National Geographic Kids: Family Field Guide

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KiDS is know for publishing books and magazines that are both educational and entertaining for children and teens to read.  Now they're reaching out to adults as well through a FREE newsletter called the Family Field Guide targeted to the parents of National Geographic Kids' key audience.  The newsletter which is e-mailed to subscribers every other week provides tips for parents on encouraging kids to be adventurous in exploring the world and enthusiastic in learning about history, science, and other important educational topics.  National Geographic Kids' Family Field Guide provides original articles ranging from 3 Ways Star Wars Can Inspire STEM In Young Explorers to Inspire Friendships In Kids With Photos, Videos & Recipes.  The newsletter also references photographs, facts, and stats from National Geographic Kids print and online publications to assist parents in stimulating within children a life long appreciation for discovery, puzzle solving, and learning.

Knowing that today's families can be stretched for time Family Field Guide articles often provide examples of hands-on activities parents and kids can do together in 5, 15 or 30 minute increments.  For example in one of my favorite articles from the newsletter, Making The Most Out Of Sports, it recommends reading some sporty Weird But True facts if you have 5 minutes free to do something, watching Making Stuff videos about creating athletic gear if you have 15 minutes to spare, and explains how to do a balloon race science experiment if you have a half hour to spend on a project.  All three of these ideas are aimed at using a child or teen's interest in sports to encourage them to want to engage in learning.

National Geographic Kids Family Field Guide aims to help parents utilize topics that are relevant and interesting to today's youth to spark creativity within their children and get them to embrace scholastic endeavors.  It also promotes parents spending quality time with their children by providing activity suggestions that are doable even for families with the busiest of schedules.  Humorous, informative, zany, and yes even a bit geeky at times, the information contained in this newsletter is a valuable resource that is meant to be as relevant to parents who are working 40 plus hours a week as to those who are able to stay at home full time.  Oh and did I mention it is FREE?!!

CLICK HERE to subscribe to National Geographic Kids Family Field Guide.  I've signed up for it myself and really do enjoy whenever a new edition pops up in my inbox.

National Geographic Kids Book Bundle Giveaway

Commit to 2017 being a year of exploration and discovery!  As a National Geographic Kids Insider, A Geek Daddy is looking forward to a year full of exploring new places and learning about new things with my kids.  We're getting started with fulfilling this New Years resolution by reading National Geographic Kids' ALMANAC 2017 that is full of vibrant photographs, amusing jokes, fun games and interesting facts that make learning about the world around us both educational and entertaining.  To share my family's enthusiasm for embarking on new journeys this year, I'm giving away a National Geographic Kids Book Bundle to help a lucky winner embrace daring to explore in 2017!

The National Geographic Kids Book Bundle includes their 2017 almanac, the centennial edition of National Parks Guide U.S.A., weird but true! 8, and famous FAILS!  For a chance at winning this great prize pack you must follow @Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweet embedded below before January, 15 2017 @ 11:59 pm EST.  Must be a US resident over 18 years old to participate.

Follow @Geekdad248 & RT before 1/16/17 for chance to win a @NGKids Book Bundle -- commit to 2017 being a year of exploration & discovery #ad pic.twitter.com/2RHBFgxAH7

— A Geek Daddy (@GeekDad248) January 2, 2017

National Geographic Kids ALMANAC 2017 features more than 500 photographs plus updated maps and reference materials to help readers learn about a lot of amazing things.  This year's edition includes "17 Cool Things for 2017" plus brand new animal stories, weird-but-true facts, and a section focusing on "things to do, places to see and ways to change the world."  Written in a wacky, easy to read format that appeals to kids National Geographic Kids ALMANAC 2017 is a great resource to get children and teens to immerse themselves in learning throughout the year.

Did you visit any properties managed by the National Park Service last year?  Our family had the chance to visit the National Mall in Washington DC, River Raisin National Battlefield and Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan, and the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.  These visits were some of the highlights of our year and we're looking forward to hopefully exploring some new national parks in 2017.

