We seem to be in the high season of kid birthday parties. I’m talking back-to-back double party weekends coming up. I’ve buzzed through my usual go-to list of gifts and I’m thinking of trying something new. A family member gave both of my children magazine subscriptions for their birthdays last year: Ranger Rick (ages 7-14) for my daughter and Big Backyard (ages 4-7) for my son. Both are published by the National Wildlife Federation, which also publishes Animal Baby for younger kids. Every month my kids are excited and a little surprised when new issues arrive and they spend a lot of time looking at them.   The magazines are a good mix of fun and education and there are no advertisements, which is refreshing (tip–Ranger Rick is probably a better fit for kids 6 and up and Big Backyard for kids 3 to 5). For $15 to $20 for a year subscription, which is less or comparable to what I usually spend on birthday toys or art supplies, I’m thinking it’s a good option to add to the gift list.