Nature Friend Magazine

Nature Friend Magazine
540-867-0764

I was absolutely delighted to receive the August and September Study Guide editions of Nature Friend, the magazine that is helping children explore the wonders of God's creation.

The quality of the publication was the first thing that caught my attention. Beautifully colored pictures are found throughout and the pages are made of heavy duty paper.

Another part that impressed me was the reader participation. Many subscriber submissions are printed in each issue including drawings, poems, and even articles. There is also an annual reader's edition which is comprised of reader submissions from cover to cover.

The short articles in Nature Friend make for easy reading. The "Scavenger Hunt" is a great way to keep a child interested in the magazine, and the puzzles make learning fun. Readers are encouraged to submit for publication their drawings from the "You Can Draw" feature.

The Study Guide includes exercises to reinforce the information learned in the articles. Bonus features include "The Photo Critique" teaching photo tips and "A Study in Nature, a Lesson in Writing" encouraging writers to cultivate their creative writing skills.

Nature Friend Magazine, begun in 1983, was first published by the Stanley Brubaker family of Goshen, Indiana. It was born out of Mr. Brubaker's desire to encourage children to believe in God as their Creator and to seek out, recognize, and appreciate His handiwork. It is a monthly publication for both young and old that includes monthly art lessons and features such as "Learning by Doing" and "Creation Close-ups." Half of the issues are geared more toward older family members.

A yearly subscription (12 issues) costs $36.00. The Study Guide can be added for $2 per issue. Back issues and hardback volumes are also available.

OUR FAMILY
I was hoping to use Nature Friend Magazine with our 5 year old daughter as I was looking for material that would expose her to the magnificence of God's creation without being too "schoolish." When I first saw the online samples of Nature Friend, I knew I definitely wanted to give it a try. However, I am finding that she is a little young to absorb the value of the magazine content. I am thinking the perfect ages would be from about 3rd to 6th grades although the articles are interesting even for adults. And there is definitely meat for the older student in the study guide photo and writing lessons. I am hoping as time goes on that my teens will find those tips and lessons useful.

Take some time and check out the Nature Friend website for yourself. And read what other families thought of it.

Disclosure:This product was provided to our family for free as members of the 2009-2010 Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew. No further compensation was received. Reviews and opinions expressed in this blog are my own.