The times, they are a-changin’. A month ago, I wrote a post called “10 Screen-free Indoor Activities.” The shelter in place mandate had just taken effect, and I wanted to help parents keep their kids off screens. Now, a month later, we rely on screens to keep us connected to others. We can also use them to take us places we can’t visit in person. Along those lines, I found 15 super fun 360° virtual factory tours for kids of all ages to enjoy.
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360° Virtual Tours
In my post “Must See Virtual Field Trips,” I included some 360° virtual tours. If you haven’t tried one before, you need to. Previously, I had only done the tours using a computer. When I started checking out the virtual factory tours, I used my phone to take some tours. I seriously feel like an old dog who just learned a new trick. When I turned around, I saw different parts of the factory. Very cool indeed. Make sure to press the pause button during the tours so you can look around.
Factory Tours
Why did I choose factory tours? My family loves to know how things are made. One morning when all 10 of us were at the table, we took turns looking up on You Tube “how things are made.” Of course, I chose chocolate. A note on the 360° tours, most of them are only a few minutes long. You of course have the option to pause and “look” around and explore.
Non-food 360° Tours
I can’t lie, I find the food tours the most interesting. Since not everyone is like me, however, I chose other tours as well.
1. Amazon – A lady with a lovely accent is your guide on this tour of an Amazon wherehouse. It’s an impressive operation.
2. Boeing – On this tour, you will explore Boeing’s factory in Renton, Washington. They make their 737 plane here. Would you believe it takes 12,000 workers to make 47 planes in a month?
3. Toyota – Here you will see workers making Toyota forklifts. This factory is located in Ancenis, France. Parts of this tour go by really quickly, so if you want to explore more, pause and move around.
4. Tesla – The editor-in-chief of Roadshow, Tim Stevens, is the tour guide for Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California.
5. M factory – Walmart produced this video to show viewers how the M factory makes eyeglasses in Brooklyn, New York. There is no narrator for this tour, but pop-ups along the way explain the process.
6. Standard Textile Center for Advanced Manufacturing – This plant provides made in the USA products for Marriot Hotels. The narrator will take you through the process of making terry cloth towels at their factory.
7. Gotham Greens Urban Rooftop Garden – The CEO of Gotham Greens takes you behind the scenes at their rooftop garden in Brooklyn, New York. They grow all kinds of leafy greens in their facility.
Food 360° Factory Tours
Now it’s on to the food! The Food Network has a number of videos that are more “how it’s made” than factory tours. Those videos are from the network’s “Unwrapped” series. The first tour is not a Food Network tour, but one I have personally been on as it’s close to home.
8. The Jelly Belly Factory – Did you know Ronald Reagan was a huge jelly bean fan? At the factory, there is a huge portrait of Reagan made of jelly beans. This facility is located in Fairfield, California.
9. Ample Hills Creamery – Brian Smith, the co-founder of Ample Hills Creamery in Brooklyn, New York, shows us how to make “ooey gooey butter cake ice cream.” Is your mouth drooling yet?
10. Smarties Candy Company – Take a quick tour to see how Smarties are made. Over a billion rolls of Smarties are made each year!
11. M & Ms – M & Ms have been made in New Jersey since 1941. And yes, I am playing favorites by embedding this video. After all, it involves chocolate.
12. Peeps – Peeps are made in Pennsylvania. 5.5 million Peeps are made every day! Peeps are polarizing. There is a Facebook group dedicated to disliking Peeps. I think Peeps are great for science experiments.
13. New York City Pizzerias – This is a quick compilation of three pizzerias making New York style pizza. I liked that I could pause and look up at the people who were making the pizzas.
14. Pez – Visit the Pez factory in Connecticut. Watch how they make the six different flavored candies that go in the fun dispensers. Do you have a favorite dispenser?
In a class by itself
15. Lego factory – Time to geek out Lego fans! This is a tour of the Lego factory in Denmark. Here is a crazy statistic: the factory makes 1,350 Lego pieces every second!
Have fun exploring these super fun 360° virtual factory tours!