Your Big Backyard

Magazines are just as useful for promoting literacy as books. In some ways they are even more exciting; a new issue each month has my nephews scrambling to puzzle out the words, and have the stories read to them. After a few short weeks, the glossy magazine is tattered and dogeared, but still holds their interest.

If I had to pick just one magazine for young children, this would be it. Great magazine!!!


BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS But Not As Much Content As NATURE FRIEND   June 2, 2004
Colorgirl (NE US)
139 out of 173 found this review helpful

We first got this magazine a year ago and enjoyed it very much. Our five year old would have our teenage son read it to her, and she loved the photos.

We became disappointed when they started to make some of the first features we loved available only on the internet, leaving them out of the magazine. That was annoying. I do not allow my children to use the internet most of the time as it diminshes their love for books.

When our son kept wishing that another nature magazine was still around that he had received as a young child, NATURE FRIEND, I started to search and see what happened to it.

After much digging and searching, I finally found it through here at AMAZON.COM and my son was literally thrilled. He is almost 20.

We got our first issue and after having to choose between the two magazines (we can only afford one right now), the kids chose not to renew BIG BACKYARD again and keep the NATURE FRIEND.

BIG BACKYARD is a beautifully done magazine with nice simple features. If they had not taken out some of the more interactive things and put them on internet only, we might have kept subscribing. Our entire family enjoys NATURE FRIEND so much more because of the issues being packed with things to DO and not just read and learn about. It involves everyone in the family- something that is not easily done these days.

It seems that once BIG BACKYARD came in the mail, it was read once or twice and then sat on a table or shelf. NATURE FRIEND seems to be picked up by someone in the family constantly for reading or doing something featured inside.


disappointing   November 29, 2002
72 out of 80 found this review helpful

We subscribed to this magazine for a year, but I decided one year was enough. Although the photographs were excellent and some of the articles were interesting, they tended to be very short and superficial, even for young children. I did not like the two page "game" from Playhouse Disney which was really a two page advertisement for a television show. I also did not like the stories and the Bonnie and Chester adventures because the animals did not behave like animals, living in houses like people, wearing clothing, and eating cake. I was looking for a magazine that would encourage children to observe nature in their own backyards and help them understand the natural world.


My children's favorite magazine.   January 9, 2003
66 out of 66 found this review helpful

I can't think of a better magazine for small children. My children, ages ranging from two to six, go crazy when the magazine arrives each month. Inside are fascinating facts and beautiful photos of the featured animals, a worksheet with instructions on how to draw a particular animal, stories at various reading levels, games, puzzles, mazes, crafts, recipes, a centerfold poster (of the featured animal this month), and galleries of animal-drawings and photographs submitted by readers. As a parent I feel good that my kids are learning about animals and conservation of animal habitats, and that we are supporting the National Wildlife Federation with this magazine subscription.


Best Magazine for Preschoolers/1st Grade   April 11, 2002
56 out of 57 found this review helpful

My daughter has been receiving this magazine for two years. It is the best child's magazine I have seen for Preschoolers. It has a variety of activities including art, outdoor/indoor, animal-related, mind stimulating (puzzles, etc.), and stories. We read this magazine together when she rides the train with me to work. I keep several in my bag because they are each so full of facts about animals -- both domesticated and wildlife, their habitat, and our world in general. We both learn the answers to common questions about featured animals from kids 3-7. It contains high quality, well written articles for children, excellent photographs, and colorful graphics. I highly recommend it.