don’t know where to start — don’t worry — there are now YouTube camps for that.
Companies around the country and in Canada are running these YouTube camps to teach kids the skills they need to get started, including video production and how to become good digital citizens. But these camps don’t come cheap, ranging in price from a few hundred dollars a week to upwards of $1,000 a week.
How to Start Your Own YouTube Channel
To get started, kids need to be at least 13 years old to have their own YouTube account. ID Tech, one company that runs a YouTube camp, has a requirement of ages 13-17, so even if you allow your child to use your account to create a channel, they can’t take part in the camp until they turn 13.
The camp teaches kids more than just how to start a YouTube channel. It teaches them how to use programs like Adobe Premiere and how to use video effects to polish their production. Kids also learn how to edit and use DSLR cameras, which is a pretty good take away because those are skills they can use down the road.
Besides the video production angle, kids also learn about codes of conduct that apply both online and in person. They learn about respect and how to work with other kids.
ID Tech offers the camp at locations from coast to coast. Jami Smith, Director of Operations for IDTech, recently told News 10 that registration for the YouTube camp has skyrocketed over the past few years.
That should come as no surprise as kids see their peers making big bucks from their YouTube Channel. Take Ryan, of Ryan’s Toy Reviews, who made 22 million dollars in just one year by unboxing and playing with toys on his YouTube channel. While not all kids are that successful, many see young celebs like Ryan and begin to think about whether they can do the same.