When two of my friends independently referenced Highlights magazine within a week of each other (one of whom doesn’t even have kids…yet!), I figured it was time to check out the 60-year-old magazine’s kid-friendly website.

If you are like me, you grew up reading Highlights magazine while waiting to see the pediatrician or the dentist.  From the parents’ website:

Since 1946, Highlights for Children has left an indelible imprint on the hearts and minds of tens of millions of children. It has improved reading skills, helped define and develop values like honesty, thoughtfulness and tolerance, all while entertaining and enlightening. Highlights for Children represents a remarkable story in the history of American publishing.

The kid-friendly website — which links to the differently-named website for parents — features old favorites like Goofus and Gallant, now brought to life as on-line choose-your-own-adventure stories.  This is a great concept, and definitely both fun and a learning experience for the kids.  However, since it isn’t spoken-word enabled, non-reading children will need the help of a parent (or a helpful older sibling who reads) to enjoy the fun.  The Timbertoes and Hidden Pictures are also online.  Neither have spoken-word help, but early readers should be able to follow the Timbertoes’ stories and Hidden Pictures is pretty self-explanatory.  With the Hidden Pictures, children can also choose level one (seeing pictures of the items they are supposed to find) level two (having the item mentioned by nam) or level three (no hints…just search!).  Another feature, The Arizona Zone, reads a monthly feature of the magazine aloud to the kids.  The Funny Food Face page is yet another part that even pretty young kids can do on their own.

Overall I think that Highlights is a good website for pre-K and early elementary school kids.  Preschoolers will also enjoy parts of it, although most will not be able to do all the activities without help from a parent.  I’d advise parents to take a spin through the site.  If you add it to your younger child’s Activity Bar, be sure to have KidDesktop start on a page that will be interesting for them.

If nothing else, kids will enjoy seeing the same features on their computer as in their favorite doctor’s waiting room!

PS Teachers, check out HighlightsTeachers.com for some classroom activities!