Summer Games – Beijing, China 2008

The TV rarely gets rest at our house these days. The Olympics are on and we are soaking it up (could that possibly be swimming humor? Hm.).

Time for Kids has a great site devoted to the Summer Olympics. With News, Fast Facts, Olympians Scoop, Photo Gallery, and Quick Quiz you won’t be disappointed.

Time has magazines for kids too. They’re targeted to teachers, but home subscriptions are available as well.

Take a dive (get it?) into the Olympics and reading fun!

Magazines Teach Health, Nutrition, Safety, and Exercise Fundamentals

The Children’s Better Health Institute publishes award-winning magazines you may not have heard of. Their purpose is “to encourage children of all races and cultures to strive for excellence in the areas of academics, personal fitness, medicine, and science.”

And… they make it FUN!!!

Turtle Magazine “offers colorful and entertaining stories, poems, and rebuses” to preschool children.”

Humpty Dumpty “keeps four to six year olds growing and healthy bodies moving.”

Children’s Playmate has “fun activities, stories, and recipes that promote healthy habits” for six to eight year olds.

Jack and Jill “ features profiles of regular kids doing extraordinary things” (ages seven to ten).

Children’s Digest “features up-to-date reviews of books and CD-ROMS” for nine to twelve year olds.

Check out the 2008 Cover Contest featured on each website–kids get a shot at illustrating a cover!

Cool. And definitely reading fun!

Christian Magazines for All Ages

Back on the magazine front... Focus on the Family has Christian magazines for every age group. Each magazine has a totally awesome, age-appropriate website too!

Stories. Crafts. Movie Reviews. Contests. What’s New. Entertainment. Health and Beauty. Spiritual Health. Too Funny. Mail Bonding. Music. Sports. You want it—Focus has it!

Check ‘em out:

Clubhouse Jr. – “Faith-filled fun for youngsters. Creative stories, fascinating articles, puzzles, craft ideas and more are packed into each issue.”

Clubhouse - “This magazine for kids reinforces traditional values and promotes family closeness with hands-on activities, challenging puzzles and exciting stories.”

Brio – “Packed with feature articles and stories that encourage teen girls 13-16 to make godly choices.”

Brio and Beyond - “Not only will your daughter find articles that'll strengthen her faith, each issue is packed with great reading about everything from fashion and food to fitness and fun things to do.”

Breakaway - The magazine for Christian teen boys. Honest answers about the issues that concern you the most.”

There you have it, loads of Christian reading fun!

Cricket Magazine Group

Cricket Magazine Group has magazines for everyone! From babies to teens.

Babybug. Ladybug. Click. Appleseeds. Ask. Spider. Cricket. Dig. Cobblestone. Muse. Faces. Calliope. Oddyssey. Cicada.

Those are ALL magazines! Maybe there's one that's just right for you! Check out samples here.

Highlights Highlights

I think it’s safe to say that Highlights is the big-daddy of kids’ magazines. They’ve been at it for over 60 years and have two-million-plus subscribers. And after all these years they’ve still got it goin’ on. Check out a sample issue.

But wait… there’s more!

The younger set is now in luck too! Highlights High Five has been created for two to six year olds (although older siblings and parents are sure to enjoy it). With read-aloud stories, Hidden Pictures, poems, activities, and puzzles this mag is sure to please. Sneak a peak here.

Highlights also has awesome, free email newsletters! They’ll send a free Hidden Picture each month, crafts, stories, discounts—you pick what you want them to send. Sweet.

Highlightskids.com rocks too. With the Game of the Week, Mystery Photos, crafts podcasts, and more. All the fun normally get from Highlights—check it out.

Reading—Fun With a Purpose

Magazine Reading

I’ve just been remembering the joy of magazine reading. When I was younger I had a subscription to Disneyland Magazine: “All-new stories with favorite Walt Disney characters… for Beginning Readers.” Every Tuesday I waited breathless and all hopped-up at the front door window. I think I left drool marks like our Basset Hound.

The mailman delivered my weekly bounty—fresh off the press and custom-created-for-me (well, it seemed like it). Week in and week out I poured over the colorful pages. There were comic-book-like stories, coloring pages, dot-to-dot, mazes, hidden object pictures, and more—all with my favorite Disney friends.

Disneyland Magazine was definitely one of my best early reading experiences—I loved it! As I’ve searched for magazines for my own kids, I’ve realized there are loads of them out there that most of us have never even heard of. Good magazines that are sure to delight even the most finicky reader. Magazines tailor-made for every appetite.

Magazines are definitely reading fun!

Stay tuned… I’ll hook you up.