How to choose a magazine that for your children that is not full of advertisements or questionable material. Some quality suggestions.
We would all like our children to read. Reading can be a fun pastime, especially for times when your child is alone and looking for something to do. Not to mention the fact that reading expands imagination and broadens horizons.
One great way to get your child to read is to purchase a subscription to a magazine. Looking forward to a new issue each month and then reading the magazine cover to cover makes eager readers. The problem with magazines these days is the endless barrage of advertisements. It seems as though most magazines today are three quarters advertisements. If you want to avoid an "I want that" syndrome in your child, bombarding them with ads is not the way to do it. Believe it or not, there are several magazines for children that have limited or no advertising. It may take some work to find these magazines, but it will be worth it to have something your child looks forward to that is good for him too!
To get started on your search for a great magazine, take a trip to your local library. You will be able to browse through a good selection of children's magazines there and determine if there are any with advertising on the low side. Check out the content of the magazines while you are looking for ads. Is the magazine age appropriate for your child? What kind of content does the magazine have? Is the magazine geared towards a topic of interest your child has? Are there activities or contests in the magazine and if so, are they appropriate for your child? How often is the magazine published and how much does it cost? The pediatrician's office is another great place to check out children's magazines. Your local newsstand is not likely to feature many magazines with low ads as magazines with distributors usually need ad content just to break even with all of the different commissions they must pay. Your best bet for low ad magazines are those that are only available by subscription.
When you finally choose the magazines you are interested in subscribing to, run a check on them through the Better Business Bureau of the state they are located in. Find out if they give refunds if you are not satisfied and if they have any complaints filed against them. One magazine geared towards children was recently found to contain foul language and sexually suggestive stories, so check the magazine out before you buy it.
Some magazines I would recommend to get you started include an old favorite, Highlights. Highlights has wonderful stories for children, activities and contests and children love it. Highlights can only be purchased through subscription, but you can probably check it out in the library or pediatrician's office if you don't remember reading it as a child. National Geographic is also a wonderful magazine for children but it may be beyond your child's age range. National Geographic has recently begun a magazine for younger children.
Be sure to check any magazine that comes into your home and read them with your child as well. Reading is a great family activity and you'll be surprised when you actually learn something too!
