The magazine was started by George J. Hecht in 1926. The magazine was originally titled "Children, The Magazine for Parents". Hecht hired Clara Savage Littledale to be its first editor. The first issue was published in October 1926 and soon was selling 100,000 copies a month. Beginning with the August 1929 issue, the name was changed to "Parents' Magazine" (with an apostrophe). Littledale was followed as editor by Mary Buchanan. In 1937, the magazine was granted trademark registration for the mark "Parents' Magazine".