Boy’s Life is a monthly magazine of the Boy Scouts of America for the young generation. It primarily targets teenage boys who are constantly on the look out for something exciting. The magazine boasts of several activities and workshops to keep the young minds inquisitive and exploring. The activities and projects mentioned in the magazine are exciting and very practical. The good thing about these activities is that they consist of step-by-step instructions and tips to effortlessly guide the young mind through the use of animations, photos and inspiring images, makes the magazine more attractive and readable.
Boy’s Life is a versatile magazine, touching several fields like careers, hobbies, entertainment, health, science, technology etc. These fields are crucial to young minds, to inspire them, mould them and to create a sense of being well-informed in them. The magazine caters to both indoor and outdoor activities, both of which are crucial for the development of the mind and the body. It features content such as fishing, backpacking and hiking for outdoor activities and indoor activities such as home projects, engineering stuff at home etc. The magazine is also for light readers. It has corners for little snippets, jokes and games to make reading the experience more entertaining and stimulating.
Books, a very important part of growing up, are also an important part of the Boy’s Life magazine. There is a book corner which gives professional help on selection of books to choose according to one’s own tastes. With the arrival of infinite number of gadgets and accessories, reading, no longer seems to be a popular hobby. The Book Zone of the magazine, promises to inculcate and re-live the true joy of reading which books provide. The magazine also announces scheduled reading and writing contests. Today’s youth are as social as ever. They struggle for peer approval and can go to any lengths to impress them. Such contests boost their morale, earning them the desired appreciation among their peers.
Advice related to personal safety and health is also provided by the magazine. However, not much seems to be printed on puberty and sexual health, an important concept for teenagers. Proper justice has been done on career advice. Not just solely advice, but it comes with ways and means by which one can achieve goals and targets. Mention of various scholarship programs in one such example. This kind of advice has been supported with relevant text and information. It makes the advice more practical and approachable to young minds.
Though, Boy’s Life is aimed at boys primarily, it may also be of interest to the adventurous girl reader who is on the look out for ways to do exciting and adventurous tasks. The magazine, on the whole, is a sure success among teenage boys. As a parent, I would definitely encourage my adolescent son to read such a magazine. I firmly believe that the habit of reading inculcated in childhood and adolescence, goes a long way in molding a child’s personality and thus his well-being. The magazine is free of any vulgarity or nudity, a common factor in almost in any teenage magazine. It promotes articles by good, meaningful and relevant text and images, which is so very important for the young reader to understand its transparency. It is a proper balance of serious issues and light-hearted reading. Career avenues and tips provided, add to the cream of the cake. Most magazines speak of careers and their achievements, often failing to throw light on its avenues. This leaves the young reader puzzled and groping in the dark. Avenues of information provided and constant probing of the mind using contest and quizzes make the magazine really popular among the younger generation.
Works Cited
“Boy’s Life. “ Boy Scouts of America April 2016. Print.
“Impact.” Everything Teen Magazines. Web. 19 Apr. 2016.
