My obsession with magazines began around age 7 or so, when I got my first issue of Highlights in the mail. Fast-forward almost three decades later, and I was thrilled when my own child was old enough for a subscription to Highlights High Five magazine, a junior version of Highlights for Children aimed at preschoolers ages 2 to 6. I subscribed to it when my little guy was barely 2, and for him, it was a bit too early. He wasn’t ready to sit still long enough and our magazine review sessions were more frustrating than fun. But now he’s 3, and loves finding each new issue in the mailbox.

According to its publisher, Highlights High Five was “created to help you encourage your young child’s development–and have fun together at the same time.” Each issue is 40 pages of advertisement-free content with a mix of read-aloud stories, puzzles and activities geared toward preschoolers.

Here’s a quick look at some of our favorite features in every issue:

• I remember how much I loved finding objects in the “Hidden Picture” section, which hasn’t changed much since my childhood. My toddler loves it too, and really enjoys marking his finds with a flourish.

• We also
  like the “Action Rhymes,” which are a few easy rhyming verses that
  include body motions. (For example: You say “big yellow moon shines so
  bright, glides across the sky at night” while you make a big round
  circle with your arms over your head.) Since little ones are always on the move, the Action Rhymes offer a chance to get up and wiggle around while learning something at the same time.

• You can’t learn a foreign language too early, and the “Read-Aloud” story in English and Spanish is a perfect introduction for toddlers. As a mom who isn’t fluent in Spanish, I’m thankful for the simple phonetic pronunciation guides that accompany the Spanish sections of the story.
• A subtle aspect of the magazine I also appreciate is the diversity that’s included throughout. The illustrated and photographed children and parents on each page don’t all look alike–a great thing for parents who want to teach their kids that the world is full of different people!