What educational magazines are great for the kids to both have fun, and do a bit of learning at the same time? We have partnered with Readly to give you some of the best titles PLUS a great offer from them so that you can get access to some of those magazines right now.
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Readly has 5000+ magazines, both for kids, and you, to enjoy through your mobile devices – so even if these educational magazines aren’t for you, there are bound to be some that are. Check it out now – we have used it in the past and love it, both for the kids, and to provide a bit of self care for us parents too.
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Readly offers access to most of these magazines as part of their monthly subscription, making it easier for you to encourage your kids to explore and learn with these titles.
This is our list of favourite educational magazines for kids and schools, but what about your thoughts? Feel free to contact us with more ideas for the list. We have let you know what you can get on Readly, and what you cannot.
Cocoa Girl
This was launched on Readly in August 2021, and is the FIRST magazine, designed for all races teaching children about Black history and culture, whilst providing information on Black role models for the young too.
The magazine aims to provide inspiring and empowering content for older primary school children to help them to feel more represented in magazines today.
The magazine comes our bi-monthly.
Ages: 7 – 11 years
Website: https://www.cocoagirl.com/
Available through Readly: YES
National Geographic Kids
What can we say about NatGeo Kids? This is simply a classic, and perfect for the library, and any coffee table at home.
We have subscribed to NatGeo since the kids were in Junior school, and it provides a wealth of learning on a number of topics from animal welfare, to green issues.
There are plenty of competitions as well inside, to help the kids to get interactive with their learning. There is nothing quite like sending in a picture to National Geographic, and then finding it has appeared in the magazine a few weeks later; so inspiring for kids’ to see.
Frequency: 13 times a year
Ages: 8 – 12 years
Website: https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/
Available through Readly: YES
Animal planet
Does your child LOVE animals, and want to learn as much about them as possible? Animal Planet is the perfect magazine for them then.
It’s packed full of information on animal life on our wonderful planet, everything from information on specific ecosystems, to helping understand more about their behaviour, conservation, and how people affect specific species and environments.
As with NatGeo, the photography in the magazine is stunning, and will help to inspire your kids to find out more about the animals they love.
Frequency: 13 times a year
Ages: 7 – 12
Website: https://www.animalplanetmagazine.com/
Available through Readly: YES
Cocoa Boy
This is the companion magazine to Cocoa Girl, and is focused more on offering inspiration around back history and culture to boys; but it is of course, up to the school and the child!
This magazine is dubbed as the “first black boy’s magazine” and is written by kids for kids to help inspire the next generation of super heroes.
Frequency: Bi-monthly
Ages: 7 – 11 years
Website: https://cocoaboy.com/
Available through Readly: YES
First News
This is THE children’s newspaper; a proper newspaper for kids. Looks like a paper, reads like a paper, but has stories that kids are interested in within the pages.
This is a must for all schools, and at home to help get your kids into current affairs and beyond.
The stories are chosen because they will impact kids, making sure the newspaper keeps them interested from cover to cover. There are loads of fun competitions and puzzles too.
Topics covered include everything from world and UK news, to sports, animals, and entertainment.
Frequency: Once a week
Age: 7 – 14 years
Website: https://www.firstnews.co.uk/
Available through Readly: NO
Anorak
Anorak combines learning with creativity, helping kids to use their natural artistic tendencies to have fun, and explore learning through activities, stories, and loads more.
The magazine is focused on making kids happy through the activities, and ideas it brings. You can even subscribe to their Happy News through their website too!
The magazine is produced four times a year, and is packed full of vibrancy and learning, with a wonderful sense of fun. We love it.
Frequency: 4 times a year
Age: 6 – 12 years
Website: https://anorakmagazine.com/
Available through Readly: YES
Okido
This is one of the fewer strong titles that are designed for younger readers, that offers educational value. This is a magazine focused on inspiring kids to be younger scientists. Okido also appears on CBeebies, Netflix and HBO as well, so there is a great tie in to a TV series for the kids too.
There BEST thing about the magazine is that everything within the pages is designed by Science and Education experts that you you know that your kids have STEAM learning at the heart of everything that they do within the magazine.
The magazine was even started by a scientist and an artist to help combine to two disciplines in a fun and engaging way for younger children. Scientist Dr Sophie Dauvois (PhD BSc PG Dip.) and artist Rachel Ortas started the magazine in 2007, and it’s gone from strength to strength since.
Frequency: 6 times a year
Age: 3 – 8 years
Website: https://www.okido.com/
Available through Readly: NO
Storytime
Kids LOVE to get lost in the world of a good story. Storytime is exactly what it says it is; a story based magazine for kids.
It claims to be the UK’s only story magazine.
The range of different stories that the magazine brings to young readers is excellent; from fairy tales, to new stories, poems, and gorgeous illustrations.
If you are looking for a way to encourage a love of reading through a magazine, Storytime is definitely for you, your school, or your kids.
Best thing about ii? No plastic tat, so its totally environmentally friendly as well.
Frequency: 12 times a year
Age:
Website: https://www.storytimemagazine.com/
Available through Readly: YES
Aquila
Do you have a child or class with an enquiring mind, that’s always one step ahead? Then Aquila is the title for you. This magazine is for children that have a thirst for knowledge. The magazine is billed as the one for the curious kids. Covering everything from English, to Maths, Science and the world at large, it is a mix of stories, puzzles and competitions that are designed to get your kids thinking; and thinking hard.
The aim of the magazine is to inspire kids to WANT to learn that little bit more, and it has a new theme for every edition too.
Frequency: 12 times a year
Age: 8 to 11 years
Website: https://www.aquila.co.uk/
Available through Readly: NO
Dot
Dot is actually produced by the same team that have produced Anorak, but it is aimed for younger readers.
This magazine sets itself apart from some of the other titles aimed at this audience by being more focused on learning, and less on talking down to the kids. There are creative activities, and ideas that are suitable for the age group, without presuming minimal learning opportunities. The magazine focuses on using kids own experiences to explore, from jumping in puddles, to learning through play.
We love that this magazine claims to encourage kids to be resourceful and find solutions and that’s really what we want learning at this age to do. Exploring and problem solving is what it is all about.
Frequency: 4 times a year
Age: Under 5s
Website: https://anorakmagazine.com/pages/dot
Available through Readly: NO
These educational magazines for kids are in no particular order – but are ten of the best as far as KiddyCharts are concerned. What do you think? Are we missing any? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so let us know.
We do have a few other articles on the site focused on encouraging reading, so do check these out too:
The ultimate guide of book resources for kids and parents
Loads of resources on reading for you to take a look at.
5 ways to use reading to help anxiety in kids: Includes FREE friendship bookmarks!
Bookmarks to downloads and ideas how reading can reduce anxiety.
Free gold, silver and bronze reading award certificates
Reading certificates for you to download for free for the kids.
Reading challenge for kids
A tew week magazine based reading challenge for the kids to get stuck into.
There are more resources off the site too here:
15+ Reading Strategies for Unknown Words {Tips for Parents}
FREE Reading Tips Brochure - to Parents from Teachers
10 Ways to improve reading fluency
We do hope you like these educational magazines for kids, if you do, why not sign up to our weekly newsletter?
We would love to have you back, so bookmark the page, so we’ll see you soon!
Helen