I received two issues of Nature Friend magazine over this past summer and I’m very happy our paths have crossed. : )
I believe I had seen this magazine a time or two around the online world but I didn’t really know anything about it before it showed up in my mailbox. But when it did, the very first thing I noticed was the excellent photography. The whole mag was filled with gorgeous photos of God’s creations! The next thing I noticed was the quality of the paper. This may not seem like a very important matter, but it certainly testifies to the care these people put into producing a quality product.
They seem to realize that anything worth doing is worth doing well. The paper, the photos, the writing – all very well executed.
Of course my favorite part about this magazine is that it is about God’s creation. Nature Friend was created in 1983 with the sole purpose of pointing children to the creator and encouraging them to believe in Him as such.
From the Nature Friend website:
Since the doctrine of Divine Creation is the first and foundational one of Scripture, our children must be able to stand on it securely to withstand the undermining influences from our culture. Nature Friend has chosen not to be controversial or militantly confrontational about creation vs. evolution. Our policy has been to simply stand on the truth of God’s Word and to present it as enjoyable fact while learning about the creatures God has created. Nature Friend recognizes that God has planned for man to be wise stewards over His creation, and that He alone is to be worshipped, not His creation.
Both of the issues I received contained the optional study guide. This insert contains exercises to reinforce what was learned in the magazine itself and some bonus features such as creative writing exercises and nature photography tips. We really liked the extra puzzles and games and the added photographs of the study guides, but I’m not sure I would pay $2.00 extra every issue for them.
Another very cool feature of this magazine (one that other companies could learn a lesson from!) is the level of reader participation available. Readers are encouraged to write letters and send in their own creations including drawings, photos, poems, puzzles, scavenger hunt answers and submissions for photograph captions. I really think they get excited about hearing from their readers!
The kids and I have very much enjoyed our two issues of Nature Friends. Last week we took our August issue outside to have a little backyard discovery fun finding locust shells. Then we came back in and painted nature watercolors of our finds and beautiful photos in the magazine.
The Lowdown:
Product: Nature Friend Magazine
# of issues/subscription: 12 issues/yearly subscription
Cost: $36/1year subscription; $68/2year subscription
Extras: Study Guides $2.00 per issue
Quality: Excellent
Value: Definitely worth the price of a subscription
I honestly believe that a Nature Friend subscription would be a benefit to any home. The bonus is that much of it can be used for school material! Whether you are a homeschooler or not, I’m certain you will enjoy receiving this treat in your mailbox every month.
If you’d like to get a better deal, use the coupon code BLOG93 for $3 off your new subscription on the Nature Friend website.