Choosing a Classroom Magazine for Your Homeschool

Traditional schools often have classroom magazines to augment their curriculum. Some of these magazines would be great tools for homeschools as well. I have checked out several classroom magazines and used them in my homeschool. Here I will share my results:

Time for Kids- This is a 4 page magazine with a bunch of different topics, usually related to current events. I find the information and format interesting, but my 10yr old daughter finds it boring. She can usually find one or two articles that are worth reading, but is never excited when this magazine comes in the mail. I will not be renewing my subscription.

National Geographic Kids (Pathfinder edition) - This classroom magazine has very colorful, engaging cover art. The articles are well written and beautifully illustrated. The photos in this magazine are up to National Geographic standards- sharp, colorful, eye-catching. My daughter enjoys most of the articles in this magazine, and the neighbors all want to read it too. The articles are written in a way that is easy to understand yet very informative. The Teacher's edition that comes each month includes black line masters. There is also a website where teachers can download and print worksheets, find suggested activities, and take surveys. I will be continuing this subscription.

Zoobooks Magazine- This is not a "made for classroom" magazine, but I find it a wonderful addition to my homeschool library. I recommend all school libraries carry this magazine. This magazine features beautiful photos, engaging articles, and color illustrations of animal anatomy. My daughter reads these over and over again.

Scholastic Art- This classroom magazine has substance. There are several pages that show artwork of different types and articles about how to create art as well as information about famous artists. This magazine is suggested for middle school/high school level, but my 10 year old spent hours looking at it and learning. If you have a child very interested in art, this magazine is a keeper.

Weekly Reader- When I was a child, this was a short, newspaper like magazine. Now, they feature full color illustrations and photos. WR seems on top of current issues and the articles are informative. Unfortunately, neither my child nor I found this magazine very engaging. Their website does have some good features though. Electronic editions of some of the magazines are very interesting and engaging. I recommend using their online features and foregoing the paper magazine.

As magazine subscriptions can be a bit pricey, it is important to choose the magazines that will interest your children and assist in their education. Many magazine companies will offer a sample issue to help you decide if it is something you can use. Scholastic offers a sample issue of all their magazines, and you can order samples of all of them at once if you wish. Scholastic sends a complete issue- the first one published in the fall. Contact the companies that you are interested in ordering magazines from and ask for a sample issue. Let your children examine it and listen to what they think. Selecting magazine subscriptions can be fun and educational!
Free Sample Magazines from Scholastic