National Geographic Kids NATIONAL PARKS GUIDE USA is a perfect way to get children and teens excited about a family road trip to explore some of America's historic places and remaining wild spaces.  The book provides an overview of  the United State's national parks categorized by geographic locations across the continental U.S.: East, Midwest, Southwest, West.  Read interesting information about animals and things you'll want to see on a visit and ranger tips on what to do and how to stay safe during an adventure to each of the featured parks.  Learn where the best views are and some of the history behind these wonderful locations when you peruse through this book. Take advantage of the included maps and checklists of "must do" activities to make the most out of an excursion to a national park.

Fear of failure or embarrassment too often dampens a child's eagerness to excel at something.  famous FAILS showcases the failures that highly successful people have made to demonstrate to kids that not everyone is perfect.  Did you know J.K. Rowling's original draft of her Harry Potter story was rejected by 12 publishers before getting picked up? Albert Einstein didn't do very well in grade school? The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a construction mishap? These stories and others show everyone makes mistakes and faces adversity teaching that fear of failure shouldn't be something to hold someone back from achieving his or her dreams and aspirations.  The book also includes a nice tips section outlining how to face and deal with failure.  Plus to show kids no one is perfect the book's editors left in 9 mistakes that were discovered while proof reading the book before it was published and challenge readers to find them.  An answer key at the back of the book shows the readers the mistakes National Geographic authors made in the book to highlight everyone makes mistakes.

Learn 300 outrageous facts compiled from National Geographic Kids Magazine in weird but true! 8.  Automobiles are the most recycled product in the United States.  Jousting is the official sport of the state of Maryland.  Footballs are called pigskins because they were originally made from inflated pig bladders.  Humans have explored less than 5% of Earth's oceans. weird but true! 8 is chock full of facts and filled with fun pictures and graphics that will wow young readers. and parents alike.

For more information about books, videos and games available from National Geographic Kids please visit kids.nationalgeographic.com

A Geek Daddy is a member of the National Geographic Kids Insider blogger program. Insiders get a behind-the-scenes look at National Geographic’s resources, activities, content and projects for kids and families. They also review copies of books, magazines and toys, and are offered interviews with authors, explorers and editors. I do not receive any financial compensation for my participation as a National Geographic Kids Insider.

CONTEST DISCLAIMER

A Geek Daddy has not been financially compensated for this endorsement or hosting the giveaway but was provided the same items being provided as a prize for personal use. The prize is provided by National Geographic Kids and A Geek Daddy is hosting the promotion as a benefit to our readers. Must be a US resident over the age of 18 to participate.  One entry per person and winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries.  If you have already won this prize through another blog participating in this promotion, your entry will be disqualified.  By participating in this promotion you waive any liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes allowed for delivery of the prize. National Geographic Kids will be responsible for shipping the prize to the selected winner

National Geographic Kids Magazine - Summer Issue

My kids always are excited and get a big smile on their face when an issue of our NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KiDS MAGAZINE subscription arrives in the mail.  We just received our Summer Edition of this entertaining and educational publication for children 6 to 12 years old which includes a feature article about Jaguars along with being filled with eye-catching kids-oriented photography by National Geographic photographers, interesting trivia, plus fun games and puzzles.

My son has had a fascination with jaguars ever since he was a toddler watching "Dora the Explorer" and took a liking to the "Baby Jaguar" character on the show. So he was thrilled by the magazine's in-depth article which highlight's how these animals' one-of-a-kind features make them stand out from other wild cats.  This four page spread is filled with up-close photographs and informative facts.  Did you know for being a "small" wild cat that jaguars can grow to be 6 feet long and weigh 300 pounds?  One of these cats can grow to be bigger than I am!  This section also has a fun game challenging readers to match a fur pattern to the wild cat it belongs to.

Catering to a child audience, the issue is full of wacky and goofy facts, jokes, trivia and other things kids delight in.  "Weird but true!" trivia, Guinness World Records, out-of-this world facts, and Extreme Weirdness Photographs are just a few segments that have kids learning while they enjoy flipping through the magazine.  With the Summer Olympic Games coming up there is also a great tie-in article about the host country, "30 Cool Things About Brazil."

There are also of fun games and puzzles to keep a child's attention including a "Backyard BBQ" word puzzle and a swimming themed Funny Fill-In.

Also included are pull-out Animal Trivia Cards that provide True & False questions that kids can challenge their friends to answer and trade among themselves.

