Contact: Patricia M. Mikelson
Highlights Corporate Communications
pat.mikelson@highlights.com or 614-324-7003
HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN CELEBRATES EARLY CHILDHOOD WITH NEW MAGAZINE FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Highlights High Five Offers "Fun with a Purpose" to Pre-Readers
COLUMBUS, OH, October 30, 2006 – Highlights for Children, Inc., publishers of the nation's leading children's magazine, announces the launch of a new magazine, Highlights High Five, a general-interest magazine for children ages two to six years old. The new magazine will premiere in January 2007, with subscribers receiving the inaugural issue in homes in December 2006.
For 60 years, pre-readers have enjoyed Highlights magazine alongside their older siblings or with the help of parents. Now preschoolers have their own monthly magazine that is like Highlights, but every page is developmentally appropriate.
"We believe that children are the world's most important people," said Kent S. Johnson, CEO of Highlights for Children, Inc. "Creating a publication that celebrates early childhood while encouraging children to develop a love of reading and become lifelong learners fits perfectly with the mission of our company – to help children become their best selves. We are delighted to offer a magazine that is wholly dedicated to the very young child."
Highlights High Five, published monthly, offers a mix of read-aloud fiction stories, including stories that introduce the Spanish language; poems; simple nonfiction; puzzles; easy crafts and cooking activities; finger plays; and action rhymes. Also included are new versions of features familiar to Highlights readers, designed especially for preschoolers: "The Adventures of Spot," featuring the dog from "The Timbertoes," and "My First Hidden Pictures." Illustrated with brightly colored illustrations and photographs, the playful, user-friendly magazine is meant to be enjoyed by the child with an adult or older sibling. Many features can be enjoyed independently by pre-readers after they have been introduced to them.
"Educators agree that one of the best things we can do for our preschoolers during these critically important learning years is to read to them," said Christine French Clark, editor of Highlights and Highlights High Five. "It's wonderful when a preschooler has access not only to books but also to magazines that offer a variety of stories, poems, and activity ideas. With High Five, parents, preschool teachers, and other caregivers have a monthly resource that helps them create those special moments with their young children."
Based on widely accepted and well-known theories of child development, Highlights High Five is designed to help stimulate children's social and emotional growth, their ability to reason and to think creatively, their healthy physical development, and their acquisition of language skills.
The editors of Highlights High Five recognize that although all children move through the same stages of development, they do so at different rates of speed. Parents are encouraged to let their children take the lead as they enjoy the magazine together.
"We know parents and caregivers are busy and that adults long for more quality moments with their preschoolers. We also know adults want to enjoy their preschoolers, reading to them and having fun with them in ways that stimulate their development. Highlights High Five was created to help adults accomplish those goals," said Clark.
In addition to Highlights (which is edited for children ages 6 to 12 and delivered to more than two million homes, schools, libraries, and professional offices each month) and Highlights High Five, Highlights for Children, Inc. offers a free, award-winning Web site for kids at www.HighlightsKids.com. Additionally, the company offers a broad range of products including the Highlights Book Clubs—Puzzlemania, Mathmania, Which Way USA?, Top Secret Adventures, and Hidden Pictures Playground.
For more information on Highlights High Five, visit www.Highlights.com or call 800-472-7038. A one-year, 12-issue subscription is $2.47 per issue.
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Highlights for Children, Inc. (www.Highlights.com) has focused on helping children become their best selves for generations. Highlights magazine celebrated the printing and delivery of the one-billionth copy of the magazine and its 60th anniversary through summer 2006. Highlights High Five™, devoted to pre- and emerging readers (ages two to six) will publish in January 2007. On the Web, www.HighlightsKids.com offers children interactive content related to each issue of the magazine, as well as independent activities such as "Click-and-Play Hidden Pictures®," e-cards, games, craft activities, "Mystery Messages," jokes, and riddles. Devoted to "Fun with a Purpose®," Highlights for Children also offers children, parents, grandparents, and educators a broad range of products including the Highlights for Children Book Clubs (Puzzlemania®, Mathmania®, Which Way USA?®, Top Secret Adventures™, and Hidden Pictures Playground®). Highlights Toy Catalog (www.Highlights.com) selects quality toys, games, craft activities, puzzles, and other products that children will love and parents can trust. Corporate offices are in Columbus, Ohio, and the editorial offices are in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.
For more information or to arrange an interview with a Highlights for Children spokesperson, please contact Patricia M. Mikelson, Highlights Corporate Communications at pat.mikelson@highlights.com or 614-324-7003.