The Children's Magazine facts for kids

The Children's Magazine was the first magazine for children published in the United States. Its run was brief, however; it only appeared between January and April 1789. Contents included pieces on school subjects (like geography), verses, and articles on social values.

Lack of contributions from competent writers forced the editor to republish material from The Juvenile Magazine, a monthly London magazine of 1788. The Children's Magazine folded after four issues, probably in part because the United States postal system in 1789 was not up to handling the distribution of magazines.

The Children's Magazine was published in Hartford, Connecticut and printed by Hudson & Goodwin. A notice in Hartford's Connecticut Courant on February 2, 1789 alerted readers to its publication and intent:

Calculated for the Use of Families and Schools ... Each Number of this work will contain 48 Pages, duodecimo, printed on good paper and letter, and will be sold at Four Shillings and Six-Pence a dozen, or Six Pence a single number. This work is designed to furnish Children, from seven to twelve years of age, with a variety of lessons on various subjects, written in a plain, familiar style, and proper to lead them from the easy language of Spelling-Books up to the more difficult style of the best writers. Teachers of Schools have long complained of the want of such a work, and the Publishers are happy that they are now enabled to furnish it at a small expence.