I've just highlighted a few key items included in the Summer Edition of National Geographic Kids Magazine but there is plenty more to check out included within it.  Each issue is filled with content that will encourage readers to learn more about adventurous activities, geography, science, wildlife and the lifestyles of other children from around the world.  An annual subscription is for 10 issues and costs $15 for a print version or $12 for a digital edition.  CLICK HERE for more information about subscribing to National Geographic Kids Magazine.

A Geek Daddy is a member of the National Geographic Kids Insider blogger program. Insiders get a behind-the-scenes look at National Geographic’s resources, activities, content and projects for kids and families. They also review copies of books, magazines and toys, and are offered interviews with authors, explorers and editors. I do not receive any financial compensation for my participation as a National Geographic Kids Insider.

National Geographic "Weird But True" Shirts @ Crazy 8

 ** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review **

My daughter loves to wear t-shirts from Crazy 8 and is always thrilled when her subscription to National Geographic Kids Magazine arrives in the mail; so I knew she'd be enthused to find out the two have partnered together to create a line of cool shirts. The children's clothing brand Crazy 8 is highlighting eight fun National Geographic "Weird But True" facts on special tees for girls and boys.  The shirts feature butterflies, dinosaurs, porcupines and sharks, among other things, in children's sizes XS to XL that each feature a topic taken from the popular "Weird But True" section of National Geographic Kids Magazine and the corresponding Nat Geo best-selling app and book series.  She excitedly picked out the butterfly shirt from the collection which sports the phrase "BUTTERFLIES taste food with their FEET" for us to bring home.

We decided to break in her new shirt with a trip to the neighborhood park to see how well she could whirl around and fly about like a butterfly.  The playscape has an interesting feature that lets kids climb on and be spun about.  While it looks dizzying whenever riding it she is all giggles and constantly requesting me to spin her about faster and faster.  My daughter wobbled about after getting off that spinner very much resembling the motion of a butterfly flipping about between flowers as it tastes its food with its feet.

Next we were off to the playground zip line to fly like a butterfly.  From the look in her eyes you'd think she wasn't having fun, but my daughter always wants to soar across the zip line again and again whenever we head over to the park.  She even persuaded good old dad to give it a try!

There you have it! The Crazy 8 "Weird But True" National Geographic t-shirts have been butterfly tested and approved.  To get your own visit Crazy8.com or visit one of their stores located nationwide.  While supplies last, in-store purchases of any of the 8 National Geographic "Weird but True" shirts will also include a FREE "Weird But True" fact pack.  Sorry this free fact pack giveaway doesn't apply to online sales.

To share my daughter's enjoyment of her "Weird But True" t-shirt, A Geek Daddy is also giving away a $25 gift card to Crazy 8 so one lucky blog reader or social media follower can purchase their favorite special tee from this National Geographic collection.  For a chance to win, visit Crazy8.com and look at all the "Weird But True" t-shirt options.  E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com with the subject line CRAZY 8 by Sunday, June 12 @ 11:59 pm EST.  Include in the email, your full name, mailing address, and the "Weird But True" fact printed on the front of your favorite Nat Geo shirt shown on the CRAZY 8 website.

UPDATE: Congrats to Carol from Mt. Clemens, Michigan who won our Crazy 8 giveaway.

We will randomly pick a winner from all valid entries. Must be a US resident over 18 years old to participate. No P.O. Boxes allowed for delivery of the prize.  One entry per person and winner will be selected from all eligible entries with the prize being mailed directly from A Geek Daddy.  By participating in this promotion you waive any liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog. A Geek Daddy is providing this giveaway contest as a benefit to our readers and social media followers and is hosting this promotion in association with the blog's participation in the National Geographic Kids Insider program. Emails will only be used to contact winner and all will be deleted following the conclusion of the giveaway.

A Geek Daddy is a member of the National Geographic Kids Insider blogger program. Insiders get a behind-the-scenes look at National Geographic’s resources, activities, content and projects for kids and families. They also review copies of books, magazines and toys, and are offered interviews with authors, explorers and editors. I do not receive any financial compensation for my participation as a National Geographic Kids Insider. #NGKInsider #Crazy8Kid