A World of Reading
& Online Learning
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The Cricket Community ![](https://aws.cricketmedia.com/media/20230217153016/community-paperairplane.png)
We create global opportunities for individuals and groups to pursue and achieve language and learning goals throughout their life with our human-centric, experiential approach to learning online.
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New!
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Russian Meet Up
Are you looking for the opportunity to meet up and converse with other Russian speakers
Blog
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The Surprising History of Your Favorite Olympic Sports
The 2024 Olympic Games are here! From the opening ceremonies to the presentation of the
Contest
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SPIDER March 2024 – Helpful Mouse
Abby V., age 7, Elm Grove, WIClementine D., age 9, York, ME, "Multi-Mousing"Finnley M., age
New!
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Chinese Crash Course
Getting ready to travel or just looking to learn the basics quickly? Whether
Blog
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The Surprising History of Your Favorite Olympic Sports
The 2024 Olympic Games are here! From the opening ceremonies to the presentation
Contest
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SPIDER March 2024 – Helpful Mouse
In March (published in July/August 2024), we asked you to
Cricket Calendar
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Stay up to date with our events
Engage with our teachers in community events to connect with others and learn more about what interests you.
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Teacher Feature
Celebrating our Teachers & Tutors ![](https://aws.cricketmedia.com/media/20230323214439/community-teacher-white.png)
Our teachers are the core of our community and all have expertise in the subjects and content areas that they instruct….They come from all over the world — from Paris to Tokyo to Buenos Aires (and everywhere in between) and are eager to share their love of language with you. Choose to work with a teacher that suits your learning goals and learning style!
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Valeria
We are so impressed with Valeria who taught not just one, but TWO successful pilot Spanish classes and events this past month!
Want to book a class with me?
Tap my picture to learn more!
Contests
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Winners and Favorites from our Magazines
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SPIDER March 2024 – Helpful Mouse
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CRICKET March 2024 – Dragons
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ASK February 2024 – Dream Dog
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MUSE February 2024 – Dream Robot
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CRICKET February 2024 — Friends
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SPIDER February 2024 — Finding Fingerprints
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MUSE January 2024 — Frozen Photography
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ASK January 2024 — Color Your World
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ASK November/December 2024 — Magic Medley
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CRICKET January 2024 — Competition Story
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MUSE November/December 2023 — Personal Aircraft
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SPIDER January 2024 – Jumping Bug, Animal, or Creature
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Call to Action!
JANUARY 2024
“The world is full of wonderful colors— what’s your favorite? Or do you have several? For this month’s contest, make us a picture that shows off your very favorite color (or colors) in any way you like. What makes them so lovely? How do they make you feel? Share your delight, and we’ll release a rainbow to relish in an upcoming issue of Ask.”
Contest rules:- Your child’s contest entry must be their very own work. Ideas and words should not be copied.
- Be sure to include your child’s name, age, and address on your entry.
- Only one entry per person, please.
- If you want your child’s work returned, please help them enclose an addressed, stamped envelope.
- Your child’s entry must be signed or emailed by yourself or another parent or legal guardian, saying it’s their own work and that no one helped them, and that ASK has permission to publish their work in print and online.
- For information on the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, see the Privacy Policy page at cricketmedia.com.
- Email a photo or scan of your child’s artwork to: ask@cricketmedia.com, or mail to: ASK, 1 East Erie Street, Suite 525, PMB4136, Chicago, IL 60611 Entries must be postmarked or emailed by February 10, 2024.
- We will publish the winning entries in an upcoming issue of ASK.
JANUARY 2024
“Olivia in “Judgment Day” studied new words every day to compete with her archenemy Nathan in a spelling bee. In “Rule of Rock,” Persephone had to summon up all her experience and knowledge as she competed to be chosen as a Decider. Win or lose, competition is a part of life, often testing our skill, knowledge, perseverance, even our self-confidence. For this month’s contest, everybuggy would love to read your best story about a competition.
Will your story be about a sports competition, like basketball or soccer? Or a chess tournament, or maybe to be the chief wizard in a computer game? Perhaps you will write about competing for a part in a play, a position in the school band, an election to be class president—or for your dog to win the blue ribbon for Best in Show. What special challenges might the character in your story need to overcome, such as competing against the best athlete in the school, or a close friend, or playing on a mediocre team that needs practice and encouragement? Maybe your character won’t win, but will learn a lesson about sports- manship, or feel satisfaction in having done his or her best.
