Bobo is a Dutch children's magazine and cross-media educational brand centered on a nine-year-old blue anthropomorphic rabbit.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Bobo is a children's publishing and entertainment brand originating in the Netherlands. Its central character is Bobo, a nine-year-old blue anthropomorphic rabbit who appears in comics, stories, educational features and related media. The Dutch magazine began in 1968 and was initially connected with the English-language Bobo Bunny magazine, which was published from 1969 to 1973. The Dutch title is issued monthly by Blink Publishers. The magazine is designed primarily for children aged four and five. Each issue focuses on a particular subject and combines playful storytelling with educational material. Its principal distribution channel has been the first two years of primary school, making the brand part of both children's reading and early-years learning environments. Rather than positioning itself only as a general-interest comic, Bobo uses stories, activities and factual content to introduce young readers to subjects in an accessible way. From 2010 onward, Bobo developed beyond the printed magazine into a broader cross-media property. The expanded offering includes mobile applications, an educational television series produced by Studio 100 that began in 2011, an online training program for use on digital schoolboards and smartboards, and merchandise. This development extended the character from classroom and home reading into audiovisual entertainment, interactive learning and licensed consumer products. Bobo also exists as a distinct Indonesian magazine franchise. The Indonesian edition was first published on 14 April 1973 by Kompas Gramedia Group and is aimed at children aged six to twelve, unlike the younger target audience of the Dutch edition. It uses the Indonesian tagline “teman bermain dan belajar,” meaning “friends to play and study,” and became one of the country’s best-known children's magazines. Its editorial format includes comics, short stories, reader participation, advice, quizzes, creative activities, national and international features, and introductory science, mathematics and history content. The Indonesian edition has developed its own editorial identity while retaining the Bobo name and character. Its recurring sections have included Cergam picture stories, Chosen Stories, reader-influenced Facebook story projects, the Dear Nirmala advice column, fan-art and poetry pages, creative suggestions, geography features, the Ensiklo Bobo information section and the Sayembara Bobo quiz. The Indonesian operation has also used live and event-based extensions, including Bobo Fair, Operet Bobo and the Konferensi Anak children's conference. Bobo Junior, an Indonesian translation of the Dutch younger-reader format, was published by Kompas Gramedia Group until 2022. The Indonesian brand has undergone several format and digital changes. The magazine was comprehensively renewed in 2010, followed by the launch of Bobo Online in 2012. Bobo Online was closed in 2016 and replaced by Kidnesia.com, which itself closed on 14 April 2017. A successor website was introduced in connection with the Indonesian edition’s 44th anniversary. The Indonesian magazine continued its social-media activity and marked its 50th anniversary in 2023. Bobo therefore operates as a localized children's media brand rather than a single uniform global publication. The Dutch edition emphasizes preschool learning and school distribution, while the Indonesian edition serves older primary-school children through a larger magazine ecosystem combining print, reader participation, educational content, events and digital channels.
History
Bobo began in the Netherlands in 1968 as a monthly children's magazine built around a blue anthropomorphic rabbit. The character and title were associated with the English-language Bobo Bunny magazine published from 1969 to 1973, while the Dutch edition established its own continuing identity. Published by Blink Publishers, the Dutch magazine was created for early-years readers, particularly children aged four and five, and was distributed substantially through the first two years of primary school. The editorial concept combines entertainment and education. Issues are organized around an individual subject and present that subject through comics, stories, activities and age-appropriate factual material. This structure gives Bobo a dual role: it is a reading product for children and a classroom-adjacent learning resource for teachers and families. The brand’s educational purpose is expressed through playful presentation rather than formal textbook instruction. A major development occurred from 2010, when Bobo was expanded into a cross-media brand. The extension included applications, an online training program intended for digital schoolboards and smartboards, merchandise and an educational television series produced by Studio 100 from 2011. These additions placed the character in digital learning, television and licensed-product contexts while preserving the magazine as the core identity. The brand’s most significant international development is its Indonesian franchise. The Indonesian edition began publication on 14 April 1973 under Kompas Gramedia Group. It differs materially from the Dutch edition in audience and editorial scope: it targets children aged six to twelve and uses the tagline “teman bermain dan belajar.” The Indonesian title became highly popular and developed recurring sections tailored to local readers, including speech-free picture comics, short stories, reader-generated story ideas, advice, fan contributions, creative activities, national and international knowledge pages, encyclopedia-style learning and quizzes. The Indonesian operation also created a substantial event and community program. Bobo Fair offered activities for readers in Jakarta and Surabaya. Operet Bobo was staged annually until it was discontinued and incorporated into Bobo Fair. From 2001 through 2016, the magazine organized Konferensi Anak, a children’s conference attended by participants aged nine to twelve. These programs extended the publication into live experiences and reinforced its educational and participatory positioning. Digital development in Indonesia followed several stages. The magazine received a comprehensive renewal in 2010 and launched Bobo Online in 2012. That website closed in 2016 and was replaced by Kidnesia.com, which closed on 14 April 2017. A successor website was launched in connection with the Indonesian edition’s 44th anniversary. The Indonesian brand also maintained an Instagram presence and marked its 50th anniversary in 2023. Kompas Gramedia Group additionally published Bobo Junior, an Indonesian translation of the Dutch younger-reader edition, until 2022. Bobo’s history is consequently characterized by localization and format expansion. The Dutch publication remains oriented toward preschool children and early primary education, whereas the Indonesian edition addresses a broader and older primary-school audience with locally developed editorial departments, events and digital activity. Across both markets, the brand’s consistent proposition is learning through stories, play and an identifiable recurring character.
