The Best News Agencies for Children
When I was a teenager, I got most of my current affairs knowledge from snippets of adult conversations I heard, as well as from the few minutes of Channel One (RIP) news that aired on television in my classroom every morning.
(As I got older, I was known for flipping the front page of the local newspaper and reading a couple of my favorite columnists, because I was a botanical journalist-to-be, which is the same as a botanical journalist-to-be.)
At the time, getting a firm grip on current events didn’t seem like much of a deal – perhaps because it isn’t. But now, well, we’re leaving a mess for our kids, and they’ll have to tackle our political, social, and environmental mistakes around the second they turn 18, so whatever advantage we can give them now. , the best.
Time for kids
Time for kids is a great place to start. The printed weekly magazine is usually only available through a school-wide subscription, but you can also access the articles by grade on the website. They cover topics such as technology, health, wildlife, business, politics, and the environment.
Andrea Delbanco, editor-in-chief of the publication, told The Atlantic that the magazine prides itself on its impartiality, accuracy and age-appropriateness:
“One of the things we know for sure is that if we speak down to our readers, we will lose them. We are trying to win their respect, Delbanko said, by treating them as future citizens of the world. “
News-O-Matic
This daily news app provides five news articles every weekday with photos, videos, maps, graphics and other interactive content. The articles are intended for children between the ages of 6 and 14, are written in three different reading levels, and all are reviewed by a child psychologist to ensure the content is correct. There is also the ability to play sound.
Topics include world news, science, sports, technology, arts and entertainment. Readers can react to news with words or pictures, and can ask questions or vote on specific topics. There is a free trial and then you can subscribe for $ 3.99 a month, $ 19.99 for 6 months, or a one-year subscription for $ 34.99.
NewsForKids.net
NewsForKids.net covers news, science, sports, and the arts, and publishes regular round-ups with short, easy-to-digest summaries of top news stories. Users do not need to register on the site and they cannot interact with each other.
The ad version of the site is free, but you can opt for the ad-free option for $ 2.99 per month or $ 24.99 per year. The site does link to its sources, which Common Sense Media describes as “mostly legitimate” but “some a little questionable” and warns parents that they “should be aware that some of these external sites may contain advertisements or adult content. “.
You can set up parental controls to display content suitable for children 8 years old and older, 10 years old and older, 12 years old and older, or “young adults”.
DOGO News
The DOGO News website offers articles on current affairs, science, social research, the environment and sports, as well as an entertainment section for casual situations that may be of interest to children (or adults). For example, this is a video in which an octopus changes color while it sleeps.
The site also has a nice search function that might be useful for a child who is working on a school project like Mars or recycling . You can also search by grade starting at K-1 . Children can register on the site under a nickname to create their own avatar, bookmark their favorite works and comment on articles. (Children under 13 are required to enter their parents’ email address so you can track or cancel the account.)
Scholastic Kids Press
For kids who prefer to receive news from their peers rather than a bunch of stuffy adults, Scholastic Kids Press is a good option.
Every year, Scholastic Kids Press selects 50 children aged 10 to 14 to share the news that matters most to them. Children’s reporters cover a wide range of topics including politics, entertainment, the environment and sports, and regularly post articles, blogs, photographs and videos on news sites.
It’s great to introduce your kids to age-appropriate news, but even if they’re not interested in it right now, let them see you read news from reputable sources – and fact-check if necessary . You can model for them what a responsible media consumer looks like.