Whys & Finds

Naturally KIDS
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Parenting

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

    Screen-Free Christmas Gift for a Toddler

    What is a good screen-free Christmas gift for a toddler? Pick something tied to what this child already loves, like a favorite animal. Then pick something a grown-up can play with them, face to face. The American Academy of Pediatrics says: "Digital toys should never take the place of real, face-to-face play." Ellie and Ben talk about what that line says and what it doesn't. They go through the "traditional favorites" the AAP names: blocks, shapes and puzzles. The AAP also says to be careful with tablets, games and apps that promise to teach. In the AAP's words, most of them really aren't. They cover why books and simple games count, and why a gift that can go along in the car or to a waiting room is worth looking for. Ben's better idea for gift-givers who can't be there: put the first game in the box, with a short note to the parents. Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org — Toy Buying Tips for Babies & Young Children: AAP Report Explained: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/What-to-Look-for-in-a-Toy.aspxRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/screen-free-christmas-gift-for-a-toddlerWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  2. 1d ago

    Why Toddlers Love Pretend Play

    Why do toddlers love pretend play? Toddlers pretend because they copy the people around them and try it at their own size. Give them a character they love, get down on the floor, and let them lead the story. Raising Children Network, an Australian parenting site supported by the Australian Government, says: "Your toddler learns by copying what others do – especially you or older children." ZERO TO THREE, a U.S. nonprofit that works on early childhood, says that in a child's third year "their creativity flourishes," and that toddlers "imagine that objects, like a block, can be something else, like a piece of cake." Ellie and Ben talk about what to give a toddler for pretend play. ZERO TO THREE puts it simply: "The more a toy does, the less your child has to do." Its examples include dress-up clothes, toy food, stuffed animals and dolls. They also cover why a favorite stuffed animal is often the main character, and what a game with that character can look like: a T-Rex going to work, a teddy bear at the doctor's, a unicorn's tea party. Ben thinks grown-ups should stay out of the game. Ellie explains why it helps to join in, and how to follow the toddler's story instead of starting your own. Sources: ZERO TO THREE — Tips for Choosing Toys for Toddlers: https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/tips-for-choosing-toys-for-toddlers-toddler-toys/Raising Children Network — Play ideas & creative activities: toddlers: https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/play-learning/play-toddler-development/imagining-play-toddlersRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/why-toddlers-love-pretend-playWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  3. 2d ago

    Why Are Toddlers So Obsessed With Dinosaurs?

    Why are so many toddlers obsessed with dinosaurs? A lot of young children pick one big topic and go all in, and dinosaurs are a common one. Your part is to follow the interest and let your child lead. Researchers from the University of Virginia and two other universities surveyed and interviewed 177 parents and found that "nearly one third of young children have extremely intense interests." The CDC, the U.S. public health agency, says that in early childhood "their world will open up as they explore and ask about the things around them." Ellie and Ben are honest about what the sources don't say: why it's dinosaurs and not something else. They read what buyers wrote in their reviews: a child who already uses each dinosaur's real name, and kids who carry small dinosaurs everywhere. The CDC says to keep reading to your child and to take them to the library. Ben's better idea: let your child teach you the names. Ask which dinosaur has three horns, and let them correct you. Sources: CDC, the U.S. public health agency — Positive Parenting Tips: Preschoolers (3–5 years old): https://www.cdc.gov/child-development/positive-parenting-tips/preschooler-3-5-years.htmlDeLoache, Simcock, Macari — Planes, trains, automobiles--and tea sets: extremely intense interests in very young children, Developmental Psychology (American Psychological Association): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18020834/Reviews from our buyersRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/why-are-toddlers-obsessed-with-dinosaursWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  4. 3d ago

    Holiday Road Trip With a Toddler: What to Pack

    What should you pack for a toddler on a holiday road trip? Pack a small bag of their own, together with them: a snack for the stops, a few light toys and their buddy, the cuddly toy they love. Everything else goes in the grown-up bags. Raising Children Network, an Australian parenting site supported by the Australian Government, says: "It's also good to involve your child in packing. This can get them interested and excited about the trip." Its page is written for travel by plane, bus or train; Ellie suggests using the packing part for the car too. The same page suggests toys that are "lightweight, easily stored and easily cleaned." Ellie and Ben talk about telling a toddler the plan in words they understand, and about stops. Raising Children Network says: "Plan more breaks and fewer activities than you would if you were travelling on your own or with adults." They also talk through why a bag a toddler can carry works better than a big one to grow into, and how the buddy can play along on the road. Ben wants to hold half the toys back and hand them out later. Ellie wants the bag to stay theirs. They settle on both: the toddler picks the toys and chooses which ones wait in the grown-up's bag. Sources: Raising Children Network — Travelling with kids: plane, bus or train: https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/family-life/holidays-travel/travel-checklistRaising Children Network — Planning holidays with kids: https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/family-life/holidays-travel/holidaysRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/road-trip-with-a-toddler-what-to-packWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  5. 4d ago

