“How do I get my child to read nonfiction?” This is a common (often despairing) question I get when mentioning the blog.
If you face a similar tussle, here’s one idea for ending the friction: Try a magazine subscription (this all just happened to rhyme, by the way!) Take a break from force-feeding dry tomes for now, and attempt a more digestible format.
Most kids’ magazines are designed to be consumed in small bursts. They feature menus of short- and long-form articles, and are peppered with engaging photographs, illustrations, comic strips, puzzles and games, and even fun contests. All while serving up facts and figures, scientific concepts, and an understanding of the natural world. The fonts and illustration-to-text ratios are pretty well-calibrated to the targeted age groups, and advertising is largely absent. Added bonus – your child gets something personally addressed in the mail every month or so – there’s a real thrill in that. Almost all kids magazine subscriptions today also come with access to special, online features.
As we get into gift-giving season, keep in mind: Subscriptions are some of the best gifts-that-keep-on-giving.
If you have some recommendations to share, please feel free to add your comments. Meanwhile, these have been some of our family favorites over the years:
From Cricket Media: Covering science to world cultures, Cricket Media produces some of the best-quality magazines for kids. They are all completely ad-free.
Click Magazine
Ages: 3-6
Topics: science and nature
Ask Magazine
Ages: 6-11
Topics: arts and sciences
Muse Magazine
Ages: 9-14
Topics: science and technology
Faces Magazine
Ages: 9-14
Topics: World cultures, geography
From National Wildlife Federation: These are wonderful, ad-free magazines for the younger set. Your subscription supports a great organization and promotes a love of nature in the next generation.
Ranger Rick Cub Magazine
Ages: 0-4
Topics: Nature, wildlife
Ranger Rick Jr Magazine
Ages:4-7
Topics: Nature, wildlife
Ranger Rick Magazine
Ages: 7-12
Topics: Nature, wildlife
From National Geographic: Remember those childhood daydreams of become a National Geographic explorer? Transmit those dreams and that love of the world to your kids with subscriptions to these magazines. They contain some advertising (I wish they didn’t), but by and large are full of facts, photographs and fun.
National Geographic Little Kids
Ages: 3-6
Topics: Science, nature, wildlife
National Geographic Kids
Ages: 6-13
Topics: Science, nature, wildlife
Leave a Reply