Looking for a fun- and fact-packed publication for your child? The selection of kids' magazines we've picked offer puzzles, original artwork, fiction, science projects to complete, history, hands-on making and more – and there isn't a plastic cover-mount in sight. There aren't many free print magazines kids can get in the mail anymore, but there are a couple of standouts.
The best education magazines play a leading role in helping students be better informed about institutions and the courses they specialize in. It is a showcase for all things education with an aim to inform, share news, provide insight, and promote positively the work taking place across schools, colleges, academies, and universities throughout the year.
If you are looking for a way to keep your child busy and learning, you should look into subscribing to one of these magazines. There is a huge amount of information available and you will never run out of things to read.
Here is the list of education magazines for children that will teach and entertain them.
1. National Geographic Kids
Aimed at children aged 8 to 12, National Geographic Kids is designed to get kids reading and excited about the world around them. It features many different types of stories, articles, and general information that you as parents can learn a lot from.
It's packed with wildlife, history and geography facts and beautiful photography, and the bite-sized, bright presentation is perfect for non-fiction enthusiasts. This magazine will provide you with tons of facts and interesting articles to keep your children in mind and on the go. The advice and helpful hints found here can greatly benefit kids.
Frequency: published 13 times a year
Cost: £3.99 per issue; buy single issues at newsstands nationwide.
Subscription offer: An annual subscription is £45 (UK) and $20 (US).
2. Brilliant Brainz
Bright, colourful and packed with creative activities, Brilliant Brainz is a multi-subject interactive magazine for 6 to 12 year old girls and boys. Brilliant Brainz is a gender-neutral magazine that does not come with any extra ads or toys and is suitable for all children.
From art history to healthy eating, music to S.T.E.A.M-based learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Maths), mental health and wellbeing to environmental matters, it covers all the important and real-world issues facing the kids of today. Plus, each featured activity or craft challenges kids to think for themselves about big concepts such as friendship or communication and encourages them to think outside of the box.
Frequency: monthly
Brilliant Brainz is only available by postal subscription.
Subscription offer: an annual subscription is £39.99.
3. The Phoenix Comic
The Phoenix Comic is a weekly comic magazine for children aged 7 – 14 years. The Phoenix Comic is a great way to encourage children to read, explore, learn new words and enjoy reading every week.
Endorsed by both schools and libraries as a great way to expand learning and explore new and different stories and non-fiction, The Phoenix Comic magazine subscription is a weekly essential to get kids reading all year round! The serialised stories will keep readers guessing week after week, the vibrant colours and super storylines will attract even the most reluctant readers and the artwork detail deserves to be examined with a magnifying glass.
Frequency: published weekly
Cost: £2.99 per issue; buy single issues at newsagents nationwide, selected branches of Waitrose and some independent bookshops. Also available as a digital magazine to read on an iPad.
Subscription offer: prices start at £59.99 for a six-month subscription with a Direct Debit subscription.
4. First News
First News is the only award-winning weekly newspaper for young people (aged 7-14) dedicated to delivering interesting and engaging thought pieces from today’s news, plus plenty of fun features from around the world. Hugely popular with primary schools, First News also offers online headlines for newshounds who want to keep up-to-date every day.
Packed with news, photographs interesting stories from the UK and around the word, your child will get a real understanding of current affairs, explained clearly and concisely in age-appropriate language. It's not all serious news, either – there are puzzles, competitions, crazy but true stories, celebrity interviews, sport articles and more to browse to read.
Frequency: published weekly
Cost: £1.50 per issue; buy single issues at newsagents nationwide. Also available as a digital edition to read on a tablet (24 issues for £26.99).
Subscription offer: £1 for three issues then £16.49 every three months with a Direct Debit subscription.
5. OKIDO
Designed for children aged 3 to 8, with a focus on science and arts, OKIDO is incredibly colourful and packed with hands-on making activities, as well as informative. Okido is full of charming characters and illustrations that capture kids imaginations.
Okido magazine is highly entertaining and simultaneously thought-provoking romp, featuring (among other things) the adventures of Messy Monster and his friends as they have adventures and seek answers to questions about the world and the way it works. The magazine is full of stories, activities and games, as well as the odd recipe and poem.
Frequency: published six times a year
Cost: £4 per issue; buy single issues at selected bookstores and shops.
Subscription offer: a six-month subscription starts at £35, including free delivery.
6. Cocoa Girl and Cocoa Boy
Filled with inspiring and empowering content for girls aged 7-14 years old, Cocoa Girl is the first UK's Black Girls' magazine. Their mission is to celebrate black culture and history and build a community for young Black Girls, as well as supporting parents and carers.
Cocoa Boy is also available and published six times a year.
Frequency: published bimonthly
Cost: £3.99 per issue or subscribe to Cocoa Girl for £25 for six issues
7. Storytime
No adverts and no plastic toys – Storytime is just a collection of fairy tales, folk tales, fables, myths, legends, poetry and book extracts to read with your child, complemented by full-colour illustrations and story-time game and activity suggestions. Perfect for reading with younger children, and a very light and portable way to carry hours of entertainment in your handbag! Download free Storytime activities and recipes from the website.
Frequency: published 12 times a year
Cost: £3.99 per issue; buy single issues at WH Smiths, supermarkets and newsagents nationwide.
Subscription offer: get 12 issues of Storytime for £36.99 with a Direct Debit subscription.
8. AQUILA
With factual articles, puzzles and fun activities to expand general knowledge, AQUILA is aimed at inquisitive, independent readers aged 8-12. A new topic is presented every month, as well as articles about our world, historical figures, science, ethical issues, original fiction and a very absorbing readers' letters page. There's tons to read (and think about) in every issue, and it's all clearly and beautifully presented, with no advertising. Get a feel for AQUILA's content by looking through the sample content online.
