The joys of curling up in a cosy corner with a magazine, coffee in hand, for a fleeting moment of peace can be prolonged if you can just persuade your child to follow your lead. Children’s magazines have come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years, both as an aid to reading for younger children and as a prompt to consider some of life’s big questions for older readers. Here are a few of our favourites.
Aquila
Branded the ‘ultimate intelligent read for inquisitive kids,’ Aquila covers science, history and general knowledge in a beautifully illustrated monthly magazine.
Suitable for? 8 to 13 year olds.
Typical title? “Design a lean, mean ocean clean-up machine.”
And there’s more: Every edition is accompanied by a series of additional online resources including puzzles, recipes and creative ideas.
Price: 12 Months UK: £60 – 4 Months UK: £35; Europe: £65 / £40; World: £75 / £40
Available here
Assembly
A digital publication created by the Malala Fund, Assembly is a platform for girls and young women around the world to share their thoughts, challenges and accomplishments. The hugely inspiring newsletter is sent out on the first and third Thursday of every month and all articles are available to read on the Assembly website.
Suitable for? 11 to 18 year olds. The tagline is “created by girls for girls.”
Typical title? “A week in the life of a 16 year old Ethiopian student athlete” or “A conversation with inaugural poet Amanda Gorman.”
And there’s more: Assembly actively encourages submissions and ideas from budding young writers, photographers and film makers.
Price: Free. Making a donation to the Malala Fund which supports secondary education for girls would be a nice way to complete the virtuous circle.
Available here
The Week Junior
The junior version of The Week magazine encourages children to explore what’s happening around the world, helping to grow their understanding of current affairs. Stories, events and issues are explained in a straightforward, manageable way with clear, age-appropriate facts and a balanced perspective.
Suitable for? 8 to 14 year olds.
Typical title? “A million new galaxies mapped” or “Trump in trouble at UN summit.”
And there’s more: The Week Junior publishes regular supplements such as the current Wellbeing Guide for younger readers.
Price: £25.99 every 13 issues when the subscription is purchased online.
Available here
National Geographic Kids
For anyone who remembers rainy afternoons in the company of a pile of yellow magazines, National Geographic Kids is a wonderful way to pass on the tradition.
Suitable for? 6 to 11 year olds.
Typical title? “4 year old finds dino footprint in Wales” or “10 terrific tiger facts.”
And there’s more: The website is absolutely packed with articles, exercises, craft activities, quizzes and games.
Price: £39 for 13 issues per year.
Available here
Anorak
Branded “the happy magazine for kids” Anorak is a beautiful, graphic design-led magazine that seeks to encourage children to use their creativity to discover and learn. They are not shy of making the odd silly joke too…
Suitable for? 6 to 11 year olds.
Typical title (each magazine is themed)? “We close the year on a (sugar) high with an issue dedicated to CAKES!” or “Say yes to kindness.”
And there’s more: Anorak is printed on recycled paper using vegetable inks.
Price: £28 for 4 issues per year.
Available here
Dot
Anoraks’s younger sibling, DOT is designed for pre-school children to develop their creativity, imagination and resourcefulness by learning through play.
Suitable for? Under 5 year olds.
Typical title? “The things we love” or “Why rice is nice.”
And there’s more: Dot is printed on recycled paper using vegetable inks.
Price: £20 for 4 issues per year.
Available here
If you enjoyed this article you might like to read our recommended online art activities for children here.
