Preschooler Magazine

[Luv to Cook]

I need to get a gift for a friend's daughter who is turning 3. We had talked about the magazine Highlights, but I think it would be too old for her. I searched online and found other magazines for preschoolers, but have no idea which one to get. Some of the titles include:
Your Big Backyard
Preschool Playroom
Ladybug
SparkleWorld

Anyone heard of these? Any recommendations?

Thanks!
Anita

[Terri_A]

My DD turned 4 in March and subscribes toChirp and LOVES it! I would highly recommend it for that age group. I've friend whose kids get My Big Backyard and it seems to be a big hit with the preschool set as well!

I have to say that as a parent - I love when someone is buying a gift that isn't a toy!!!

[gertdog]

I give Ladybug and its sister magazines as gifts and they seem to go over very well. I always ask my friends (the parents) if they want me to renew or not and they ask me to continue sending it; I think they'd tell me if their kids didn't really like it. I read Ladybug and Cricket when I was a kid and loved them.

I also like Your Big Backyard, though if I recall correctly this one is more like a collection of nature-related photo essays and activities for kids. The kids I babysat for liked the pictures a lot but I don't remember them being interested in the activities.

I'm not familiar with the others.

[gobluem82]

When my kids were that age, they loved "Your Big Backyard", and we've given it as gifts also.

[Robyncz]

For a child just turning 3, I'd probably go with Wild Animal Baby, the younger sibling of Your Big Backyard. My girls have gotten both and loved them both.

Wild Animal Baby is a more manageable size for young kids,a and it's constructed out of cardstock instead of glossy magazine pages, so it holds up much better.

Here's their website:
http://www.nwf.org/kids/kzPage.cfm?siteId=1

[GingerPow]

My youngest DD LOVED "Ladybug!" No experience with the other magazines, I'm sure they're great. DD would get so excited when her "Ladybug" issue arrived.

[Luv to Cook]

Thanks so much. I think I may even get my DD a subscription to one of these. This may become our new signature present! I didn't even know they existed until I did a search on google.

Anita

[manetta]

My 3-year old gets Ladybug, Ranger Rick and My Big Backyard. I'm training her to be a magazine junkie just like I am. ;) She does get a kick out of getting her own mail and enjoys all of them.

[RunnerKim]

We're doing Wild Animal Baby and waiting expectantly for My Big Backyard to show up. I would disagree (respectfully) with the previous poster and say to go with My Big Backyard for a 3 year old. My daughter is 3.5 years and definitely ready for something more than Wild animal Baby, although she still enjoys looking at her brother's magazine. She can handle looking at a more paper like magazine with more complex information (she loves the zoo newsletter we get).

Kim

[slknight]

I would disagree (respectfully) with the previous poster and say to go with My Big Backyard for a 3 year old. My daughter is 3.5 years and definitely ready for something more than Wild animal Baby, although she still enjoys looking at her brother's magazine.

I agree! I was in the middle of posting something similar earlier and then I got interrupted. We still get Wild Animal Baby (not sure when subscription runs out), but I think that it's a bit young for DS and he just turned 3 this month. I have also found that it falls apart very easily and drives me nuts. We've got loose pages everywhere. I think that Babybug stays together better.

[MISSINDI]

Our 3-1/2 year old gets The Big Backyard, which I love for him, and Nickolodean (sp?), Jr. and Disney Adventures.

[Robyncz]

Hmmm. Maybe three-year olds are not quite as young as I remember.

In any event, they're both good magazines. You can't really go wrong.

[laughsandlaughs]

My 2 year old LOVES Babybug, not really sure which is more appropriate for a 3 year old but we do like this one....they do have them at Barnes and Noble, if you wanted to go look for yourself!

[RunnerKim]

SLKnight - you can switch your subscription to Your Big Backyard at anytime from Wild Animal Baby - at least I'm pretty sure you can (and then later to Ranger Rick, which is I think the next level up) - since they're all done by the NWF you don't have to wait for one to expire.

Lainey's gotten a couple of issues now of Your Big Backyard and she really enjoys it.

Kim