Magazines for children and teenagers! Here’s our selection of great magazines for children and teens in elementary school, middle school, and high school. With a variety of magazines for children aged 4-8, 8-12, and teenagers, this list is designed for school libraries, homeschooling, and subscription ideas for birthdays, celebrations, or Christmas gifts.
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Magazines for children – our recommendations
Magazines for children aged 4-8
Highlights for Children. Strong on STEM features and thinking skills. Good for stimulating children aged 6-10.
Highlights High Five. Stories, poems, puzzles, and features to appeal to younger children aged 2-6. Great to read with your child.
Ladybug Colorful illustrated poems and stories for children aged 2-6. Ideal for shared reading.
National Geographic Little Kids. Great to encourage young children to read about geography and the world.
Ranger Rick Jr. Packed with information about nature and animals for the under-sevens.
Spider . Aimed at children who are starting to read independently. No ads and quality writing.
Chirp. Attractive and engaging content for 3-6-year-olds. Good for emerging readers.
Humpty Dumpty Magazine. Ideal to read with children under 4 and older independent readers. Packed with craft ideas, stories, and puzzles.
Magazines for children aged 8-12
National Geographic Kids. Well-crafted content, features, and games for children aged 8-12.
Sports Illustrated Kids. Child-centered and current – a great addition to the elementary school library.
Ask. Science, inventions, and machines – great for children interested in STEM.
Scout Life (formerly Boys’ Life). Outdoor skills and activities – produced by the Boys Scouts of America.
chickaDEE. A wide variety of articles to appeal to both boys and girls.
Muse. Environment, nature, technology, and science in this colorful and well-written magazine.
OWL. Investigative and exploratory stories and articles to appeal to children aged 6-10.
Jack & Jill. Lots of creative, crafty and practical activities and guides for boys and girls aged 8-12.
Cobblestone. Great for children interested in science, technology, and progress. Well written and visually appealing.
Girls World. Designed to appeal to girls in middle school. Occasionally edgy, and up to date.
Ranger Rick. Great for children who love the outdoors and wild space. Nature, conservation, and wildlife are common themes.
MagnifiKid! A lively Christian magazine with activities, stories, and craft ideas containing a faith element.
Magazines for teens
National Geographic – the world-famous magazine which explored nature, wildlife, geography, and the impact of mankind.
Tom Tolkien is an highly qualified and highly experienced teacher and children's literature expert (Honors Degree and Postgraduate PGCE QTS) who has spent over 25 years developing award winning literacy and ELA training resources for K-12 schools in the United States and worldwide. His areas of expertise are children's and YA books, literacy instruction, reading recommendations, and school improvement. X | Linkedin