Magazine Subscriptions for Kids, Tweens and Teens

One of my favourite pastimes as a kid was receiving my monthly kids’ magazine subscription. I looked forward to it arriving and, once it was in my hot little hands, would quickly rip out the poster in the middle and add it to my wall before poring over the information inside.

Why a Magazine Subscription for Kids?

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Magazines are an excellent literacy activity for kids. Magazines for children, tweens, and teens, including comics and newspapers, offer another access point to the joy of reading, albeit not in the traditional sense of books.

A magazine subscription for kids is also a great birthday, Christmas or special occasion gift idea that they can enjoy throughout the year.

Which Magazine Subscription is best for YOUR child?

But which magazine should you grab for your child? We have rounded up around 30 different magazine subscriptions from Australia, America and the UK to find quality magazines (that means limited glaring adverts and licensed characters) that we would be happy for our kids to read.

Please note that this article contains affiliate links..

The Best Magazine Subscriptions for Kids, Tweens and Teens

Magazines Subscriptions for Children Aged 2-6

The following children’s magazines are suitable for preschool children, although I suggest reading them aloud to them. We’ve included some news magazines for kids, along with STEM and some just for fun.

National Geographic Little Kids Magazine

An innovative new magazine full of learning and fun for today’s preschoolers and their parents! Bursting with lively photographs, engaging stories, and interactive picture games, each issue supplies you with fresh and imaginative teaching tools created by noted educators at National Geographic.

Ages 3 – 6 Subscribe to National Geographic Little Kids

StoryBox Magazine

This award-winning magazine uniquely combines fiction and fun. In every issue, children and parents can enjoy a story, science questions with clear pictures and explanations, picture stories, animal world with beautiful illustrations, games and fun activities. Made in the UK.

Ages 3-6 years

Subscribe to StoryBox Magazine

Chirp Magazine

Made for little hands and growing minds, the colourful pages, silly jokes, engaging stories, and early-learning activities in Chirp inspire young children to make their first attempts at reading, writing, and creating with age-appropriate content that gives youngsters the confidence they need.

Ages: 3 to 6

Subscribe to Chirp Magazine

Grilled Cheese Magazine

Grilled Cheese is a triennial kids’ magazine entirely produced and printed in Montreal, and as such, it’s in both English and French. Great for kids practising either French or English.

Each issue has a great retro feel thanks to its two-colour aesthetic printed by risograph, a process that layers transparent inks to create a range of shades. This printing style gives each magazine its unique style and texture. After printing, each issue is then assembled, bound and cut by hand, thinking of the little readers who will read them.

Ages 2 to 4 and 5 to 10

Click here for Grilled Cheese subscriptions

DOT Magazine

DOT Magazine is a quarterly, ad-free print magazine. DOT encompasses all aspects of a child’s life, from jumping in puddles to learning through play. It encourages kids to be resourceful and find solutions using all the tools they naturally have at their disposal: imagination, creativity and fun. Made in the UK.

Ages 5 years and underClick here to read more about DOT magazine.

Magazines Subscriptions for Children Aged 6 – 12

The following magazines are suitable for children aged 6-12. We’ve compiled an eclectic list of magazine subscriptions that cater to a diverse range of kids. You may also want to consider our tween and teen magazine subscription list, which may be suitable as well.

The IN Kids Magazine

Introducing the INmag: Empowering Australia’s Youth to Create, Share, and Learn Together!

Step into the vibrant world of the INmag, a nationwide magazine crafted entirely by kids, for kids! The magazine’s mission is clear: to provide a genuine platform for young minds to display their exceptional creations and talents.

Delight in our thoughtfully curated content, designed to align with the curriculum while infusing learning with fun and excitement. The editors believe in empowering kids and fostering an environment of shared learning that supports both parents and teachers.

All ages.

Click here to read about the In Kids Magazine.

National Geographic Kids Magazine

First printed in 1975, National Geographic Kids Magazine is packed with animals, entertainment, science, technology, current events, cultures from around the world and much more.

