[2] Garry Myers earned a PhD in psychology from Columbia University before World War I, providing a basis for the teaching he would do the rest of his life.

They taught educators and parents for a time at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

In 1928, Garry Myers started writing a nationally syndicated column entitled Parent Problems, which continued for 50 years.

[11] Within six months, the magazine was losing money and the founders asked their son Garry Myers, Jr. to work with them to wind it down.

Recognizing its potential, he decided it was worth saving and came up with the idea of placing copies with doctor and dentists offices throughout North America.

On December 16, 1960, Myers, Jr., his wife Mary, and company vice-president Cyril Ewart, were killed in a mid-air collision that left 134 dead.

Its subsidiaries included Essential Learning Products, the Zaner-Bloser Company, the quarterly Newsletter of Parenting, with a circulation of 15,000.

[3] By October, international versions of Highlights and High Five were made available in Australia, South Africa, Taiwan, and Chile.

[2] However, with the release of subsequent magazines, it is geared mainly to elementary school students; it contains stories and puzzles for children ages six to twelve years old.

[10] By the 1980s, Highlights was the most popular children's magazine in the United States, having close to two million subscribers, with 95 percent of the copies mailed to homes.

The magazine accepted no advertising and eschewed single-issue sales, but could be found in most pediatrician’s and dentist's waiting rooms in North America.

[31] Actor Henry Winkler wrote an article discussing his experience overcoming dyslexia in a 2005 issue of the magazine.

[32][33] In 2006, the United States Postal Service delivered the one-billionth copy of Highlights magazine to a young subscriber in Dallas, Texas.

[31] Its February 2017 issue included a family with two dads, the first depiction of a same-sex relationship in the magazine's 70-year history.

[36] The magazine is now offered in many different languages, including Korean, Chinese, Malay, Polish, Czech, Russian, Greek, French, Turkish, Portuguese, Thai, and Hungarian.

[40] Often the panels would provide a description, such as on a school bus: Goofus hogs his seat – Gallant makes space for someone else to sit down.

Sometimes the situations would show the boys talking, such as phone courtesy when parents are away: Goofus: "Someone called but I forgot their name."

[citation needed] In 2004, the magazine introduced "Gallant Kids," a feature that shows children who perform food deeds in their community.

is a large drawing of a typical scene of children playing, but unusual objects take the place of normal things throughout the picture.

[10] The "Brain Play" section of the magazine comprises a list of several simple questions for children to answer.

[18][26] Highlights also features jokes, riddles, puzzles, short stories, poems, recipes, and craft projects throughout each issue.

[citation needed] "Create" is a feature that prints drawings, poems, and stories by readers who submit them to the magazine.

[23] The goal of High Five is to help children develop and to give parent and child a fun and meaningful activity to do together each month.

Every issue is 40 pages and includes poems and stories, crafts, easy recipes, games, puzzles and other activities that encourage children to be lifelong learners.

Debuting in August 2024, the magazine is for kids 1-4 and pairs CoComelon songs and characters with Highlights’ classic stories, poems, puzzles, activities, and games.

[63] On June 25, 2019, Highlights for Children's Twitter account denounced the practice of family separation at the Mexico–United States border.

[64] In 2021, Amazon's Audible and Highlights partnered to release podcast series based on Goofus and Gallant and Ask Arizona.

The collaboration included a limited print run, a digital version, and a custom website based on Google's online safety curriculum.

[68][69] In 1984, the Highlights Foundation nonprofit was formed to support children’s authors and illustrators through retreats, seminars, and workshops.