Hello Local Guides! We just kicked off #LetsGuide, a celebration of the community’s passions, interests, and inspirations.
Who will you guide next? It’s a question that can lead to some inspiring answers! All kinds of people look for info on Google Maps. Today, I wanted to share some of my favorite tips for guiding families with kids by sharing photos of kid-friendly places.
In the past, I’ve shared my favorite tips for taking great photos, and those rules apply here as well. Here’s a quick review:
- Seek out natural light
- Try lots of angles
- Take lots of photos to get that right one!
When you’re taking photos in places with kids present, there’s one more thing to keep mind: Never share a photograph showing a child’s face without the consent of a parent.
Now for the fun stuff!
Tip 1: In stores and restaurants, show the kid-friendly clues
Try to show things that parents would be interested to know are available. Kids menus, high chairs, and crayons are just a few items that might help inform others that you’re in a kid-friendly establishment.
Tip 2: Outdoors, show kid-friendly parking
Strollers are a clear signal that a store or restaurant is kid-friendly, so show them when you can! Often, this is an opportunity to take a fun photo: If you see a bunch of strollers lined up, take a step back and try to get them all lined up.
Tip 3: At playgrounds, play around with framing
Because you don’t want to include kids’ faces in your photos, playgrounds can be tough! But with some fun framing you can capture the essence of the playground without showing any kids at all. Here’s the key technique: Play around just like a kid to get that perfect shot. Try climbing on the equipment to get a vantage point from the top of the slide, or up from the bottom! Spin in circles on a spinner. Or swing high up in the air to get a wide shot of the space from above.
Are you a parent who looks for kid-friendly places on Google Maps? Tell everyone in the comments: What can other Local Guides do to help you know if a place is good for kids?
