A beautifully written and illustrated children’s science and activity book. As an adult, I loved the informations, fun facts, activities and recipes. Also the content seems very suitable for children. I’m having my nieces read it.

This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

My daughter has really enjoyed reading this with me (7 year old) and my son has been listening along as well (3 year old)! It's the sort of book that is hard to read in one go, but I could see this being good for buddy reading throughout the year. We learned about new holidays, facts about all manner of different things, and have new avenues of research to now explore!

Thank you to NetGalley and Collins for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
The 2026 Children's Almanac is a culmination of many fun facts and activities all centered around the holidays that happen in 2026. Yes, that also includes things like International Talk Like A Pirate Day!
The little tidbits were fascinating and informative, with beautiful pictures to go along with it. While this is geared toward the Northern Hemisphere, those (like me) in the Southern Hemisphere can also gain useful information,
I found the additions of what to harvest or look out for, and the dates of certain moon phases to be particularly helpful.
My only criticism was the positioning of some of the pages. October in particular had many of its pages out of order from the calendar, which was confusing for me.
The Children's Almanac is a great resource for any child and parent to have, and I will be consistently looking out for more of them as the years go by.

This would be a great Christmas gift for a primary aged child. It includes lots of short sections about different events/days from around the world, and gives related activities for most of them. My son would really enjoy working through this over the year.

The Collin's Kids 2026 Children's Almanac is an absolutely fabulous book, bursting with information, activities, recipes and crafts. The Almanac is beautifully laid out and very easy to read, with just the right amount of illustrations versus text making it suitable for all ages.
Each month starts with a calendar highlighting key events and a sidebar with nature notes. I loved the information and facts provided monthly - which range from understanding moon phases to how to talk like a pirate!
Monthly activities and recipes are season appropriate and always include caveats about safety and the importance of having an adult present. My personal favourites are the recipe for shortbread and the visual guide to curious creatures in rock pools!
This Almanac will make a wonderful gift for any child of primary school age, and I'm positive that adults will learn something new as well - I definitely did!

Thank you to Netgalley and Collins Reference for the review copy - it's so good I have already pre-ordered a physical copy.

The Collins Kids 2026 Children's Almanac is an excellent tool for inquisitive young minds. As a monthly companion, it's filled with interactive and informative material to make children entertained all year round. With a special emphasis on an array of topics from nature and astronomy to sports, science, and world cultures, it's sure to be of interest to diverse interests.

The almanac is a goldmine of facts and activities, with monthly calendars of holidays and special days, what to look for in the night sky, and what to plant throughout the seasons. There are thrilling stories on the environment, information on forthcoming sporting events, and interesting facts about new technology and innovations. With two-thirds new material for 2026, it provides new content for children who have delighted in earlier editions. The book contains interactive elements in the form of crafts, puzzles, and recipes, making learning a hands-on experience. All in all, this almanac is a brilliant gift to children, encouraging a love for discovery and the profundity of an entire year of fun and fascinating knowledge.

I really love this and can’t wait to buy copies for my children. It’s beautifully illustrated, accessible and full of activities. It would be nice if there were more moments for pause and reflection or to record own thoughts about the passing seasons but it’s still really lovely. Thanks for the ARC - I’d definitely recommend.

I really enjoyed the 2026 Children’s Almanac as it is such a great book for kids who are curious about the world around them. The layout is bright and eye-catching, and there’s a really nice balance between pictures and text. It’s simple to follow but full of interesting info.

I like that it is set out month by month with each section starting with a mini calendar that highlights key dates and events. I loved that each month includes seasonal stuff like nature facts, fun activities, recipes, info about festivals, birds to spot, and ideas for things to do with kids. It makes it really easy to dip in and out throughout the year and always find something relevant.

What I really appreciated is how much it encourages kids to get involved and learn by doing - whether it’s in the garden, on a walk or in the kitchen. I will definitely be picking up copies for my daughters. They are both really into nature and gardening and this is exactly the kind of book that keeps them engaged and learning all year round.

Highly recommend!

Firstly thank you to Netgalley and Collins Kids for this ARC.

I love an almanac, and I especially love buying ones for my children,this book looks at the year of 2026 and gives important dates and information each month. I think my favourite date is February 1st - Yorkshire Pudding Day. There are a variety of recipes and crafts that children can do and lots of facts, such as it was 10 years ago that Tim Peak was the first official British astronaut to do a space walk in January! A perfect Christmas present for any young person in your life!

Really loved the concept of the book, I can see it in both schools and homes. Front cover is eye catching and the book itself is laid out by calendar month with several informative facts about events/ things that are associated with that month as well as some related activities. Loved the idea of the activities and was impressed with the wide range suggested. Everything from rockpooling, making smores to crafting octopus, watching the moon phases and trying different religious festival foods. A fun yet informative book that can be referred back to throughout the year in bite sized chunks.

We are really enjoying the 2025 children’s almanac and was interested to see how next years differed. It’s lovely to see that the book follows a similar format but with a variety of different topics and activities to have a go at throughout the year. Would make a lovely Christmas gift to start the new year.

I thought this was a really wonderful book that will make a lovely gift or purchase for many kids and families leading up to the holiday season and the new year!

The design style and layout is really lovely. I loved the monthly calendars and the highlighting of important days, holidays and celebrations. I especially liked the decision to include more ‘lighthearted’ and unusual holidays…… did you know that 27th June is international pineapple day?? Also as someone who has worked in museums I loved to see international museum day highlighted!!

I liked to read about how festivals are celebrated in different countries, for example I loved learning that the ‘Easter Cuckoo’ brings eggs on Easter in Switzerland!

I feel like there’s so much variety in here for kids and families with lots of different interests and hobbies- science, nature, sports, crafts etc. The suggested activities and crafts are fun and to me for the most part seemed engaging and challenging enough without being over the top or offputtingly hard. Lots of fun adventures for kids with all different skills and interests to enjoy!!

Overall would definitely recommend. If my niblings were a little older I’d be planning to gift them this for Christmas.

Thank you very much to Collins and NetGalley for the arc!

Another great almanac which has great activities such as winter puzzles and recipes for making fudge and information about special days and celebrations, scientists and other important figures, phenomena like the blue moon all coupled with amazing illustrations and pictures.

Honestly this is an absolutely lovely little book.

It is presented beautifully. It is colourful but retains a softer, more pastel design. It isn't abrasive or too in your face. There is an abundance of illustrations throughout that make your eyes dart all over the page.

There is plenty on interesting information throughout, there are activities, recipes, games, as well as the copious information and opportunities to learn.

This is the exact kind of book I would have adored as a child and I would absolutely buy this product for my niece if she was closer to the appropriate age range for it. It does everything it promises and it hits every mark you could ask for.