TIME for Kids - Age 8+ Family Edition

Air pollution is improving in many cities, according to the Breathe Better report. The report was released on March 11 by Breathe Cities. That’s a global effort to “help cities clean the air and protect public health,” its website says. The report identifies 19 cities in Asia, Europe, and North America that have reduced air pollution. It focuses on two types of pollution: fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide. Each city has reduced its levels of both types of air pollution by at least 20% since 2010. The cities have accomplished this in different ways. Beijing, China, established an air quality monitoring network. Paris, France, focused on improving bike lanes. These promote a “greener, more pedestrian-friendly environment,” the report says. And in San Francisco, California, a newly created air pollution…

From 2015 to 2025, Planet Earth saw its 11 warmest years on record. That’s according to the annual State of the Global Climate report. The report was published by the United Nations World Meteorological Organization on March 23, also known as World Meteorological Day. This year’s theme for the day was Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow. António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, released a video statement with the report. He strongly encouraged a global transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. After sharing his alarm about the report’s findings, Guterres said, “The way ahead must be grounded in science, common sense, and the courage to act.” COVER: HISTORICAL ROYAL PALACES NEWS STORIES MAY INCLUDE REPORTING FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. TIME STORIES HAVE BEEN ADAPTED BY TFK EDITORS.…

In March, gorilla twins were born in Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. That makes nine mountain gorillas, including two sets of twins, born in Virunga this year. The park is taking part in a species conservation effort. Twin births are rare in mountain gorillas. Jacques Katutu, head of gorilla monitoring at Virunga, says that the twins’ birth is “a strong indicator of the overall health of the groups we monitor.”…

Most buses rely on diesel fuel, which pollutes the air. Some cities are turning to electric buses. Madison, Wisconsin, introduced a fleet of them in 2024. The city will save “roughly a quarter-million gallons of diesel fuel per year,” its website says. But there’s an issue: Madison winters are cold, and cold drains batteries. Madison kept the buses running this winter by improving the batteries and installing speedy overhead chargers, Grist reported in February.…

Every year since 2000, our editors have selected a team of students to report for TIME for Kids. Nothing brings us more joy than seeing former TFK Kid Reporters pursue their goals. Before Camryn Garrett, from New York, joined our crew in 2013, she felt shy. “It was hard for me to talk to strangers or to classmates and teachers about my writing goals,” Garrett says. “Becoming a TFK Kid Reporter didn’t turn me into an extrovert overnight, but I became so much more confident.” Now Garrett writes for different media outlets and has published several novels. Her favorite TFK assignment? “I really loved going to a press junket for Frozen,” she says. “I got to see an advance screening of the movie, then go to press roundtables with other…

From city parks to rural farmland, outdoor spaces define communities. They’re places to work, to unwind, to connect with neighbors. And they’re in trouble. Issues such as heat, drought, and flooding threaten many of these spaces. That’s why World Monuments Fund (WMF) is trying to protect them. WMF is a group dedicated to cultural heritage sites. These are important sites that reflect the historic culture of a place. The group recently started a program called Cultivating Resilience. It focuses on preserving what WMF calls “green heritage spaces.” These outdoor spaces include farmland, parks, and sacred sites. They’re located all over the world. “Climate change is one of the most urgent threats facing cultural heritage today,” the group says on its website. “As climate-related threats intensify, green heritage spaces face mounting…