BY KARENNA CARRIE
Nature magazines provide a valuable learning opportunity for kids. There’s an important difference in content between magazines and other print material like children’s stories- One good example is National Geographic Kids Magazine, which comes out monthly in print form and also has a website.
The website is an interactive experience that allows for further exploration of topics of interest. Here’s an example; a list of each state’s monuments, parks, and natural settings. With one click, you can explore what each state looks like.
The print magazine has crossword puzzles, trivia questions, and “fun” facts designed for engagement. The online magazine website has educational games and videos about the natural world.
Magazines have the potential for different kinds of engagement rather than something such as watching a movie or reading a book about nature and have the potential to catch a child’s eye and spark inspiration for further research and exploration. For example, an article about natural restoration has the potential to motivate a child to learn more about their effect on their environment and call them to action.