Ages 6+

Subscribe to National Geographic Kids

Youkie (previously Kookie)

What I love about this magazine is that it is free from advertising, fast fashion, and makeup. It is the type of magazine that I would like to see more girls subscribing to each month. Youkie features great interviews, profiles of pioneering women in history, crafts, adventure, and activism, posters, and more. It is the thinking tweens magazine!

Ages 7 – 12 years. Written for girls, by girls.

Head to Youkie Magazine for their subscription details.

AQUILA Magazine

Every single issue features gorgeous artwork on the cover. AQUILA is the ultimate intelligent read for curious kids! Science, history, and general knowledge are blended into absorbing articles in a beautifully illustrated publication that arrives through the letterbox every month. The magazine challenges and stimulates children to realise their unique potential beyond the classroom.

Every monthly issue of AQUILA features a new topic, offering a fresh opportunity for children to fall in love with learning. It is UK-based but delivers to Australia.

Ages 8+Head to AQUILA magazine for their subscription details.

LEGO Life Magazine

LEGO Life Magazine is a free magazine for children aged 5 to 9 years. Each issue is packed full of LEGO news and behind-the-scenes interviews, comic adventures, games, puzzles, building challenges and Cool Creations created by fans. It also includes sneak peeks of upcoming releases.

Ages 5 and 9Head to LEGO Life Magazine to subscribe.

HorseWyse Magazine

HorseWyse is a proud, independently owned Australian family business with a strong focus on young rider education, safety, and fun. It is published four times a year, with each issue featuring articles, fun activities, the Totally Horses Club, competitions, funny photos, reader letters and photos, the Hall of Fame, Superstars, ‘how to’ columns, super-sized posters, horsing around, and more.

Ages 6-18 years

You can subscribe to HorseWyse Magazine

Anorak Magazine

Anorak Magazine, the ‘happy mag for kids’ for boys and girls. Published four times a year, every issue has a theme to inspire and encourage kids to tap into their natural creativity and learn while having fun. Every edition features a wealth of beautifully illustrated stories, games, and activities to keep your little ones’ creative minds buzzing!

Ages 6 – 12 years

Click here to read more about Anorak Magazine

ChickaDEE Magazine

Every month, the Chickadee team creates a package of interactive stories, puzzles, animal features, and science experiments to educate and entertain readers.

Right from the first page, the magazine’s title characters Chick and Dee, greet the reader with learning and laughs. You Asked? column fosters kids’ intellectual curiosity while promoting real engagement with magazine editors. Brain-teasing puzzles, fun animal facts, unique crafts, simple science experiments, and rich, engaging fiction round out Chickadee’s pages, providing hours of enjoyment, whether read alone or with the help of an adult.

Ages: 6 to 9

Subscribe to Chickadee Magazine here

AdventureBox Magazine

The magazine that gets kids hooked on reading! Every issue includes a 4-page illustrated story, divided into manageable chapters for newly independent readers; a chat with the creators, to go further and understand more about the author and illustrator’s creative process; a hilarious 8-page graphic story with funny and mischievous characters who take readers on a variety of adventures; plus, comics, quizzes and more.

Age: 6 – 9 Subscribe to AdventureBox Magazine here.

DiscoveryBox Magazine

A journey of discovery through nature, science and history. In every issue, enjoy animals and nature, with spectacular photographs; fascinating scientific topics, with clear explanations and experiments to carry out; historical events, presented in a lively and informative way and do-it-yourself activities, linked to the issues of the month, as well as comic strips, games, quizzes…

Age: 9 -12Subscribe to DiscoveryBox Magazine here.

Kazoo Magazine

Kazoo is an award-winning, ad-free, indie magazine for girls that celebrates them for being strong, smart, fierce and true to themselves. It’s published quarterly in Brooklyn, New York, and is sold worldwide.

Age: 5 – 12

Click here to read Kazoo Magazine.

