News Sources for Kids

Kids can stay informed and understand the world with these helpful resources.

With so much happening in the world, it can be overwhelming for families to stay up to date on the news and even harder for young children to understand the scary-sounding headlines.

Luckily, there are places for kids of all ages to stay informed at their own level. From podcasts to apps and websites, here are youth-focused media sources to check out.

NewsForKids.net

  • Best for ages: 8 and up
  • Cost: Free

If you’ve ever found your child peering over your shoulder while you read the paper, check out NewsForKids.net. The website showcases current events summarized for elementary schoolers in the style of a traditional newspaper every Monday through Friday.

In addition to breaking headlines, there are also special sections for the arts, technology and the environment, including a large amount of articles devoted to climate change.

CNN 10

  • Best for ages: 13 and up
  • Cost: Free

If your teen is more of a visual learner than a newspaper reader, CNN 10 is ideal for them. The daily 10-minute video series gives a quick snapshot of the headlines (as well as human interest stories and news from around the world) in an easy to digest format.

Videos are available on both CNN’s website and their YouTube channel.

National Geographic Kids

  • Best for ages: 6 and up
  • Cost: Website is free, magazine subscription is $20 for year

National Geographic is a longtime trusted source for learning about the world around us. The magazine’s publication for kids explores topics ranging from plants, history, animals and space.

On their website, kids can watch educational videos, read weird facts and take fun quizzes, like “What time period should you live in?” or “What musical instrument are you most similar to?”.

News-O-Matic

  • Best for ages: 6-14
  • Cost: Subscriptions start at $1.99 a month, first month is free

Whether you’re homeschooling or wanting to supplement your child’s education with current events, News-O-Matic is a great educational resource. Each day, the site and its app (which can be accessed via computer, tablet or mobile device) feature five articles that cover topics including history, sports, science, social studies and more.

They offer three different reading levels and multiple languages, making the site super accessible, and each article is reviewed by a staff child psychologist to ensure age-appropriate content.

KidNuz

  • Best for ages: All ages
  • Cost: Free

KidNuz is perfect for little ones with short attention spans. Founded by four veteran journalists and parents, the daily podcast is five minutes of the day’s top headlines explained in a non-biased and kid-friendly way.

And since the show is geared towards children of all ages, parents can rest easy knowing that subjects stay on the lighter side.

NPR’s Wow in the World

  • Best for ages: 5-12
  • Cost: Free on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Have a science-obsessed kid in your house? They’ll love this NPR podcast, which covers STEM news in a fun and engaging manner. From lighter subjects (like a debate about which animal is the strongest on the planet) to timely conversations (the science behind wearing face masks), the show will keep your kids both entertained and informed.

The Learning Network

  • Best for ages: 12 and up
  • Cost: Free

Here you’ll find stories from The New York Times broken down for teens and tweens. Although the site is geared towards kids, just like its parent newspaper, The Learning Network doesn’t shy away from covering heavy topics, like the Black Lives Matter movement, the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit.

The Ten News

  • Best for ages: 8-12
  • Cost: Free on their website, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

Curious kiddos will feel right at home listening to The Ten News, a 10-minute, twice-weekly podcast. Every Tuesday and Thursday, the show discusses events in the world of news, entertainment, gaming, science and more. Recent episodes have covered a town hall with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Georgia runoff elections and the top ten video games of the year. Each podcast also features a story about a kid activist.

Time for Kids

  • Best for ages: 5-12
  • Cost: Free on their website. Magazine subscriptions vary based on the number of issues purchased.

Time for Kids breaks down the quality reporting of TIME magazine into age-appropriate articles for kids. Young readers can filter articles by reading level and browse stories in nearly 30 subjects, ranging from earth science and nutrition to transportation, government and world news.

PBS NewsHour Classroom

  • Best for ages: 12-18
  • Cost: Free on their website.

This source for tweens and teens takes the reporting for PBS NewsHour and turns it into daily lesson plans that are informative and accessible for young adults. Each lesson plan includes a short video, a topic summary important facts and focus questions that can be used in a classroom setting or for individual learning and research.


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