Highlights for Children facts for kids
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June 2021 cover highlighting the magazine's 75th anniversary
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| Editor | Christine French Cully |
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| Frequency | Monthly |
| First issue | June 1946 |
| Company | Highlights for Children, Inc. |
| Country | United States |
| Based in | Columbus, Ohio |
| Language | English |
| ISSN | 0018-165X |
Highlights for Children, often called Highlights, is a popular American magazine for kids. It first came out in June 1946. The magazine was started by Garry Cleveland Myers and his wife, Caroline Clark Myers, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. This is still where their main editorial office is located.
Before starting Highlights, the Myers worked for another children's magazine called Children's Activities for twelve years. From the very beginning, Highlights has used the slogan "Fun with a Purpose." This means they want kids to learn and have fun at the same time!
Today, the company is based in Columbus, Ohio. Highlights has printed over one billion copies of its magazines. Highlights, High Five, and Hello magazines are special because they do not have any outside ads or commercials.
The Highlights Foundation is a non-profit group in Pennsylvania. It helps authors and illustrators get better at creating children's books. This foundation is located in the former home of the Highlights founders.
Contents
The Story Behind Highlights Magazine
How the Founders Started
Garry Myers earned a PhD in psychology before World War I. He and Caroline Myers taught soldiers who couldn't read for the US Army. Caroline was the first woman teacher hired by the Army. This experience helped them become leaders in elementary education.
They taught teachers and parents at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. During this time, Garry Myers wrote a newspaper column called Parent Problems. The couple also wrote several books together.
They became well-known in education. They wanted to share their knowledge, so they worked for Children's Activities magazine. They traveled and gave talks across the country. This helped them learn more about what kids needed.
They wanted to create a magazine that was perfect for children. After working for Children's Activities, they decided to start their own magazine instead of retiring. Their experience and ideas helped Highlights become a big success. Later, they even bought Children's Activities and made it part of Highlights.
What's Inside Highlights Magazine
For Elementary School Kids
Highlights magazine is mostly for elementary school students. It has stories and puzzles for kids aged six to twelve. One main goal is to help kids love reading. Every issue also has something for younger children, like preschoolers.
The magazine's pictures show people of all different backgrounds. Its stories also feature many diverse communities. In February 2017, an issue showed a family with two dads. This was the first time the magazine showed a same-sex relationship in its 70-year history.
How Popular is Highlights?
In June 1946, the first issue of Highlights sold less than 20,000 copies. Forty years later, Highlights was the most popular children's magazine in the United States. It had almost two million subscribers. About 95% of the magazines were mailed directly to homes.
The magazine did not accept any advertising. It also did not sell single issues in stores. But you could find Highlights in most doctors' and dentists' offices across the United States.
By 1995, Highlights' circulation grew to 2.8 million copies. Most subscribers were still families. In 2006, the United States Postal Service delivered the one-billionth copy of Highlights magazine. It went to a young subscriber in Dallas, Texas.
By 2015, the number of copies printed each month went down to about 2 million. So, Highlights decided to put some of its content on tablets and mobile devices. They launched a new mobile app called Highlights Every Day in April 2017.
Other Highlights Magazines
Highlights High Five Magazine
Highlights High Five is a magazine for younger children. It was first published in January 2007. This magazine is for preschoolers aged two to six. High Five's goal is to help young children learn and grow. It also gives parents and kids fun activities to do together.
Each issue has 40 pages. It includes poems, stories, crafts, easy recipes, games, and puzzles. These activities help children become lifelong learners.
Highlights Hello Magazine
Highlights Hello Magazine started in December 2012. This magazine is for babies and toddlers, from birth to two years old. Highlights created this magazine especially for the youngest readers. It is offered in several subscription packages.
Fun Features in Every Issue
Ask Arizona
"Ask Arizona" has been in the magazine since 2005. It's a story series about a girl named Arizona. She writes an advice column for other children. It's like a "Dear Abby" for kids. The stories show real-life situations and appear in every issue.
Hidden Pictures
"Hidden Pictures" has been in every issue of Highlights since the very beginning. You can usually find it on page 14. Kids look for smaller hidden pictures within a larger main picture.
Goofus and Gallant
Goofus and Gallant first appeared in Highlights in 1948. It's a cartoon created by Garry Cleveland Myers. It shows two boys, Goofus and Gallant. In each cartoon, you see how each boy would act in the same situation. Goofus acts carelessly or immaturely. Gallant acts responsibly, kindly, and maturely.
For example, on a school bus:
- Goofus hogs his seat.
- Gallant makes space for someone else to sit down.
Sometimes, the boys talk. Like when parents are away:
- Goofus: "Someone called but I forgot their name."
- Gallant: "Someone called for you. I wrote down their name and number."
The main purpose of Goofus and Gallant is to teach children basic social skills. It was first drawn in black and white. In 1994, it changed to colored pencils. Then, in December 2005, it switched to colored computer graphics.
The Timbertoes
The Timbertoes characters were created for a book in 1932. They have been in Highlights magazine for over 50 years. The first Highlights version was a black and white comic strip. It later switched to digital color in 2003.
The Timbertoes family includes Ma and Pa, and their children Tommy and Mabel. Their pets are a dog named Spot, a cat named Splinter, a goat named Butter, and a horse named Troy. All the characters look like they are made from wood.
Jokes
Every issue has about 10 different jokes. A knock-knock joke is always one of them!
Riddles
There are also ten riddles in each issue. The answers are printed upside-down at the bottom of the column.
Your Own Pages
"Your Own Pages" is a special section. It prints drawings, poems, and stories that readers send in to the magazine.
What's Wrong?
This feature is on the back cover. It's a large drawing of a normal scene, like kids playing. But there are unusual objects hidden in the picture. The page asks the reader to find all the things that are "wrong."
Crafts
This section gives kids ideas for different crafts. They can make things like puzzles, puppets, and cards.
Brain Play
This section has a list of simple questions for children to think about.
Contests
Sometimes Highlights has contests. They might show a picture and ask readers to write a short story for it. Or they might start a story and ask readers to finish it. The best ideas are chosen as winners and printed in a future issue.
Dear Highlights
"Dear Highlights" is an advice column. It features questions from real children and answers them. You can find it at the back of each issue.
Puzzles, Short Stories, and Poems
Every issue of Highlights has many puzzles, short stories, and poems throughout the magazine. There is always a puzzle on the front side of the back cover.
Digital Highlights
In 2010, Highlights started releasing educational mobile apps. These apps can be found on the iOS App Store.
In September 2015, Highlights announced they would work with a company called Fingerprint. This company develops educational apps. Together, they launched apps that would go along with the printed Highlights magazine. This included a service called Highlights Every Day, which officially launched in April 2016. It offers new content daily from Highlights' huge collection of stories and features.
Images for kids
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Highlights for Children logo
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June 2021 cover highlighting the magazine's 75th anniversary
