Your Big Backyard
Nature in Your Mailbox

My own daughter's first magazine

My child was given a subscription to Your Big Backyard by a thinking relative. This one has a soft spot in my heart. Kids love animals. Big Backyard features all sorts of cute animals. (Clicking "Buy" will take you to our discount magazine partner, bluedolphin.com)

We parents hope to lead our children down a path toward a lifetime of regular reading. Nothing does that better than a subscription, something that shows up in the mailbox on a regular basis, a gift that gives again each month.

With Your Big Backyard, your child is working towards a lifetime reading habit before (s)he even learns to read!

I love that!

Your Big Backyard features great pictures and plenty of learning to read help. Each issue features a miniature book to cut out and staple. It features Bonnie and Chester, two characters in a little story that replaces some of the words with pictures.

You read the story, pausing for your child to call out the word symbolized by each picture. This is great reading practice, because unlike with a picture book, your child focuses on the text, rather than the big illustrations.

Brought to you by the National Wildlife Federation

This non-profit provides your child a magazine without ads, which I also love. I've been surprised at how many children's magazines feature an overwhelming amount of advertising.

Intended for pre-readers (and thus necessitating parental involvement!), Big Backyard is intended as the starter magazine for children who will later move on to Ranger Rick. (Though Kids Discover and National Geographic Kids are options as well.)

Your Big Backyard is a great way to convey the message to your child that reading is an every day thing.

Check out other children's magazines.

Best Children's Books home page.