Remember when you were a kid, and there was mail for you! It was so fun and it made you happy! Much different from the junk mail and bills we receive as an adult. It gets less fun as we grow up. 😉 I wanted to share a birthday gift idea our family has been doing for years now.

Send a magazine subscription to your friends for their birthday!

Most kids have plenty of toys, and really don’t need more. You don’t always know what toys friends do or don’t have. I remember being embarrassed more than once when my kids were given a gift and they would say, “Oh, I already have that.” Most parents get tired of picking up, and making their kids pick up toys.

Most kids magazines will come 10-12 times a year. Most of the kids magazines I have come across range from $15 – $20 per year. There are plenty to choose from: Nat Geo Kids, Ranger Rick, Ladybug, and Zoobooks, just to name a few. There are different magazine options for different ages too. Zoobooks has a 3 different magazines, 0-2 yrs, 2-6 yrs, and 6-12 yrs. National Wildlife Federation sponsors Ranger Rick (7-14 yrs), Our Big Backyard (4-7 yrs) and Animal Baby (2-4 yrs). Animal Baby is perfect for the preschool age group. Drew Elizabeth still has many of her Animal Baby magazines, and now that she is learning to read, loves going back to them because they are easy enough for a beginning reader!

 Just order the subscription online, and get a birthday card or make a birthday card to take to the party and write that the magazine subscription is on its way! Many subscriptions will take approximately 4 weeks to arrive. Some kids aren’t too excited when they get the card, but once the first magazine arrives, the excitement of receiving a gift reappears!

I remember one friend telling me that her daughter would get excited and say, “My magazine from Josh is here!” Another friend told me that her son loved Animal Baby, and would talk about Drew giving it to him every time it came in the mail.  A few friends have even asked for a renewal subscription as a gift the next year for their birthday.

So, as you celebrate with friends along this journey, remember that magazines are a fun and educational gift idea that continues to give all year long! I hope this idea is helpful as you continue along your parenting journey! 😉