HOPSCOTCH FOR GIRLS is a 32-page magazine for ages 6 to 13, with girls 8, 9, and 10 the specific target age. Published six times a year, it is filled with informative, fun pieces of timeless interest to this age group and contains no ads, no violence, and no teen material. Not quite a year ago, it changed format to be full-color and to have dimensions 8" x 10." Each issue has a theme, and all stories, articles, poems, crafts, and puzzles focus on that theme. Hopscotch was first published in 1989 by an elementary school librarian, who wanted a wholesome magazine for her students. A small publishing company owned by the Edwards family, in Bluffton, OH, has been publishing it since 1991. The company has developed two companion magazines. Boys' Quest is available the same months as Hopscotch, and Fun For Kidz is published the alternating months. Overview The theme for this April/May issue is "Ducks." • Puzzle: "Mystery Picture," inside the front cover. Find hidden smaller pictures within the big picture; a regular feature always done by the same illustrator. • Nonfiction: "Duck Said What?" 2 pages, tells about variations and similarities among ducks. Article talks about the sounds ducks make. Includes 4 photos. • Nonfiction: "The Cry of the Loon," 1 page, gives general information about loons and their four kinds of calls; 3 photos. Closes with an online reference where you can hear a loon's cry. • Story: "The Best Mother Duck," 2 pages about a girl who hatches eight duck eggs that the mother duck has neglected. • Nonfiction: "Fascinating Water Fowl Facts," 1 page information about ducks, geese, and swans; 8 photos. • Nonfiction: "Mother Goose," 2 pages, gives historical information about Mother Goose and nursery rhymes. • Nonfiction: "Ducks Can Quack You Up," 1 page, tells experiences two girls had with their pet duck; 2 photos. • Nonfiction: "Swan Song," 1 page, tells about two swans, Prince and Princess, who shared their lives for more than 25 years, and then Princess died; 1 photo. • Puzzles: 2 pages with 5 puzzles--a crossword, a word search, a word path puzzle, a sudoku, and a fraction/word puzzle. • Nonfiction: "Marvelous Mandarin Ducks," 1 page, describes their unusual coloring, the ducklings' challenges, and the honored place these ducks hold in three Asian cultures; 2 photos. • Nonfiction: "Ducks in Boston," 1 page, tells of touring Boston on an amphibious "duck" vehicle, riding a swan boat in Boston's Public Garden, and seeing the statues from the Make Way for Ducklings picture book; 3 photos. • Story: "Lucky Ducks," 2 pages. Story of a girl who shares her rubber duck with a new girl in the charity race, and they become friends. • Nonfiction: "The Popular Pekin Duck," 1 page, gives information about the blood vessels in the duck's feet, egg laying behavior, differences in males and females, and tendency for ducks to think they are a dog, chicken, or human; 3 photos. • Regular Feature written by a HS editor: "Molly & Buttercup: Postcards from the Bed and the Shed," 1 page, a postcard from a dog to a horse, telling about finding a lost duckling; a return card from the horse, telling some duck jokes. • Science Experiment: "Duck's Tongue - Your Tongue," 1 page, tells how duck tongues are different from ours. Then explains how to test which part of our tongue tastes salty, sweet, sour, and bitter flavors. • Nonfiction: "At Home in Woods or Water," 1 page, describes the appearance, nesting habits, babies, and diets of wood ducks; 3 photos. • Story: "I Need Your Help!" 2 pages. A girl needs help with her homework. She has to pick a bird and show how sayings about that bird are used in everyday English. In the process of trying to help, her family members use lots of duck sayings. At the end, the reader is supposed to figure out which bird the girl should choose. • Puzzles: 1 page with a cartoon, a decoding puzzle, and 3 riddles with answers to decode. • Poetry: "Duck Rhymes," 1 page, 3 rhyming poems--8 lines, 10 lines, and 12 lines. • Nonfiction: "From Donald Duck to You," 1 page, tells how in Sweden, since 1959, a popular part of many families' Christmas Eve celebrations is to watch an hour long television special featuring Donald Duck and other Disney cartoons. • Regular Feature: "Potsy's Post Office," 1 page of approximately 15 letters from readers • Last Page: "Puzzle Solutions" and "Potsy's Pen Pal Club," where kids can sign up for pen pals. Evelyn's Experiences and Tips I've had lots of puzzles published in Hopscotch and have appreciated the interactions I've had with the hardworking staff there. My advice is to keep an eye on the theme list and submit as soon as you're able after a new theme is posted, because many of the issues tend to fill up fast. You'll notice from the overview above that Hopscotch uses a lot more nonfiction than fiction, so if you're trying to break into the magazine, you'll probably have more success with nonfiction than with a story or a poem. You'll also notice that they use lots of photographs. If you can include some good photos with your article, you'll increase your chances of an acceptance even more. Check the website for more information about the magazine. Helpful, detailed submission guidelines are posted there. (See links below.) I asked Diane Winebar if the regular features in their three magazines were open to submissions, and she said, "The regular columns are the editors' own work - no freelancing involved." Additional Information Editor: Marilyn Edwards Associate Editor: Diane Winebar Postcards from the Bed & Shed: Lisa Rehfuss Science Editor: Larry White Website: http://www.funforkidz.com Submission Guidelines: http://funforkidzmagazines.com/hs_guidelines Theme List: http://funforkidzmagazines.com/writers Submissions should be sent to: Fun For Kidz Magazines ATTN: Submissions PO Box 227 Bluffton, OH 45817 Writing for Children's Magazines, May 2015     Copyright Evelyn B. Christensen