Magazines for children and teens

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 ChildrenHighlights for Children. Strong on STEM features and thinking skills. Good for stimulating children aged 6-10.
Highlights High FiveHighlights High Five. Stories, poems, puzzles, and features to appeal to younger children aged 2-6. Great to read with your child.
LadybugLadybug Colorful illustrated poems and stories for children aged 2-6. Ideal for shared reading.

National Geographic Little KidsNational Geographic Little Kids. Great to encourage young children to read about geography and the world.
Ranger Rick JrRanger Rick Jr. Packed with information about nature and animals for the under-sevens.
SpiderSpider . Aimed at children who are starting to read independently. No ads and quality writing.

ChirpChirp. Attractive and engaging content for 3-6-year-olds. Good for emerging readers.
Humpty Dumpty MagazineHumpty Dumpty Magazine. Ideal to read with children under 4 and older independent readers. Packed with craft ideas, stories, and puzzles.
Jobsite JuniorsJobsite Juniors. Perfect for children who like diggers, machines, and building things.

Magazines for children aged 8-12

National Geographic KidsNational Geographic Kids. Well-crafted content, features, and games for children aged 8-12.
Sports Illustrated KidsSports Illustrated Kids. Child-centered and current – a great addition to the elementary school library.
AskAsk. Science, inventions, and machines – great for children interested in STEM.

Boys' LifeBoys’ Life. Outdoor skills and activities – produced by the Boys Scouts of America.
chickaDEEchickaDEE. A wide variety of articles to appeal to both boys and girls.
MuseMuse. Environment, nature, technology, and science in this colorful and well-written magazine.

OwlOWL. Investigative and exploratory stories and articles to appeal to children aged 6-10.
Jack and JillJack & Jill. Lots of creative, crafty and practical activities and guides for boys and girls aged 8-12.
CobblestoneCobblestone. Great for children interested in science, technology, and progress. Well written and visually appealing.

Girls' WorldGirls World. Designed to appeal to girls in middle school. Occasionally edgy, and up to date.
Ranger RickRanger Rick. Great for children who love the outdoors and wild space. Nature, conservation, and wildlife are common themes.
MagnifikidMagnifiKid! 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.
  • National Geographic History – in depth themed history articles that are accessible and engaging.
  • Popular mechanics – popular science, electronics, DIY, projects, and technology.
  • Popular science – ideal for younger teens who are interested in real-world applications of science.
  • Scientific American – the oldest science magazine in America. Many world-famous scientists have contributed essays in the past.
  • Field and Stream – a how-to magazine exploring hunting, trapping, tracking, fishing, and wild camping.
  • Birds and Blooms – how to develop nature and wildlife in your back yard.
  • Sports Illustrated – one of the world’s most widely read sports magazines.
  • Wired – discusses emerging technologies, gadgets, and the application of science in everyday life.
  • Brio – a Christian teen magazine focusing on faith and personal improvement.
  • The New Yorker – quality essays, stories, and comments on current affairs.
  • Time – an in-depth analysis of current affairs – ideal for a student interested in politics and the economy.
  • American Cheerleader – the leading cheerleading magazine with a wide range of content each month.
  • American Scientist – a bi-monthly a well-respected science publication.

Magazines for parents

  • Family Circle – practical parenting ideas for those with pre-teens and teens.
  • Parents – scientific articles on parenting, with a focus on child development.
  • Yum Food Fun for Kids – lots of ideas for everyday meals and special occasions. Great if you have fussy eaters.
  • Your Teen – tries to make parenting teens less scary with lots of tried and tested and practical advice.
  • Today’s Parent – advice for couples with very children from birth to age 14.
  • Practical Homeschooling – useful, evidence-based ideas and advice in a practical and easy to follow format.

Magazines for teachers

  • Horn Book Magazine – a round-up of recently published children’s literature. Useful for the school library.
  • School Arts – packed with interesting ideas for K-12 art teachers.
  • ADDitude – a specialist professional magazine for teachers of children with ADD.
  • Catholic Teacher – focuses on the specific needs of teachers incorporating the Catholic faith into lesson planning.
  • Education Update – a must-read for educators, covering curriculum developments in K-12.
  • Music K-8 – great for music teachers in elementary and middle grades who need something instant and ready to teach.
  • Education Digest – covers current events and trends in education.
  • MET – Modern English Teacher – useful articles on the latest pedagogical thinking and lesson ideas covering recent curriculum changes.
  • Learn Hot English – useful for teachers of pupils with English as a second language.
  • Teaching History – articles by top social sciences academics.

If you would like to order all or most of the books in this list; or if you want to order classroom sets or multiple copies of books; or if you are ordering from outside the US,  have a look at our ‘bulk orders’ page which makes this process easy.

Bulk orders

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About Tom Tolkien

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Tom Tolkien is an educational management professional who has spent over 20 years developing teaching resources for K-12 schools in the United States and other countries worldwide. His area of expertise is literacy instruction, reading recommendations, and school improvement ideas. Twitter | Linkedin