Andra Abramson, Author at Cricket Media, Inc.

4 Resources for Teaching Essential Reading Skills

Direct instruction from a reading teacher is one way kids learn to read. Informal learning from parents and caregivers is another way. In fact, research has shown that this informal instruction is pivotal to ensuring kids have the basic skills they need to actually learn to read once they are in school with a teacher […]

5 Ways to Encourage Your Child’s Passions Through Reading

Every kid has something they love and are passionate about. It might be sports or music or chess or computers or art or cooking or whatever. And while not every kid loves to read, here are some great ways to use books or magazines to encourage whatever passion your child does have while also boosting […]

March is National Reading Month

Way back in December (doesn’t that seem like a long time ago?) we presented a new Advent Calendar to our readers. This Advent Calendar gave a daily gift to everyone who opened it by counting down to the 12 Days of Christmas with a story each day. The calendar was a hit with parents who […]

Discover your Boogers!

“Aaaaachhhoooo. “ “Bless you!” Is this refrain as common in your house as it is in mine? Between cold and flu season and now the start of the allergy season, it seems like someone is always sneezing! Inevitably, my daughter’s thoughts will turn to the stuff she just sneezed out and the questions […]

Real Heroes for Black History Month and All Year Long

While the calendar might compel the American public to focus on Black history specifically during the month of February, Cricket Media magazines feature stories, articles, and news highlighting the achievements of Black Americans living and dead throughout the entire year. In COBBLESTONE, our American history magazine for kids ages 9 to 14, you might […]

Invent It Challenge: Take a Page From Fellow Young Inventors

The 2017 Invent It Challenge launched 10 days ago and we hope your child is among those thinking about projects to enter. This year’s challenge invites kids ages 5 to 21 to think about a real-world environmental challenge and come up with a planet friendly solution. Often we hear from kids that the most difficult […]

The 6th Annual Global Invent It Challenge

Go ahead and get your kids thinking about a real world environmental issue because the Invent It! Challenge is back and better than ever! This 6th annual challenge, a partnership between Cricket Media and the Smithsonian Institution’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation is launching on January 17, 2017 and kids from […]

YOU, Yes, YOU Should Read to Your Children

Two separate articles came through my inbox during the past few days. The first was the announcement of a new piece of technology called Aristotle which supposedly can understand the speech of very young children, allowing it to answer their questions and play simple games. The device will even read the child a bedtime stories, […]

5 Screen Free Family Activities to Beat Winter Break Boredom

Everyone loves winter break, right? Um, yeah, right. Love it. Definitely. Winner. The most wonderful time of the year. So you sense some sarcasm? Here’s the thing: My kids are home. It’s cold out (at least where I live) so outdoor activities are difficult. Friends are away so arranging playtime with other kids is […]

Meet the Winners of the 3rd Annual Global Folklorist Challenge

The winners in the 3rd annual Global Folklorist Challenge were announced this week and they are an impressive bunch. If you don’t know, the Folklorist Challenge, sponsored by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, asks students to identify a form of folklore in their community and document it by interviewing a tradition bearer […]