What to give, what to give?

Filed Under Stuff | February 4, 2008

Chirp

When birthday party season rolls round it can be hard to think of a bevy of stimulating, age and gender appropriate gifts. Which is why we love the idea of giving magazine subscriptions. After all, what child isn’t excited to receive their very own mail? An annual subscription really is a gift that keeps on giving, plus they can usually be ordered online, saving a potentially fraught trip to the toy store with tots in tow. And most kids’ magazines now have great accompanying websites packed with games and info, just in case you’re looking for some safe surfing destinations:

Chirp, for kids from three to six gets top billing, because it’s the precursor to Chickadee and Owl, which may take many of us back to our own Canadian childhoods. Chirp is packed with puzzles, crafts, games, rhymes and stories and jokes that are designed to get your child reading and learning: www.owlkids.com/chirp

The National Wildlife Federation in the States publishes Ranger Rick, a nature magazine for kids seven and up. They’ve also added Wild Animal Baby, for the one to four-year-old set, and Your Big Backyard, for kids from three to seven. Their website full of fun and we like their helpful list that lets you know when your child is ready to move on up to the next version of their magazine: www.nwf.org/kids/

Okido, for kids from two to seven, is published in the UK and printed with biodegradable inks on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper. With a focus on stimulating interest in science and art, it’s chock-a-block with things to make, draw and invent, as well as stories and activities. Available by single issue or subscription through Enfant Terrible Shop.

Another UK offering is Anorak, which encourages boys and girls from five to nine to make their own decisions. Published quarterly, their format includes stories, a soupçon of style and fashion, a “good stuff” guide covering kids’ products, as well as culture, science and sport. They also encourage contributions and input from their young readers: www.anorak-magazine.co.uk

These are just a few of our favourites, if there’s nothing here that strikes your fancy you can visit amazon.com and drill down to children’s magazine subscriptions. And if you’ve got any that you love and want to recommend, use the comment functionality at the bottom of each day’s article to add your picks.

 

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