Is Your Home a High Print Environment?

Studies show that children learn to read best when they live in high print environments. A high print environment has multiple forms of text available for children and adults including books and magazines and encourages reading and writing. The concept is simple: the more children have access to reading and writing, the more they will read and write, and the better they will be at it.

One great way to enhance the sources of print in your home is to order and collect magazines for them. Children love getting mail, and magazines targeted at children often have interesting articles that will get them reading as well as help them understand the purpose of print. Several editorials for children offer free samples and trial subscriptions to allow you to see what will be interesting to your child. I'll provide a list of magazines I've used bellow.

I have found that re-purposed cereal boxes make wonderful magazine organizers and take up very little space on shelves and tables. To make them I make a mark about four inches from the bottom corner and then draw a diagnal line connecting that and the top opposite corner. I then do the same on the other side of the box and cut the marked section off with scissors or a craft knife. You can use boxes with cartoon characters on them, cover them with wrapping paper or collages, or paint them.

• Xplor is from the Missouri Department of Conservation and is free for Missouri residents http://xplor.mdc.mo.gov/xplor/get-xplor-magazine
  


• Highlights http://highlightskids.com/



• Spider Magazine http://www.spidermagkids.com/



• Ranger Rick's from the National Wildlife Federation http://www.nwf.org/kids.aspx



• National Geographic for Kids http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/