Review: Nature Friend magazine

I have to admit that I had not heard of Nature Friend before being chosen to review it for the TOS Homeschool Crew. Now I will admit to being very impressed by what I saw! This is a wonderful nature magazine with a creationist viewpoint - something I have not seen before. My MIL is wonderful about buying the boys magazine subscriptions as gift & this will go on the list. The boys really enjoyed it.

We were given two issues of the magazine to review (August & September 2009). I also love that this is a monthly magazine. The cost is $36 a year but that's for twelve issues. Compared to many other magazines, that is a comparable price for what is included. For an extra $24 a year, you can also get a subscription that comes with a study guide (which is what we reviewed). The study guide is an insert right in the magazine full of extra fun including:

• crossword puzzles
• puzzles to reinforce what was in the magazine (for example acrostic fill-ins, fill-in-the-blank info, true/false question, and information to research, etc.)
• more informational pieces
• more wonderful photos with how-to's

As much as we enjoyed the study guide, buying a subscription with one would be a splurge for us given the added cost. However, if this were given as a gift or if you really wanted to focus on nature study, then the cost would be well worth it.

Nature Friend offers on-line samples or you may purchase one for $5. There are also sample issues with study guides there for review as well. These are full digital versions of the magazine so an excellent way to see if it would be a good fit for your family.

Each issue has the following features:

• a scavenger hunt in each issue (similar to TOS's apple hunt)
• Invisibles - hidden picture
• Pictures & poems
• Wondernose (a nature question is answered)
• Mailbox
• You Can Draw
• In the Beginning
• The Story Behind the Photo (and the photos are amazing!)

There are more features but those are the ones covered each month. If you go to the bottom of THIS page, you will see a more in depth list. Nature Friend is also very homeschool friendly. They even have a page on their website geared directly to homeschoolers.

Nature Friend is currently offering a code for $3 off a new subscription. The code is BLOG93.



*Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. All opinions shared are my own. TOS Crew Members are given the product free of charge in order to review it.