Parents' Guide to

NewsForKids.net

By Erin Brereton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Concise news source keeps kids informed on current events.

NewsForKids.net Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 9+

Based on 6 parent reviews

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.
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.

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.

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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