- 2023
Indonesian edition celebrates 50 years
[1]The Indonesian Bobo magazine marks its 50th anniversary.
- 2022
Bobo Junior publication ends in Indonesia
[1]Kompas Gramedia Group publishes the Indonesian Bobo Junior translation through 2022.
- 2017
Kidnesia.com closes
[1]Kidnesia.com closes on 14 April, followed by the introduction of a successor Bobo website.
- 2016
Bobo Online closes
[1]Bobo Online is replaced by Kidnesia.com; Operet Bobo also ends as a separate annual event and is joined with Bobo Fair.
- 2012
Bobo Online launches in Indonesia
[1]The Indonesian edition launches its official online magazine website.
- 2011
Studio 100 television series begins
[1]An educational Bobo television series produced by Studio 100 starts.
- 2010
Brand renewal and cross-media expansion
[1]The Indonesian magazine is comprehensively renewed, while the broader Bobo brand develops apps, digital classroom tools, television and merchandise.
- 2001
Konferensi Anak begins
[1]The Indonesian magazine begins its children's conference, which continues through 2016.
- 1990
Indonesian shirt lettering returns to lowercase
[1]The Indonesian edition changes the shirt letter back to lowercase in the early 1990s.
- 1980
Indonesian character design is differentiated
[1]The lowercase letter on Bobo's shirt is changed to an uppercase B in the Indonesian edition to distinguish it from the Dutch counterpart.
Products and positioning
A playful educational children's media brand that combines stories, comics, factual learning and character-led entertainment, with different age positioning in the Dutch and Indonesian markets.
Children's magazine · 1968
Bobo magazine (Netherlands)
A monthly Dutch magazine for approximately four- and five-year-old children. Each issue centers on a subject and uses comics, stories and playful educational material. It is distributed partly through the first two years of primary school and is published by Blink Publishers.
Children's magazine · 1973
Bobo magazine (Indonesia)
The Indonesian franchise targets children aged six to twelve and combines comics, short fiction, reader participation, advice, creative activities, geography, science, mathematics, history and quizzes. It is published by Kompas Gramedia Group and uses the tagline “teman bermain dan belajar.”
Children's magazine
Bobo Junior
An Indonesian translation of the Dutch younger-reader Bobo format, published by Kompas Gramedia Group for younger children. Publication continued until 2022.
Educational television · 2011
Bobo television series
An educational television adaptation produced by Studio 100, extending the Bobo character and learning proposition into audiovisual entertainment.
Digital education · 2010
Bobo digital learning program
An online training program designed for classroom use on digital schoolboards and smartboards, supporting the brand’s educational role beyond print.
Licensed merchandise · 2010
Bobo merchandise
A merchandise line based on the Bobo character and brand identity, introduced as part of the cross-media expansion.
Marketing campaigns
- 2001Konferensi Anak
Indonesia
A children's conference for participants aged nine to twelve, organized by the Indonesian magazine from 2001 through 2016.
Outcome. The conference program ended after 2016.
- Bobo Fair
Indonesia
A reader-oriented event held in Jakarta and Surabaya, offering activities connected with the Indonesian Bobo magazine.
Outcome. It became the continuing event framework into which Operet Bobo was incorporated after the operetta was discontinued as a separate annual program.
- Operet Bobo
Indonesia
A recurring live operetta associated with the Indonesian Bobo brand.
Outcome. The separate annual event was discontinued and combined with Bobo Fair.
Brand decisions
2016
Indonesian digital platform is replacedStrategyBackground
The Indonesian edition revised its online publishing structure.
Action taken
Bobo Online was closed and replaced by Kidnesia.com.
Aftermath
Kidnesia.com later closed in 2017 and was followed by a successor Bobo website.
2016
Operet Bobo is consolidated into Bobo FairStrategyBackground
The Indonesian brand reorganized its live-event activities.
Action taken
Operet Bobo was discontinued as a separate annual event and joined with Bobo Fair.
2010
Bobo adopts a cross-media strategyStrategyBackground
The brand sought to extend its children's magazine identity into digital learning, television and consumer products.
Action taken
Bobo developed apps, an online classroom training program, a television series and merchandise.
Aftermath
The move established Bobo as a broader children's media and educational brand rather than only a printed magazine.
2010
Indonesian magazine receives a comprehensive renewalOtherBackground
The Indonesian edition updated its magazine format after decades of publication.
Action taken
The magazine was completely renewed.
Sources1 sources
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