Quality Magazines for Children

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A question was asked on our ABC Jesus Loves Me Facebook Group concerning magazines for children.  Great question.  Here are our favorites.

My Aunt and Uncle give our kiddos Ranger Rick Jr. for Christmas each year.  We love this gift.  The kids like it because they learn cool facts and see up-close and personal images of animals.  I love it because it gets them excited about learning.  Some of the animals they and their momma have never heard of.  The images are pristine and the info is perfect for a preschooler to understand.  Created by the National Wildlife Federation,  Ranger Rick Jr. is specially designed for 4 to 7 year-olds. This magazine was formerly called Your Big Backyard.  Each magazine includes “fun
activities, simple stories and wild animals that developing readers
love.” A pull-out animal poster is provided in the middle of each magazine. Our favorite part is the magazine is the story about Ricky and Pals.  The activities provided are wonderful for visual perception skills (part of the 4 and 5 Year Preschool Curricula).

Similar to Ranger Rick Jr, Ranger Rick is geared to children ages 7 and up.  “Ranger Rick magazine is the oldest children’s nature magazine in print,
with the first issue being published in January of 1967. Over 500,000
copies are in circulation and are printed on environmentally friendly
processed paper. Named Periodical of the Year for Children in 2009, this
magazine is sure to inspire your child through the adventures of Ranger
Rick (a raccoon who wears a park ranger’s hat) and his animal friends. The Ranger Rick contains much more reading material and the activities are geared toward older children.

Click to see a sneak peak. 

Highlights For Children magazine has been around for many years as well.  (I received this magazine as a child!)  Since 1946 Highlights has provided “stories, poems, crafts, recipes, games, and puzzles, all while preparing him or her for learning to read.” When thinking of Highlights, my first image is of the “Hidden Pictures” puzzle that has made the magazine famous.  The magazine includes stories and craft ideas which are age appropriate for its 6-12 year old readers.

Highlights magazine has been around for many years as well.  Since 1946 Highlights has provided “stories, poems, crafts, recipes, games, and puzzles, all while preparing him or her for learning to read.”  Highlights High Five is geared for children ages 2-6.  

We do not receive the Highlights magazines because they are a little pricey and we receive others magazines.  But, I have purchased past editions at garage sales because they are that good!

My mom purchased Clubhouse Jr
for the kids a while ago.  Published by Focus On The Family, this magazine has been around since I was a child.  For ages 3-7, my kiddos fall right into this category.

Different than the other magazine
that we subscribe to (which I love as well), Clubhouse JR includes
information about other countries.  As we read, we are constantly
looking at the map.  I love how it exposes our kiddos to other cultures
and countries throughout the world! 

Here is what Focus on the Family has to say are the top 5 reasons why kids love being in “The Club”:

– Character-building stories and exciting articles.
– Cooking, baking and crafts activities.
– Colorful illustrations and photography.
– Fun-filled puzzles, games, riddles and jokes.
– A worldwide community of Clubhouse friends.

But that’s not all! Parents and grandparents love both Clubhouse Jr. and
Clubhouse magazines because they build character in youngsters through
the simple, life-changing, biblical values that fill each story, craft,
joke and article.

Clubhouse JR is available through Christianbook.com (which is the ordering site for Focus on the Family) and Amazon.

Three different magazines with three different focuses.  All quality that build in your child a love of reading.  Can’t go wrong with that!  Plus, the kiddos have something fun to look forward to in the mail each month.

What is your child’s favorite magazine?
Read more:  Top 201 Children’s Books