Whys & Finds

Naturally KIDS
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The whys parents and gift-givers ask about little kids, and the finds that actually get used. On Whys & Finds, two hosts, Ellie and Ben, take one question per episode, answer it up front, and are honest about when something else would suit a child better. Both hosts are AI-generated voices. Made by Naturally KIDS.

  1. 18h ago

    Christmas Gift for an Independent Toddler

    What is a good Christmas gift for a toddler who wants to do everything themselves? Pick a gift they can use with no help from you. They open it, put it on, carry it and put it away on their own. Ellie and Ben look at what a toddler's hands can manage. The CDC, the U.S. public health agency, lists on its checklist for 2 years: "Holds something in one hand while using the other hand; for example, holding a container and taking the lid off." On its checklist for 3 years, it lists: "Puts on some clothes by himself, like loose pants or a jacket." So they talk about gifts with big openings, easy zippers and nothing fiddly. The test is simple: watch the first try. If the child can open it, put it on and close it without a grown-up, it is their gift. Ben asks whether a backpack is gear rather than a gift. Ellie explains why packing and carrying can be the game for this child. They also cover Christmas morning: let the child do the unwrapping, and clear the plastic away yourself. Sources: CDC, the U.S. public health agency — Milestones by 2 Years: https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/2-years.htmlCDC, the U.S. public health agency — Milestones by 3 Years: https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/3-years.htmlRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/christmas-gift-for-an-independent-toddlerWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  2. 1d ago

    Gifts for Twins or Siblings So They Don't Fight

    What to get twins or siblings so they don't fight over one gift? Give two different gifts, one for each child, picked from what that child loves right now. Not one gift to share, and not two of the same thing. Ellie and Ben look at a page on HealthyChildren.org, the American Academy of Pediatrics' site for parents, by pediatrician Shelly Vaziri Flais. It is about twins, and it says: "On birthdays and holidays, give each child distinctive presents." It also says: "Everybody, whether born as a twin or not, desires to be treated as an individual." Ben argues for two of the same gift, so nobody feels left out. Ellie keeps her point: "Adult twins often groan when they remember all the times that they received 2 of the same item, maybe in different colors." They also cover what to do when the kids still want the same toy: "a day or two" with a new toy before sharing, and the page's egg timer trick for timed turns. For grandparents, aunts and uncles: ask the parents what each child loves right now. The American Academy of Pediatrics also suggests keeping a child's choices simple, "two or three items." Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org — Raising Twins as Individuals: Helping Each Child Develop Their Own Identity: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Twins-Two-Distinct-Individuals.aspxAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org — Emotional Development in Preschoolers: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/preschool/Pages/Emotional-Development-in-Preschoolers.aspxRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/gifts-for-twins-or-siblingsWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  3. 2d ago

    First Backpack for a Toddler: What Makes a Good One

    What makes a good first backpack for a toddler? A good first backpack fits your toddler today, not next year. It is about the size of their back, the straps go short enough to hold it close, and it sits in the middle of their back, not down low. Ellie and Ben talk about what "too big" looks like when you hold a bag against a toddler's back: it sticks out past their sides, hangs past their waist, or stays loose with the straps at the shortest setting. They use a page on backpacks from Nemours KidsHealth, the parents' site of Nemours, a children's health system. It is written for school-age kids, and the hosts say so. It says: "Tighten the straps enough for the backpack to fit closely to the body. The pack should rest evenly in the middle of the back and not sag down to the buttocks." If the bag still sags with the straps at the shortest setting, it is too big for now. The hosts also suggest a second look after the first week: straps loosen and bags fill up. Ben wants pockets first. Ellie keeps her point: for a toddler, one main space is enough, unless there is a job for a pocket, like a water bottle for daycare. They also explain why the same small backpack comes with pockets and without. Sources: Nemours KidsHealth — Backpack Safety (tips written for school-age kids): https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/backpack.htmlRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/first-backpack-for-a-toddlerWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  4. 3d ago

    Christmas Gift to Mail to a Grandchild Far Away

    What Christmas gift can grandparents mail to a toddler who lives far away? Mail one gift that arrives ready to give and matches what the child is into right now. From far away, start with the child, not with the toy. Mississippi State University Extension, a university service for families, says in its guide on choosing toys: "When choosing toys for your child, it is necessary to consider the child's age." For 2-year-olds, the guide lists picture books, dolls and accessories, dress-up clothes, and large cardboard boxes. Ellie and Ben talk about why a gift bought from a picture can miss, and the three questions to send the parents first: what the child plays with every day, which animal they love right now, and what the family already has too much of. They look at how a small backpack with a removable plush animal arrives in a gift box and turns into a game on a call. Ben's point wins one round: a call with a two-year-old can be short, so pick the gift for the child's everyday, not for the call. Sources: Mississippi State University Extension — Selecting Appropriate Toys for Young Children: https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/selecting-appropriate-toys-for-young-childrenRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/christmas-gift-to-mail-to-a-grandchild-far-awayWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  5. 4d ago

