Guest Author - Jan Zeiger

I can still remember getting magazines in the mail when I was a little girl. I think I liked going to the mailbox and finding something with my name on it just as much as I liked the stories! Last year, I set out to purchase a magazine subscription for my son and was overwhelmed by the choices. Wading through all the magazines written for children was difficult, so I narrowed the list by considering only ad-free magazines. (I didn’t want my four year old to be inundated with ads on television, and I felt the same way about print materials.) Since David enjoys animals, I thought that a magazine with a focus on wildlife would be a good choice for him. With a few clicks of the mouse, I found Your Big Backyard which is published by the National Wildlife Federation and was immediately impressed.

Your Big Backyard definitely meets my expectations as a parent and as an educator. This kid-friendly magazine features eye-catching images of animals and large text that's easy to follow. The brief articles and poetry in the magazine help children develop their reading skills along with a better understanding of wildlife. Readers will also find interactive pages such as the weekly maze and a “Little Book” which can be cut out and assembled with help.

Readers of Your Big Backyard have the opportunity to improve their thinking skills as well as their understanding of the animal world. For example, the “Ever Wonder” section of this month’s issue challenges children to think about why turkeys gobble and then goes on to explain that only male turkeys gobble when looking for a mate. Another page of the current issue shows a ring-tailed, furry animal climbing into a hole. The reader, who can only see the tail and the hind legs, is encouraged to make a guess about what animal they’re seeing based on the clues provided. Pages like these lend themselves to meaningful discussion and encourage children to use higher-order thinking to solve problems and answer questions.

Your Big Backyard was recently recognized as the best educational publication by the Association of Educational Publishers, and I can certainly understand why. My son looks forward to getting his magazine each month, and I feel great about him reading it because of the excellent content. I also look forward to the “Family Fun Guide” at the end of every issue that includes book and website recommendations as well as craft ideas and activities. If you’re looking for a nature-inspired children’s magazine that is educational, free of ads, and fun to read, I highly recommend Your Big Backyard.