Kids' magazines often have some of the best websites for kids. They can serve to reinforce the content of the magazine, but they also stand up well on their own. These are some of the best magazine websites for kids. *Magazine websites typically have outside advertising on them.
The accompanying website for
Highlights for Children is an online gem. There are games, stories and activities that focus on music, art, science, the environment, culture and more. You can decorate a birthday cake, decode a mystery message or do a science experiment. All of your favorite elements from the magazine are there, including "Hidden Pictures" and "Goofus and Gallant", but they're interactive on the website. While
Highlights for Children is geared at early readers, the website has a broader appeal. There are activities that will appeal to younger kids and some that will appeal to those who are much older. Hey... who wouldn't want to design their own treehouse?
National Geographic Kids is a lot of things, but it certainly isn't boring. There are some great articles (my favorite is about raising baby pandas), science experiments, crafts and games. Kids can have their own customized page where they can save their favorite articles. Tip: search on the site for "postcards" and find a wealth of free nature e-cards to send!
This isn't the prettiest site and it isn't designed for kids to navigate. It could use some updating. That said, this is the home of
Wild Animal Baby,
Your Big Backyard and
Ranger Rick and there is some wonderful content available. Poke around these three magazine areas and you'll find adorable coloring pages, finger plays, games, recipes and tips for exploring the great outdoors with kids. The sites cover content for kids 2+.
This is a wonderful website for elementary school girls and tweens. It's the general American Girl website, but it includes content from
American Girl magazine. The site has a positive vibe, espousing American Girl values such as friendship, kindness, and self-esteem. You can learn more about each of the girls and the historic period in which she lived, but there are also some neat games, articles, crafts and quizzes. The free e-cards are nice for female friends of any age.
Time magazine has several educational magazines and a site designed for kids. The topics are similar to those found in the adult version. Expect to learn about geography, politics, the environment and current events. Although the magazines are broken down into three age brackets covering grades K-6, the site is geared towards the older end of that spectrum. The games are mostly trivia based, but they're still pretty fun. There is a companion site for teachers, so this is a nice site for homeschooling families.
