News resources for primary-school children in Singapore: how to choose

What do you want your child to get from the news?

Perhaps you want something they can read on their own. Or you want a story to talk about over dinner. Start there before comparing subscriptions.

We publish The Comic Scoop, so our own comics are included in this guide. We’ve also listed a newspaper, a podcast and library resources to help you compare formats. This is a publisher’s guide, not an independent ranking.

What’s Up: a newspaper to browse

What’s Up is a Singapore newspaper for students. It also has online material for its stories, and its teaching and learning page explains its approach.

Look through a current sample with your child. Can they follow an article? Is there a headline they want to read? A newspaper may suit a child who likes browsing several subjects and is comfortable with longer passages. Check what the subscription includes; online extras may not include the full newspaper.

Squiz Kids: news to listen to

Squiz Kids has a children’s news podcast and related resources. Its Australian focus is worth checking if you’re looking mainly for Singapore news.

Listen to a story together and pause to ask what happened. This gives you something to discuss, though you’ll need a written story as well if you want to practise reading.

The Comic Scoop: news in comic form

Our comics cover Singapore and world news through pictures and dialogue. Open the sample to check the vocabulary and panel layout before subscribing.

Read one story with your child. Can they follow the speech bubbles? Which panel would they show a friend? Enjoying fictional comics doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll enjoy news comics, so let them have a look first.

NLB: follow an interest further

NLB’s children’s reading resources can help you find books your child might enjoy. If a news story about animals catches their attention, a library book can answer some of their questions. Check the date of the news story separately.

Before you subscribe

Try a sample of the formats you’re considering. Notice which one your child wants to continue and where they need help. Then check the practical details: price, frequency, access, cancellation terms and printing options. Start with one you can fit into your week.