First News facts for kids

First News is a popular UK newspaper made just for young readers. It comes out every Friday in a bright, full-colour tabloid style. The newspaper explains current events and politics in a way that is easy for kids to understand. It also shares exciting news about entertainment, sports, and computer games.

First News is for children aged seven to fourteen. It often includes stories and artwork sent in by its readers. In 2017, about 79,362 copies were sold each week.

First News was started by Sarah and Steve Thomson. It was launched in May 2006 by editor Nicky Cox MBE. Piers Morgan also helped as an editorial director. The launch happened at 11 Downing Street in London, which is a very important building. The first newspapers cost £1, and 5% of that money went to help children's charities.

The company that publishes First News changed its name in 2018 to First Group Enterprises. After this, they launched new products. These included First Wonder Box, a fun subscription box for younger kids. They also created First Careers, a website to help young people think about future jobs.

Learning with First News

First News is often used in schools to help kids learn. In 2015, the National Literacy Trust studied how using a children's newspaper helped students. They found that children's reading skills improved a lot over eight weeks. Students also started reading more different types of books, especially non-fiction.

In 2016, First News launched a special online learning platform. It is called the 'First News iHub'. This platform uses content from the weekly newspaper. In 2017, the 'First News iHub' won a BETT Award for Primary Digital Content. This award celebrates the best digital learning tools.

• First News iHub