Whether you write about a jousting tournament in medieval times, a futuristic sci- fi game that you invent, or even competing in a Cricket contest, everybuggy in Cricket Country will be jostling to be the first in line to read your best story—of 350 words or fewer, please—about a competition.”
- Your child’s contest entry must be their very own original work. Ideas and words should not be copied.
- Your child’s entry must be signed by yourself or another parent or guardian, stating that it is their own work, that no help was given, and that CRICKET has permission to publish it in the magazine and on our website.
- Be sure to include your child’s name, age, and full address on their entry.
- Only one entry per person, please.
- If you want their work returned, enclose an addressed, stamped envelope for each entry.
- Your child’s entry must be received by January 31, 2024.
- Send entries to Cricket League, P.O. Box 300, Peru, IL 61354. (No faxes or email submissions, please!)
- We will publish winning entries in the April 2024 issue and on the cricketmagkids.com.
JANUARY 2024
“On Hanukkah, families exchange presents, play dreidel, and snack on delicious gelt: chocolate candies shaped like coins. Why coins? In Europe, it was a Hanukkah tradition to give children a bit of gelt— Yiddish for money—to buy candy and treats. The first chocolate gelt was created in 1920 by a New York candy company. Now you can make your own sweet Hanukkah treat!”
Contest rules: Send us a high-resolution image of your child’s creation to faces@cricketmedia.com by February 28, 2024. Be sure the email includes your child’s name, age, and address, and states that “Cricket Media, Inc. may publish the image provided in Cricket’s magazines and online, and that I (the parent or guardian) am authorized to provide the image.” All submissions become property of Cricket Media, Inc. and will not be returned.
JANUARY 2024
“Put on your mittens and pull out your cameras, because it’s time for a frozen photography contest! Venture out into the cold (or into the freezer, if you’re somewhere warm) and put your artist’s eye to work. Snap a shot of something icy cold and send your favorite photo our way. Then, we’ll decorate our ice exhibit with the most dazzling frigid images.”
Contest rules:- Your child’s contest entry must be their very own original work. Ideas and words should not be copied.
- Be sure to include their name, age, and full address on their
- Only one entry per person, please.
- If you want their work returned, enclose an addressed, stamped envelope.
- All entries must be signed by yourself or another parent or legal guardian, saying that this is their own work and no help was given and granting permission to publish. For detailed information about our compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, visit the policy page at cricketmedia.com/privacy.
- Your child’s entry must be received by January 31, 2024. We will publish winning entries in the April 2024 issue of MUSE.
- Send entries to MUSE Contest, 1 East Erie Street, Suite 525, PMB4136, Chicago, IL 60611 or via email to muse@cricketmedia.com. If entering a digital photo or scan, please send at 300 dpi.
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January 2024
“Draw a picture of a jumping bug, animal, or creature.”
Here are the only rules:- Your child’s entry must be signed by yourself, another parent, or legal guardian, authorizing its publication in print and/or online and saying it’s their own idea.
- Be sure to include your child’s complete name, age, and address.
- Your child’s entry must arrive by January 25, 2024. We will publish our favorites in the April 2024 issue of SPIDER.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
“Science has given us lots of amazing gadgets. But sometimes, it’s nice to dream. For this month’s contest, imagine that you could enchant one ordinary object from your house to do something magical. What object would you pick, and what power would you give it? Draw us a picture of you using your new magic object, and we’ll conjure up a collection of the most creative in an upcoming issue of Ask.”
Contest rules:
- Your child’s contest entry must be their very own work. Ideas and words should not be copied.
- Be sure to include your child’s name, age, and address on your entry.
- Only one entry per person, please.
- If you want your child’s work returned, please help them enclose an addressed, stamped envelope.
- Your child’s entry must be signed or emailed by yourself or another parent or legal guardian, saying it’s their own work and that no one helped them, and that ASK has permission to publish their work in print and online.
- For information on the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, see the Privacy Policy page at cricketmedia.com.
- Email a photo or scan of your child’s artwork to: ask@cricketmedia.com, or mail to: ASK, 1 East Erie Street, Suite 525, PMB4136, Chicago, IL 60611
Entries must be postmarked or emailed by December 31, 2023. - We will publish the winning entries in an upcoming issue of ASK.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
“There’s such a cheerful hustle and bustle this time of year as we gather with family and friends to enjoy holiday feasts and give thanks for all our blessings. To help celebrate the season, everybuggy would love to read your best poem inspired by a holiday tradition you remember and enjoy.
