National Geographic Kids
The National Geographic Society began its outreach to elementary schoolchildren in 1919 with the launch of the National Geographic School Bulletin. This publication ran weekly during the school year for decades until September 1975. The organization discontinued the Bulletin and replaced it with a new children's magazine called National Geographic World. The headquarters of this publication sits in Washington, D.C. In October 2002, the advertising-free World was retitled National Geographic Kids. This rebranding marked the moment the magazine began accepting commercial advertisements. The first advertisers included The Walt Disney Company, Minolta, Nintendo, Scholastic Corporation, and Tony's Pizza. A spinoff titled National Geographic Explorer continues to focus on classroom use today. In 2007, National Geographic Little Kids began publishing six times a year for preschoolers aged three to six years old. In 2015, National Geographic Partners gained a controlling interest in the magazine through a joint venture with 21st Century Fox.
National Geographic Kids publishes ten issues annually as of the latest data available. As of June 2006, the magazine reported a circulation of more than 1.3 million copies in English. The estimated English language readership reached over 4.6 million people at that time. Eighteen editions exist in different languages instead of English across various countries. These include Bulgaria, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Latin America, Lithuania, Benelux, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. The magazine targets children between the ages of six and fourteen years old. An advisory board of 500 subscribers provides feedback after each issue is released. Both the English and Afrikaans editions published in South Africa were converted to digital-only formats in June 2020. This transition ended print publication for those specific regions after sixteen years of existence.
The cover of the 1978 edition featured a sculpture by Jim Gary from its lead article. Regular features appear periodically throughout the magazine's pages to define its educational entertainment style. Amazing Animals and Fun Stuff (formerly called Kids' Express) remain popular recurring columns. The Inside Scoop (formerly World News) and Go On Safari! offer distinct perspectives on global topics. What in the World? appears in every single issue alongside Just Joking as one of two consistent features. Video Game Central (formerly The Next Level) covers interactive media for young readers. Weird But True later became a Disney+ original series and spawned its own book series starting in 2010. Cool Inventions and Stupid Criminals provide varied content for different interests. Sports Funnies displays comical pictures of people engaged in athletic activities. Guinness World Records and Wildlife Watch bring authoritative information to the mix. Unleashed is a comic strip about three house pets created by Strika Entertainment. Naughty Pets shows funny photos of pets behaving badly while The Green List highlights environmental topics. Bet You Didn't Know offers seasonal facts similar to Weird But True. The Big Book Of Why, Quiz Whiz, and other sections round out the diverse offerings.
The twenty-fifth anniversary issue appeared in September 2000 and received significant publicity from the organization. It featured a Top 25 list of things readers most enjoyed with magazine covers ranking number one. A collection of cards sent by children to the magazine was included in this special edition. A special Kids Did It column updated the lives of celebrities who had been featured when they were children. Michelle Kwan served as an example of a celebrity profiled during her youth. The thirtieth anniversary issue arrived in September 2005 with forward-looking content. This edition described what life might be like thirty years later in 2035. It also presented thirty cool things predicted for the future. These milestones highlighted reader engagement and looked ahead to coming decades.
In 2009 the magazine launched its first almanac titled National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010. An updated book followed in 2010 called National Geographic Kids Almanac 2011. New updates to the almanac have been issued annually since that initial release. A series of world atlases has been published under the National Geographic Kids brand name. The first edition appeared before subsequent releases including the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth editions. The third edition came out in 2010 while the fourth edition arrived in 2014. The fifth edition was released in 2018 and the sixth edition in 2021. These publications expand the reach of the brand beyond the monthly periodical format.
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Common questions
When did the National Geographic Society begin its outreach to elementary schoolchildren?
The National Geographic Society began its outreach to elementary schoolchildren in 1919 with the launch of the National Geographic School Bulletin. This publication ran weekly during the school year for decades until September 1975.
What is the current circulation and readership of National Geographic Kids as of June 2006?
As of June 2006, the magazine reported a circulation of more than 1.3 million copies in English. The estimated English language readership reached over 4.6 million people at that time.
Which specific countries publish eighteen editions of National Geographic Kids instead of English?
Eighteen editions exist in different languages across various countries including Bulgaria, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Latin America, Lithuania, Benelux, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
How many issues does National Geographic Kids publish annually and what age group does it target?
National Geographic Kids publishes ten issues annually as of the latest data available. The magazine targets children between the ages of six and fourteen years old.
When was the first edition of the National Geographic Kids Almanac released and how often are updates issued?
In 2009 the magazine launched its first almanac titled National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010. New updates to the almanac have been issued annually since that initial release.