The Learning Network

Review

Common Sense Media says

NYTimes blog gives young people fluff-free news, discussion.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that THE LEARNING NETWORK uses the news of the day from the New York Times to create a blog and other news-related activities that engage teens and tweens. This site is also a resource for teachers who are creating lesson plans related to current events, history, science news, and more. The site doesn't necessarily edit what's happening in the world, so tough subjects might come up.

  • Positive messages4
    When tweens and teens take time to learn about the news of the day, it allows them to add their own opinions and beliefs to the conversation.
  • Violence1
    Some violent topics are covered the site's news stories; one section is about 9/11.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language0
    Comments are moderated, but not edited. If unacceptable language is used in a comment, it's not posted.
  • Consumerism2
    Free to use. The New York Times brand is, of course, seen throughout the site.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking2
    News stories may include topics relating to drug use; a story on the death of Amy Winehouse is an example.
  • Privacy & safety4
    Registration is not required. Student opinion comments require a first name to be posted, although kids won't see the warning reminding them not to post last names unless they read the FAQ. The site's privacy policy states that the site conforms with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The site includes links to social media, but participation is optional.
CloseExpand to see more details

What's it about?

When kids log on to their own special home of The New York Times, they get the day's news, kid-style. Kids can read news summaries of the day's top stories (some might be about tough subjects such as war or killings), take new quizzes, complete crossword puzzles with Web links, learn a word of the day, and go back in time with "On This Day," which displays the front page of the paper from days gone by. There's also a news magazine especially for teens, produced in conjunction with Scholastic.

Is it any good?

 

With THE LEARNING NETWORK, the New York Times definitely raises the bar for stories that are typically found on teens and tweens news sites. Kids won’t find much here about Justin Bieber or the latest video game release. What they will find is lots of ways to learn about and discuss the issues of the day. This is good news, especially for those teens and tweens who can meet the challenge of thinking about and commenting (in non-snarky ways) on real issues related to complex topics. For teachers, there’s an incredible depth and breadth of lesson plans here.

Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about how to comment on blog posts in appropriate, civil ways. This is a good place for tweens and teens to start commenting on social issues and reading other people’s posts.

  • Talk about why it’s important to keep up on current events. How do national or world events affect your family, your community, or your teen's school?

This review was written by Dana Villamagna

There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
This review was written by Dana Villamagna
Genre:Educational
This review was written by Dana Villamagna

Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.

 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.

Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings.

About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

More current events
For kids who love learning online
Browse more websites
 

vote now

Will you visit The Learning Network?

Absolutely
Maybe
No way

Already visited it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 
More from Common Sense Media
Age-appropriate reviews
Top advice and articles

Been There? Tell us about it