10 YouTube Videos for Exploring South America

My boys and I enjoy watching travel videos to supplement our homeschool explorations of history, geography, and sociology. We use videos in conjunction with books to gain a deeper grasp of the area of the globe that we are studying. Typically we will watch a clip or two from YouTube to get a feel for the country or continent before diving into our reading. After viewing a clip, we like to talk about the most memorable part of each video, writing down a few facts that we learned or noting questions we’d like to find the answer to later. 

Then as we work through our Instructor's Guide, we sprinkle in more videos each day to further our learning. The switch from text to screen keeps my children highly engaged and focused. My favorite part is when they point out something we read that is repeated or portrayed in a video (or vice versa). When they make that connection, I know real learning is happening! They are listening and retaining the information!

Here are ten of our favorite YouTube videos for learning about the continent of South America:

1. Overview of South America

This quick five and a half minute video from Discovery Education gives a broad overview of the entire continent. It takes a look at the various climates, the topography, and the people.  

2. 12 Natural Wonders of South America

This nine minute video by Talltanic is accompanied by stunning view of the top 12 natural wonders of South America.  

3. Animal Atlas Animals of South America

My boys always enjoy Animal Atlas programs. This twenty two minute video introduced us to many of the unusual animals found only in South America.

4. Guide to Machu Picchu for Children

This quick five minute video by Freeschool explains the origins of Machu Picchu and why it is still one of the wonders of the world today.

5. Wild Amazon

This forty-three minute documentary by National Geographic BBC takes us deep into the Amazon rainforest. It covers everything from animal behavior, symbiotic relationships, flora and fauna, and illegal deforestation of the rainforest.

6. Around South America with Nick Saxon

This quick five and a half minute video by National Geographic gives a quick overview of fun things travelers like to do when exploring South America. Start your own travel bucket list based on this clip!

7. 25 Places You Must Visit in South America

While this ten minute video is set to music and has no talking, the images are just breathtaking!

8. 10 Bizarre Discoveries in Argentina

This seven minute video by Talltanic explains some of the amazing discoveries found in Argentina—quite a few related to dinosaurs!

9. A Trip Through Chile

This seven minute video by Holmwood Online Learning takes an in depth look at the country of Chile: its people, its history, and its diverse landscape.

10. Top 10 Things to Do in Ecuador

This short five minute travel video by BackPacker Steve brings the viewer along on a quick recap of some of the sights and activities not to be missed in the Equatorial county of Ecuador.

About the Author

Joanne Rawson is the author of the blog Our Unschooling Journey. Known around the web as Mother of 3, Joanne began her blog when she first started homeschooling her three boys in 2012. She lives in Connecticut with her family and enjoys reading, crafting, and traveling... all of which usually ends up on her blog.