By Jaci Clement, CEO/Executive Director, Fair Media Council
Introducing children to local news offers them a variety of educational benefits, gives them a sense of connection to their community and helps build an increasingly important skill: Critical thinking. With that in mind, here is an activity for families that can be adjusted to accommodate a child’s age.
Inexpensive. Screen-light. Community-minded.
Using local news with your child is one of the simplest ways to build reading, comprehension, and—most importantly—critical-thinking skills.
Why it works
Real world, right now. Stories are about their world—parks they play in, stores they recognize—so the learning sticks.
Short form, high yield. Local pieces are brief, perfect for reading aloud or watching together and prompting discussions that encourage questions.
Built-in media literacy. Kids learn that news informs—but no single story is the whole story.
Try this one-hour mini-adventure
1) Pick an age-appropriate story. Aim for something new in the neighborhood: a park renovation, a small business opening, a community garden.
2) Read or watch together. Pause to define unfamiliar words (zoning, ribbon-cutting, nonprofit). Ask: What’s this story mainly about? Who’s quoted? What facts are we given?
3) Make a quick checklist. From the story, note 3–5 specifics to verify on site (e.g., “new swings,” “accessible path,” “hours posted,” “owner’s name”).
4) Go see it. Visit the location. Together, confirm the facts: There are the new swings the story mentioned!
5) Compare coverage vs. reality. Ask: What matched? What didn’t?What details are missing (cost, safety features, shade, bathrooms, parking, who maintains it)? Whose voices weren’t included (neighbors, kids, seniors, people with disabilities)?
6) Follow up with a quick reflection. One sentence each: What did we learn? What do we still wonder? Older kids can email a polite question to the reporter or write a short review of the place.
Questions that build thinkers (use a few each time)
Fact vs. opinion: Which lines are facts we can check? Which are opinions?
Source check: Who is quoted? Who isn’t? How might that shape the story?
Evidence: What proof is offered (data, photos, official statements)?
Completeness: What would you add to make this story more useful or interesting?
Verification: How did we confirm what the article said? What could we check next time?
Age-by-age tweaks
Early readers (K–2): Focus on photos, headlines, and one or two facts to spot on site. Turn it into a scavenger hunt.
Upper elementary (3–5): Think about the story and make a list of questions it didn’t answer. Decide together how you might find the answers. If possible, let them ask a staffer one question in person.
Middle school: Compare two outlets’ coverage, or story vs. the location’s website or social media posts. Discuss how the versions differ.
High school: Pick a local issue being covered in the news—then monitor how it’s discussed on social media. Compare posts to the original news source, noting when information is incomplete, taken out of context, or entirely false. Discuss how quickly misinformation spreads, what kinds of posts get the most shares, and what strategies you can use to verify the truth.
Pro tips for parents
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Keep it positive and curious—this isn’t about “gotcha,” it’s about how to think and encouraging kids to question.
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Rotate beats (parks, environment, schools, small business) to widen their world.
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Celebrate good reporting: write a short thank-you to a newsroom when a story helped your family.
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Model healthy skepticism: Trust, but verify.
Bottom line: Local news can educate and connect kids to their community, while showing them that one article rarely tells the whole story. When children learn to ask questions and verify facts in their own backyard, they’re building the media-smart habits they’ll need for the world they’re growing up in.
Bonus: Kids who can question and verify grow up to become valuable employees who can troubleshoot and manage projects.
☞ Please share this information with parents, grandparents, teachers, neighbors, friends, and colleagues.