Illustoria Magazine

llustoria is a print magazine for creative kids & their grownups. We celebrate visual storytelling, makers and DIY culture through stories, art, comics, interviews, crafts and activities. Illustoria is the official publication of the International Alliance of Youth Writing Centres, publishing writing and art by young people alongside accomplished professionals.

Age 6 – 12Click here to read more about Illustoria.

KIT

In our fast-paced modern world of computer screens and smartphones, social media, and daily pressure to do more and be more, teens can easily feel overwhelmed. Created with teen boys in mind, KIT is a motivating adventure-focused magazine and personal development guide designed to give teens for ages 9 to 16+ the inspiration, strength, courage and confidence to face daily challenges, take control of their lives and change the world.

Ages 9 – 16

Click here to read more about KIT Magazine

Oyla Junior

Oyla Junior covers a wide array of topics, from the wonders of nature and the mysteries of space to incredible inventions, logic puzzles, and fundamental physics, all presented in a playful and easy-to-understand style. Each 48-page issue features a colourful, visual-first design with interactive activities and simple explanations, crafted to ignite curiosity and foster creativity in your children. OYLA Junior is entirely ad-free.

Age: 8 – 11

Subscribe to Oyla Junior here.

Magazines Subscriptions for Tweens and Teens

Tweens and teens tend to love magazines, but I am loath to subscribe to issues that provide my daughter and son with unrealistic body image concepts and are jammed full of marketing. As such, the magazine subscriptions I have gathered together here are free of this as much as possible.

Teen Breathe Magazine

Teen Breathe promotes mindfulness as the basis of a happier, healthier, more authentic life. In comparison, other teen titles emphasise the need to stay up to date with the latest fashion trends, the newest beauty fads, or the latest celebrity relationships.

Teen Breathe inspires its readers to be mindful in everything they do – from mindful movement and friendship to healthy eating, crafting, positive thinking, caring for the environment, and everything in between.

You can subscribe to Teen Breathe Magazine here.

AdventureBox Max Magazine

AdventureBox Max takes its readers by the hand to venture onto more sophisticated plot lines. For readers of AdventureBox, this magazine is a natural progression into longer, more challenging stories. Paired with stimulating and interesting tidbits of trivia, your child will also build their repertoire of general knowledge to discuss with friends and family.

Ages: 9 – 12Subscribe to AdventureBox Max Magazine here.

OWL Magazine

OWL inspires kids to learn and discover through articles, puzzles, quizzes, infographics, interviews, and more, highlighting the elements of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Unusual for its intended age group,

Both girls and boys love OWL for its signature honesty, intelligence, and humour. Made in Canada

Age 9 – 13

Subscribe to OWL Magazine here.

Wonder Magazine

Wonder is an Australian publication that empowers pre-teen children through creativity, science, adventure, craft projects, reader contributions and more…

For Tweens

Click here to read more about Wonder Magazine.

KIT Magazine Magazine

In our fast-paced modern world of computer screens and smartphones, social media, and daily pressure to do more and be more, teens can easily feel overwhelmed. Created with teen boys in mind, KIT is a motivating adventure-focused magazine and personal development guide designed to give teens aged 9 to 16+ the inspiration, strength, courage and confidence to face daily challenges, take control of their lives and change the world.

Ages 9 – 16

Click to read about KIT Magazine.

Oyla

Oyla is reputed to be the best science magazine for kids, featuring STEM-Focused Issues Released Monthly. Each issue offers scientific articles that the whole family can enjoy, covering a broad range of topics, from the latest scientific breakthroughs to centuries-old unsolved mysteries.

Ages 12+

Click to subscribe to Oyla magazine here.

Magazines Subscriptions for All Ages

Crikey Magazine

The world’s WILDEST magazine is packed with exclusive content from everyone’s favourite Wildlife Warriors, Terri, Bindi and Robert Irwin! Keep up-to-date with what’s going on at Australia Zoo, get a sneak peek at the patients of the world’s busiest wildlife hospital and expand your knowledge with conservation and research news from the field.

All ages

Click here to read about Crikey Magazine.