Science magazine for 6 year old

[hartsrules]

Could anyone suggest something for a science mad 6 year old? Have seen all of the following online: Nat Geographic Kids/BBC Focus/How it Works/New Scientist/Flipside. She is interested in all areas of science but particularly biology and chemistry, and really not bothered about more technological things. Loads of stuff about iPhones, apps etc would be irrelevant so Flipside probably out. I've heard that NG is full of adverts and is mostly about animals. She is a good but lazy reader, don't mind if it's something we mostly read together. We have lots of science books but am looking for something different.

Ask magazine is good. ds (9) has outgrown it now, and he gets How it Works instead, but he used to love it. He'd sit down and read it cover to cover as soon as it arrived.

It might be too simplistic for her but my recently turned 6 year old still likes Okido which is arts and science. www.okido.co.uk/

How it works has more complicated language, but the articles are usually short, so your dd could probably read bits by herself. There is quite a lot of technological stuff, but usually lots about space, biology, a bit about history, animals etc.

beansmum, I had discounted Ask because it's American - did you find the delivery OK - and how American is it?

I used to get it delivered to NZ no problem. I'd imagine UK delivery would be fine too. Admittedly, my mum organised and paid for the subscription, so I don't know if she had any trouble arranging it.

It's not particularly American, it's not focused on US nature, or events or history. The US English didn't faze ds - eg fall instead of autumn. And I don't think he even noticed the spelling.

Hi, my DD is just 7 and very into biology and chemistry. We do not get a magazine I feel they are a wast of money. What we do is, go round charity shops for chemistry sets. We have got them for £2 with only one experiment done. The other thing we do is cut stuff up. Hearts, 75p from the butcher, lungs £1.50 a mackerel 1.50 from tesco.
It's cheaper than a magazine and you just google what you need.
Sorry if it's a bit off topic.

BBC wildlife has lots of science
my Mum used to get Aquila for DS
but actually - let them read new scientist

and accumulate the horrible science books from charity shops ....

Bebanjo, that's interesting and I hadn't really thought about it, so thanks.

I'd discounted Aquila as it seems too middle-class worthy. New Scientist looks surprisingly accessible, might be the way to go.

Hi just following on from this - my 5 year old DS loves science - but is more into hands on practical stuff. I have googled for a science club in centralish London but haven't come across any. Also have bought one or two items to do at home but find it quite expensive... (single mum, student etc) Also he does them alone so it's not so much fun. If anyone hears or knows of any clubs running on these lines could you let me know. Thanks

I've just taken out a 3 month trial subscription to Science Uncovered, which has just launched and is offering 3 issues for £3 or a free sample issue. The first copy arrived the other day and it's pretty varied in level of detail, but the visual design is very good and my 6 year old was interested in some of the articles. Not sure it's accessible to him on his own, but my hope is we can read interesting articles together.

I actually agree with Talkinpeace -- the absolute best thing is probably to get a family subscription to New Scientist and make time to sit down and read through the articles with her, explaining stuff as necessary.

If you want her to have a magazine that is just hers, though, I used to get Ask for my niece and was very impressed (this was back a few years, though). Delivery wasn't a problem.

(Hmm, but Science Uncovered does look interesting and probably more obviously accessible for preteens than New Scientist. May have to dabble in that myself...)

Hi heartsrule

This may be too much right now but not knowing how advanced your science mad child is and how close to 7 (which can be quite scarily mature these days) I thought I might mention:

It's not a magazine but as it is coming up to Christmas - don't forget about the Royal Institution Christmas Lecture Series on TV:

www.rigb.org/christmas-lectures/2013-life-fantastic

At the moment they have a chromosome advent calendar: www.rigb.org/advent/01 - if you scroll around the little circle with the +/ - signs you'll get numbers - the date - click these and there are videos.

My 8 year old watched the ones on Chemistry last year when she was 7 and absolutely loved them. You can watch some of these here richannel.org/christmas-lectures/2012/peter-wothers

Enjoy!

HTH

Allmixedupreally - you could try asking at your library or perhaps the nearest university. Our local uni ran some science sessions for children in the summer and they were extremely popular, making bath bombs, eggs in vinegar, marshmallow catapults, chromatography, planting seeds, making slime, that kind of stuff.

Does anyone know where they run lectures for kids on science/maths in London? I seem to remember finding a website ages ago and now DS is old enough I cant remember what it was!

www.rigb.org/education/schools-shows
www.britishscienceassociation.org/national-science-engineering-week
www.rsc.org/ConferencesAndEvents/RSCEvents/
etc

If you're looking for hands on stuff for primary age kids, Marvin & Milo on the institute of physics has a weekly science experiment, with a back catalogue of about 80 or so others. They're simple enough to do at home, easy to get the bits for & a really good starting point for them to experiment from,by changing little things they can last over an hour.
British museum and national geographic kids websites also have hands on experiments, Royal Society of Chemistry has some but not so easy to get the equipment, not so much aimed at younger children.

Undercover, thanks for that suggestions, looks potentially interesting. PastSellByDate, yes, we always watch the Christmas Lectures and had thought she might actually enjoy watching them this year - but I hadn't looked them up or anything so thanks for pointing out the advent calendar, it's great.

Try tomorrows Achievers for classes.

Aquila is indeed worthy but dull.

I do like How It Works magazine. Loads of different topics so definately something to spark interest.

Hi hartsrule:

I found the 'my favourite element' advent calendar enteries from 2012:

There a bit out of order - but if your DD (and other DCs out there) are interested in chemistry they might enjoy this: www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk/elibrary/collection/1700/my-favourite-element

HTH

apologies for typos - written in haste before heading off to get DDs....

Would second the Royal Institute in central London. They have family fun days with workshops and lectures monthly specifically aimed at primary aged children. There are also school holiday workshops aimed at KS2 and 3 children. My ds did the 'paper folding' one last year - great for understanding shape and nets and another he enljoyed was 'cosmetic chemistry' - they made bath 'bombs'!

PastSellByDate, thanks again for that. I was urged to come and watch the one on Calcium this morning because "it's so good"!