    What Toddlers Actually Carry in Their Backpack

    What do toddlers actually carry in their backpack? A snack, a cup or a bottle, and one or two small things the child picked. The bag is for the child's own things, not for the whole day's supplies. Ellie and Ben talk through what buyers wrote in their reviews. Snacks, toys and "little treasures" come up again and again. One buyer wrote: "He puts all of his snacks and toys when we go places in it!" Mississippi State University Extension has backpack tips written for school-age kids. Two of them work for a toddler too: "Load the backpack each night with only the items needed for the next day," and "Choose the correct size. Select one no wider or longer than the child's torso." They talk about why a big bag bought to grow into can end up on the parent's shoulder. Ellie's plan for packing: the child packs the bag at the table the night before. The parent puts out the snack and the cup, and the child picks two things of their own. The article has a line for that too: "Pack and unpack the backpack on a table." Ben worries that a toddler changes their mind by morning. Ellie's answer: the snack and the cup are already in, so the morning is one small swap at the door. Sources: Mississippi State University Extension — Choose backpacks to help keep children pain free (tips written for school-age kids): https://extension.msstate.edu/blogs/extension-for-real-life/choose-backpacks-help-keep-children-pain-freeReviews from our buyersRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/what-toddlers-carry-in-their-backpackWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  6. 5d ago

    Birthday Gift for a 2-Year-Old They'll Actually Use

    What is a good birthday gift for a 2-year-old that they will actually use? Pick a gift that fits into what a two-year-old already does every day, and make it about the one thing they love right now. Ask the parents first: what the child loves, and where they go together. Ellie and Ben look at the CDC's page "Milestones by 2 Years." The CDC, the U.S. public health agency, explains that milestones are "things most children (75% or more) can do by a certain age." By 2 years, most children hold a container and take the lid off, and play with more than one toy at the same time. The same page's tips include going to the park, taking walks or going on a bus ride, and letting the child help put toys in a basket. They talk about why gifts end up in the closet, and one question to ask about any gift: what will the child do with it on day three? Ben's better idea: ask the parents instead of guessing. They also cover why a big school bag on a small child can end up on the grown-up's shoulder. Sources: CDC, the U.S. public health agency — Milestones by 2 Years: https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/2-years.htmlRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/birthday-gift-for-a-2-year-oldWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  7. 6d ago

    Lamp for a Kid's Room: What to Check Before You Buy

    What is a good lamp for a kid's room? A good lamp for a kid's room stands on a dresser or a shelf near an outlet, sits steady, and comes with an LED bulb that stays cool to the touch. Check those things first, then pick a look the child will love. Ellie and Ben go through three checks before you buy. Where the lamp will stand: find the outlet first, so no cord crosses the floor. How it stands: legs or a solid base, and the height. What comes with it: the bulb, the setup guide, and a box ready to give if it's a gift. Then the design: a lamp shaped like the child's favorite animal, in a style that still works in a teen's room or a home office. Ben's better idea: measure the spot before you read the height on the listing, so you know which lamps fit before you pick one. They also talk about the evening. Raising Children Network, an Australian parenting site supported by the Australian Government, describes a bedtime routine as activities that happen "in the same order each night," including "quiet, enjoyable activities with you, like reading or listening to a story." Sources: Raising Children Network — Bedtime routines: babies, children & teens: https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/sleep/better-sleep-settling/bedtime-routinesRaising Children Network — Grandparents and grandchildren: https://raisingchildren.net.au/grown-ups/grandparents/family-relationships/being-a-grandparentRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/lamp-for-a-kids-roomWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

  8. Oct 26

    What to Buy a Dinosaur-Obsessed Toddler

    What to buy a dinosaur-obsessed toddler? Start with what your toddler already does with dinosaurs every day. Pick a gift that joins one of those habits: acting out stories, carrying a dinosaur everywhere, or the same dinosaur book at story time. The American Academy of Pediatrics says to match a toy to what the child can already do, with a little room to grow. The same page says: "A certain toy is not necessary for your child to reach his or her next developmental milestone." Ellie and Ben talk about why a gift that is cute for any child often misses a dinosaur fan. The CDC, the U.S. public health agency, says: "Encourage your child to take part in pretend play." Ben points out that the habits overlap: the story kid often carries their dinosaurs too, because the story doesn't stop at the front door. So the gift may be a way to take them along, like a small backpack they carry themselves. For the child who wants the same dinosaur book every night, the hosts look at an animal-shaped lamp for their room. It gives a warm light for story time. Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org — Toy Buying Tips for Babies & Young Children: AAP Report Explained: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/What-to-Look-for-in-a-Toy.aspxCDC, the U.S. public health agency — Positive Parenting Tips: Toddlers (2–3 years old): https://www.cdc.gov/child-development/positive-parenting-tips/toddlers-2-3-years.htmlRead more: https://naturally-kids.com/blogs/news/what-to-buy-a-dinosaur-obsessed-toddlerWhys & Finds is made by Naturally KIDS.This episode uses AI-generated voices for both hosts.

See All (26)

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
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Naturally KIDS Inc
  • Show Website
    Whys & Finds