    Why Toddlers Take Their Plush Buddy to Bed

    Why do toddlers take their plush buddy to bed? The buddy is one step of the bedtime routine, and the child picked it. It is the one thing that stays after the grown-up leaves the room. Raising Children Network, an Australian parenting site supported by the Australian Government, describes a routine of activities "that happen in the same order each night," from a bath and brushing teeth to "a cuddle and a kiss goodnight." The American Academy of Pediatrics says you may want to help your child choose a transitional object "and build it into their nighttime ritual." Ellie and Ben also read our Amazon reviews: a niece who throws every other stuffed animal off the bed, and a grandson who sleeps with his dinosaur, then puts it back on his backpack. Ben wants one plush just for bed. Ellie keeps her point: the child picks, and you give the buddy a fixed spot. Sources: Raising Children Network — Bedtime routines: babies, children & teens: https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/sleep/better-sleep-settling/bedtime-routinesAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org — Transitional Objects: Security Blankets & Beyond: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Transitional-Objects.aspxOur Amazon reviewsRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/why-toddlers-take-their-plush-buddy-to-bedWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  6. 5d ago

    What Makes a Gift Memorable for a Toddler?

    What makes a gift memorable for a toddler? A gift is memorable when it fits into something the child already does every day, and when a person they love is part of its story. A toddler who packs and unpacks everything will keep coming back to a gift that lets them do just that. ZERO TO THREE, a U.S. nonprofit that works on early childhood, says: "We all know the feeling of buying a toy a child plays with for two days and never touches again." It also says that "toddlers love to take apart, put back, pull out, put in, add on, and build," and that "the most useful toys are those that require the most action on the part of a young child." Ellie and Ben talk about why shopping from a picture and an age label often misses, and the two questions to ask the parents first: what do they do every day, and what do they love right now. They look at how a small backpack with a removable plush animal works for a toddler who packs everything. Ben's better point: a toddler may not remember who gave what, so give the gift with a person in the story. In ZERO TO THREE's words: "Your presence is the present." Sources: ZERO TO THREE — Tips for Choosing Toys for Toddlers: https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/tips-for-choosing-toys-for-toddlers-toddler-toys/ZERO TO THREE — Best Toys for Babies and Toddlers: https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/best-toys-for-babies-toddlers/Read more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/what-makes-a-gift-memorable-for-a-toddlerWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  7. 6d ago

    Christmas Gift for a Toddler Who Loves Animals

    What is a good Christmas gift for a toddler who loves animals? Start with the one animal this child loves, not animals in general. Then pick something they'll use every day, so that animal goes everywhere with them. Ellie and Ben look at who the child is: their age, their favorite animal, and what they do every day. NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, lists toys by age, but says to "keep in mind that each child develops at an individual pace." Its list for one-year-olds, under things to pretend with, names "stuffed toys" and "plastic animals." About two-year-olds, NAEYC says they "like to do things with small objects." They talk about how to find the favorite animal when it's not your child: watch what the child acts out and ask the parents. Ben's better idea: go by the animal that keeps coming back, not this week's favorite. They also cover why a gift picked only by the age on the box can end up in the closet, and why a plush that comes along every day gets more use than one more in the pile. Sources: NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) — Good Toys for Young Children by Age and Stage: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/play/toysRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/christmas-gift-for-a-toddler-who-loves-animalsWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  8. Nov 6

    How Much Should a 2-Year-Old Carry in a Backpack?

    How much should a 2-year-old carry in a backpack? Look at what goes in it, not only at the bag. Pack it the way they will carry it, put it on them and watch them walk. The American Academy of Pediatrics has a page about school backpacks. It is written for school-age kids, and Ellie and Ben say so. It says: "Backpacks shouldn't weigh more than 15% of your child's body weight." The page gives no number for two-year-olds, so the hosts keep the idea, not the math. The sign is easier to use at home: "If your child needs to lean forward to support the backpack's weight, then it's too heavy." They talk about where the weight comes from: a full water bottle, spare clothes, a book, and things picked up on the way. The same page says: "Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry-and the heavier the backpack will become." They compare two small bags by their size in inches. Ben's better idea: check the bag again at the end of the week, when it is fuller than on day one. Tip it out together and put back only what the child wants to carry. The page has a line for school kids that fits: "Clean the backpack weekly and take out unneeded items." Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org — School Backpack Safety: Proper Fit, Smart Packing & Preventing Back Pain (tips written for school-age kids): https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Backpack-Safety.aspxRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/how-much-should-a-2-year-old-carry-in-a-backpackWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

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About

The whys parents and gift-givers ask about little kids, and the finds that actually get used. On Whys & Finds, two hosts, Ellie and Ben, take one question per episode, answer it up front, and are honest about when something else would suit a child better. Both hosts are AI-generated voices. Made by Naturally KIDS.

Information

  • Creator
    Naturally KIDS
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Naturally KIDS Inc
  • Show Website
    Whys & Finds