While there are lots of brilliant (and educational) apps for inquisitive minds, nothing compares to the crisp smell of a beautiful (and collectable) printed magazine to keep on your bookshelf – and, re-read and enjoy over and over again.
Forget TV tie-ins (no characters here), ad loaded pages (most are 100% ad free) and those ‘non sustainable’ plastic toys (because a great magazine doesn’t need a cover mount) – these gorgeous unisex titles celebrate literature, fine illustrations, creativity and brain boosting features…
1.
The Caterpillar
- Age Range: 7-11 year olds
- Subscription: €7 per issue, from €28 for annual subcription (4 issues)
- Published: 4 times a year – (in March, June, September and December)
- Eco Credentials: Printed on recycled paper
Self-billed as ‘stories, poems and art’ The Caterpillar is a beautifully designed quarterly magazine edited by Rebecca O’Connor, featuring fascinating prose plus a children’s story writing competition for adults. You might know its sister publication, The Moth, for adults.
2.
Scoop
- Age Range: 7-13 year olds
- Subscription: £6.50 per issue, £36 annual subscription (6 issues), (£32 for digital subscription)
- Published: 6 times year – (in December, February, April, June, August & October)
- Eco Credentials: Printed on offset FFC carbon paper, each issue is posted out in a potato starch polywrap.
Scoop is a bi-monthly literary magazine for children launched in 2016, aiming to get children excited about the written word through short stories, poetry, graphic fiction, puzzles and jokes. It also features non-fiction from history and art to the unexplained and will feature work from some of the world’s most prominent children’s writers and illustrators, including Neil Gaiman and Eoin Colfer.
3.
Anorak
- Age Range: 6 -12 year olds
- Subscription: from £6.50 per issue, £28 for annual subscription (4 issues)
- Published: 4 times a year
- Eco Credentials: Printed on REAL (recycled) paper with REAL (vegetable) ink.
Billed ‘The Happy Mag for Kids’, this quarterly unisex themed publication has been published since 2006, pioneering a new aesthetic and concept in children’s magazine publishing. Producing magazines that last, they are designed to be collected, kept, handed down and revisited, much like annuals are.
As an independent kids publishing house established by Cathy Olmedillas – formerly of 90s lifestyle bibles The Face and Sleazenation – they also publish Dot(see below). Themes are ‘inspired by the British National Curriculum’, the illustrated stories, games and activities aim to encourage creativity.
4.
Okido
- Age Range: 3-7 year olds
- Subscription: £5 per issue, £30 for 6 months subscription, £50 for 12 months
- Published: Monthly
- Eco Credentials: Printed on 100% de-inked, recycled paper and mailed in recyclable envelopes.
Okido’s philosophy is a simple one: every child is a creative scientist and is designed to spark an interest in science and art. Launched in 2007 by founders, scientist Dr Sophie Dauvois and artist Rachel Ortas. Published monthly, it is full of beautiful graphics and brightly-coloured pages packed with things to draw, do and play and lots of little humorous games and doodles. Okido promotes equality for all children and is suitable for all genders.
This publication holds over 50 events a year across the UK, including workshops, science parties and festivals.
5.
Aquila Magazine
- Age Range 8 – 13 years
- Subscription: from £5 per issue, £35 for 4 months and £60 for 12 months (UK)
- Published: Monthly
- Eco Credentials: Printed on FSC-accredited paper chlorine free paper and posted in recyclable paper envelope
6.
Storytime
- Age Range: 3 years+
- Subscription: £4.99 per issue, from £36.99 for annual subscription (12 issues), (digital subscriptions are also available)
- Published: Monthly
- Eco Credentials: Printed on Forest Stewardship Council/FSC-certified paper (from well-managed forests) on high-quality, thick paper stock.
“No adverts”, Storytime trumpets on the cover – and, no plastic toys! Instead it delivers gorgeous stories, animals and poetry, along with puzzles, games and art. With an emphasis on fairy tales, myths & legends, Storytime is a beautifully illustrated magazine for both boys and girls who love to get lost in a story. Each issue arrives at your house in a special envelope so that children have the added excitement of receiving their own post!
7.
Dot
- Age Range: 5 years and under
- Subscription: from £5.50 per issue, £20 for one year (4 issues)
- Published: Quarterly – (in April, July, September and November)
- Eco Credentials: Printed on REAL (recycled) paper with REAL (vegetable) ink.
This ‘Happy Mag for pre-schoolers’, is the bright, creative and fun little sibling to Anorak magazine (see above). DOT is aimed at pre-schoolers and encompasses all aspects of a small child’s life, from jumping in puddles to learning through play. Each themed issue, encourages boys and girls to be resourceful and find solutions using all the tools they naturally have at their disposal: imagination, creativity and fun.
8.
Lotta
- Age Range: 5-10 year olds
- Subscription: from $10 (AUD) per issue, from $14 (AUD) per issue with international shipping
- Published: Quartley – (4 times a year to coincide with school holidays)
- Eco Credentials: Printed on recycled paper
Lotta is a gorgeously refreshing Australian kids’ magazine, packed with ideas for school holiday fun. Each issue is based around a theme – such as decorating, nature, travel recycling, animals and the sea and art ideas, achievable craft activities (with printable downloads available online), game ideas and other activities. Check out their new DIY Mag where kids can colour, draw, write and collage to create their very own printable magazine, based on the same themes as Lotta.
9.
Kookie
- Age Range: 7-12 year olds
- Subscription: £6.50 per issue, £26 annually (4 issues)
- Published: Quarterly – (in March, June, September and December)
- Eco Credentials: Printed on recycled paper
Kookie (as in smart cookie) is an award-winning, girl-powered print magazine – that boys can (and do) enjoy reading too, published in Australia and the UK. Kookie provides a genuine alternative to other girls magazines, with no beauty, fashion, shopping, gossip or celebrities, instead offering girls, a rounded and optimistic sense of who they are and what they could become. With 56-pages of everything from interviews, original fiction and comics to science, crafts and puzzles – Kookie is like your fun best friend.
Founded by friends Vivien Jones and Nicky Shortridge who have both edited magazines, children’s books and journals for more than 20 years.
10.
The Loop
- Age Range: 8-12 year olds
- Subscription: £4.50 per issue (back issues only)
- Published: Tri-annually
- Eco Credentials: Printed on recycled paper
The Loop is an archived magazine for kids that like to think with up-to-date news features and junior reports on contemporary global and local issues, such as climate change, feminism and bees and make with crafts, drawing and cooking features. The Loop is entertaining, inspires creative and critical thinking and most importantly takes its young readers seriously without talking down to them.