Will you write about singing Christmas carols with your family, or lighting candles
for Hannukah, Kwanza, or Diwali? Maybe your poem will be about helping to prepare the Thanksgiving meal, or traveling over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house. You might write about a holiday parade, or performing in a school pageant, or walk- ing down your street when it is all lit up with holiday decorations. Perhaps your poem will be about all the things you are thankful for, or about helping those less fortunate enjoy the holidays by dropping a coin in a charity collection box or working on a clothing drive. You might even imagine celebrating a holiday in past times, like along the Oregon Trail.
Whatever you decide, everybuggy will be stringing the Cricket Country mailbox with holiday lights, and wishing peace on earth to Ugly Bird, as they await the gift of your best poem—of 24 lines or fewer, please—inspired by a holiday tradition.”
Contest rules:
- Your child’s contest entry must be their very own original work. Ideas and words should not be copied.
- Your child’s entry must be signed by yourself or another parent or guardian, stating that it is their own work, that no help was given,
and that CRICKET has permission to publish it in the magazine and on our website. - Be sure to include your child’s name, age, and full address on their entry.
- Only one entry per person, please.
- If you want their work returned, enclose an addressed, stamped envelope for each entry.
- Your child’s entry must be received by November 30, 2023.
- Send entries to Cricket League, P.O. Box 300, Peru, IL 61354. (No faxes or email submissions, please!)
- We will publish winning entries in the March 2024 issue and on the cricketmagkids.com.
OCTOBER 2023
“Making a sculpture of an animal requires careful observation. Collect some photos of elephants and notice the basic shapes of the body. Better yet, if you have the
chance to go to a zoo and observe an elephant in real life, use a camera to take your own pictures, or make some sketches. There are some surprising features and different
details depending on the type of elephant. Try making your own elephant sculpture.”
Contest rules:
Send us a high-resolution image of your child’s creation to faces@cricketmedia.com by November 20, 2023. Be sure the email includes your child’s name, age, and address, and states that “Cricket Media, Inc. may publish the image provided in Cricket’s magazines and online, and that I (the parent or guardian) am authorized to provide the image.”
All submissions become property of Cricket Media, Inc. and will not be returned.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
“It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…you? Throughout history, humans have imagined what it would be like to fly. And while we may have cracked airplanes and rocket ships, the person-powered plane is still being perfected. Now it’s your turn to give it a try. Imagine your own self- powered flying machine. How do you make it fly? What shape are the wings (if it has them)? Do you wear any special, fashionable gear while piloting? Send your sketches flying toward us, and we’ll fill our own sky with some eyepopping personal aircraft of the future.”
Contest rules:
- Your child’s contest entry must be their very own original work. Ideas and words should not be copied.
- Be sure to include their name, age, and full address on their
- Only one entry per person, please.
- If you want their work returned, enclose an addressed, stamped envelope.
- All entries must be signed by yourself or another parent or legal guardian, saying that this is their own work and no help was given and granting permission to publish. For detailed information about our compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, visit the policy page at cricketmedia.com/privacy.
- Your child’s entry must be received by December 15, 2023. We will publish winning entries in the April 2024 issue of MUSE.
- Send entries to MUSE Contest, 1 East Erie Street, Suite 525, PMB4136, Chicago, IL 60611 or via email to muse@cricketmedia.com. If entering a digital photo or scan, please send at 300 dpi.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
“Write a poem about ice skating or sledding.”
Here are the only rules:
- Your child’s poem should be 10 lines or fewer.
- Your child’s entry must be signed by yourself, another parent, or legal guardian, authorizing its publication in print and/or online and saying it’s their own idea.
- Be sure to include your child’s complete name, age, and address.
- Your child’s entry must arrive by November 25, 2023. We will publish our favorites in the March 2024 issue of SPIDER.
Email your child’s entry to spider@cricketmedia.com, or send it to Spider’s Corner, P.O. Box 300, Peru, IL 61354.
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Encompassing Multigenerational Learning
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Welcome to our eLearning Community
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Engage with our teachers in community events to connect with others and learn more about what interests you.