Parents' Guide to

NewsForKids.net

By Erin Brereton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Concise news source keeps kids informed on current events.

Website https://newsforkids.net
NewsForKids.net Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

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Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 6 parent reviews

PDXHomeschool
PDXHomeschool Parent
May 4, 2019
age 10+

Missing publisher, authors, or contact information is suspicious!

While a first look at NewsForKids seems to present a nice selection of news stories for kids, I went looking for information about the authors, the publisher group, anything to identify WHO is selecting and writing these stores, and what their bias is. Nothing that I can find! No bios, no Contact Us, no mission statement or taking responsibility for the content in any way. In this era of news literacy, I always teach my kids to first look to see who is writing it, and what their agenda is, before trusting an online source. I won't be using this source without that background information.
2 people found this helpful.
ejsuthe
ejsuthe Adult
July 16, 2019
age 14+

Inappropriate articles

A recent story was "Naked Bike Ride in Germany" and I don't think that is at all appropriate for kids. There is no reason for an event like that to be brought to their attention. None at all. All it does would spur them to google images of the event. Quite disappointing.
See all 6 parent reviews

What’s It About?

NEWSFORKIDS.NET was created by a teacher to make news accessible to younger readers. The sections cover world, U.S., science, sports, and art news; kids can also view pages that mix the genres. The articles are written using simple language that's easy to understand; background information is provided to explain certain topics, and additional resources are sometimes included for kids to find out more information about a subject. Parents and kids can adjust the site so kids only see articles that are appropriate for a certain age group as well.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (1):

This informative site can serve as an interesting news source for kids -- one where parents won't have to worry that they'll see inappropriate user comments or questionable content. The articles are written specifically for a younger audience based on topics the site administrators feel would be of interest; they're easy to read, provide a good sense of a subject, and feature links to additional articles on the topic, in case kids want to research it further. Kids will also see suggested articles from NewsForKids.net about similar topics, which could raise their interest in other subjects.

The links lead to mostly legit sources, such as History.com and the New York Times. But some are a bit dubious, such as sports-reference.com, and parents should be aware some of these external sites may contain ads or content geared toward adults. Sticking purely to reputable sources of information, such as newspapers, would help make the site a stronger resource. Kids who plan to check it often may also find each content area isn't updated multiple times a day; that said, the site is well-organized and does a great job of presenting current events in a tone that should appeal to kids. Despite the occasional source issue, NewsForKids.net still offers a significant amount of value.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the difference between a reliable news source and an unsubstantiated one. How can sites like NewsForKids.Net help kids determine if something is legitimate when they're researching something?

  • Identify a recent statement from a website or TV and try to determine whether or not it's true. Could a comment be inaccurate, even if the person making it is in a position of authority? How can you tell?

  • Discuss why reading is important -- and can be fun. Does your child read things for enjoyment? What topics might be of interest in the future?

Website Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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