Frequency: published 12 times a year (July-August is a summer double issue)
AQUILA is only available on subscription.
Subscription offer: an annual subscription is £55.
9. Junior Puzzles
A mix of puzzles, games and fun designed to suit a broad age range. Familiar puzzles include crosswords, Kriss Kross, riddles, wordsearches, Brick Trick, Hidden Words, Spot The Difference, Sudoku and more; 100 puzzles are included in each Junior Puzzles issue.
Frequency: published six times a year
Cost: £2.99 per issue; buy single issues at WH Smith.
Subscription offer: £35 every 10 issues.
10. Story Box, Adventure Box, Adventure Box Max! and Discovery Box
Each of the Box magazines has been designed to appeal to different ages: Story Box is for 3-6 year olds (to be read with a parent), Adventure Box is for 6-9 year olds (you can choose to receive a CD with each issue, so your child can listen to the stories as they read along), Adventure Box Max! is for children from 9 and Discovery Box is for children aged 9 to 12.
With a variety of writing styles and a mixture of fun facts, riddles, cartoons, experiments and games, each magazine offers a great monthly mix for a specific age and stage of development.
Frequency: published ten times a year
Story Box, Adventure Box, Adventure Box Max! and Discovery Box are only available on subscription.
Subscription offer: an annual subscription to each magazine is £67.
11. Whizz Pop Bang!
A kids’ science magazine aimed at making science fun and engaging for 6-11 year old children (and their parents!), Whizz Pop Bang! is aligned to the UK national curriculum and packed with fantastic facts, hands-on experiments, bite-sized information, puzzles and eye-catching illustrations. Completely ad-free, it's fun as well as very informative.
Frequency: monthly
Whizz Pop Bang! is only available by postal subscription.
Subscription offer: annual subscriptions start at £39.99.
12. The Week Junior
Aimed at 8 to 14 year olds, The Week Junior explains news and events from a child’s perspective. From news to nature, science to geography, and film to coding, it covers a huge range of topics and keeps kids in the loop about what's happening in the world in an engaging, age-appropriate way. See sample pages from The Week Junior online.
Frequency: weekly
Cost: £1.99 per issue; The Week Junior is available in major retailers and by subscription.
Subscription offer: From £21.50 for 13 issues.
13. KOOKIE
A new print magazine for girls aged 8-12, KOOKIE champions female role models, celebrates diversity, encourages creativity and curiosity and challenges girls to question and debate. There's no advertising, just lots of interesting, bite-sized content – interviews, quizzes, comic strips, stories, art projects and more (see what’s inside and order back issues on the KOOKIE website). A great read for pre-teen girls (and their brothers!).
Frequency: four issues a year
Available in selected retailers and from the KOOKIE website (you can subscribe and buy individual issues for £6.50).
Subscription offer: an annual subscription is £24.
14. ANORAK
Anorak Magazine, the ‘happy mag for kids’ is aimed at boys and girls aged between 6 and 12 years old (there's loads to read in each issue, so proficient readers will get the most out of it). A variety of subjects are covered, with beautiful, full-colour contemporary illustrations, board games, puzzles and drawing suggestions and projects included. Definitely not a five-minute read destined for the recycling, this is a magazine kids will keep and refer back to.
Frequency: published four times a year
Cost: £6.50 per issue; buy single issues at newsstands, bookshops and in museum shops.
Subscription offer: get four issues and home delivery for £25 with a Direct Debit subscription.
15. Dekko Comics
Packed with educational material but presented in a zany, colourful, must-read comic-book format, we loved every page of Dekko Comics. Modal verbs, adverbials, Victorians, addition and subtraction methods and more – it all comes to life in a funny, fact-filled package (and there are subject posters to summarise the main points – a brilliant idea). A fantastic choice for primary-school children who prefer their information bite-sized and entertaining, Dekko Comics could be especially helpful to students with dyslexia and other additional learning needs.
Frequency: quarterly
Dekko Comics is available only by post (you can buy individual issues for £6.99 or a catch-up set of four past issues for £20).
16. Science+Nature
From the award-winning team behind The Week Junior, Science+Nature is focused on the world around us and how it works. It's packed with scientific information, fascinating stories, astonishing facts, awe-inspiring photography and fun activities – designed to spark curiosity, challenge bright minds and ignite kids' passion for discovery.
Frequency: monthly
Six-month subscriptions start at £19.99.
17. My Mini Garden
Fantastic magazine encouraging children (and adults!) to try their hand at gardening and grow some wonderful things in their own garden. The first edition comes with a free seed growing kit so you can start immediately with your new pastime and use the step-by-step instructions for growing a pea plant. Encourage a love of the outdoors and an interest in nature, as well as reading. Complete with quizzes and fun animal friends, this kids’ gardening magazine is a great screen-free way to engage with the natural world.
Frequency: published quarterly
Cost: Single issue for £4.99,
Subscription offer: 4 issues for £18
18. Britannica Magazine
Help children (age 6+) become experts in pretty much anything with this jam-packed, fact-filled magazine. Learn the weird, the wonderful and the surprisingly true facts about space, animals, inventions and plenty of other fascinating topics. When will humans travel to Mars? How many kilogrammes of poo are pooped by people every second? These are the important things children need to know and will have lots of fun discovering. You can also keep the kids busy with puzzles, jokes and recipes.
Frequency: once a month but with a double issue in July and December
Subscription offer: monthly £5.99, 6 months £29.99, 12 month £59.99
If your child is an avid magazine reader it's worth considering magazine-reading apps which allow you to read issues on a computer, tablet or smartphone. Some local libraries allow you to borrow magazines for free using apps.
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