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“My message to parents would be that we do not have sufficient evidence to support the idea that fidget toys will be helpful for all children with ADHD, autism, and anxiety. I would encourage parents instead to consider whether a particular fidget toy is helpful for their child,” Chelsea Weyand, PsyD, ABPP, at Akron Children’s Hospital, tells Verywell Family. “Additionally, I would ask parents to consider treating symptoms and not disorders....

If you know the kind of things the 8-year-old in your life is most excited about, you can choose a toy that directly supports those interests. But this is also a great time to broaden their horizons by offering them something different that you believe they’ll enjoy. When choosing the right toy, consider an 8-year-old’s developmental milestones. Kids this age are becoming more independent and mature. It’s important to support their improving motor and locomotor skills....

“We want to have our kids develop creativity,” explains art therapist Nadia Paredes, MA, LMFT, ATR, and president-elect of the American Art Therapy Association. “Creativity is our ability that helps us adapt basically to realize. Creativity—it’s a cognitive function. [It] works out, as if we had a mental gym.” The best art kits for your kids will be easy for them to use on their own or with minimal guidance, align with their developmental age, and encourage their creativity over time....

From DIY experiments to magnetic building blocks to bikes and more, there’s a toy out there perfect for every child. If you need help finding a toy that suits their interests ask friends and neighbors and look at trending items online. Other features to look for include durability, ease of cleaning, and budget. We researched popular toys with these helpful features in mind. Here are the best toys for 5-year-olds on the market....

Some may prefer a practical gift that’s usable for years to come, while others would appreciate a fun gift that’ll keep the baby’s attention. And if you’re at a loss, a keepsake or customizable item will always stand out. No matter your intention, we carefully considered value, design, ease of cleaning, and toy safety when reviewing products. Pliable, brightly colored loops intersect on a center cube that makes a soft rattling sound with movement....

Measure the space where you are going to use the baby gate and check the installation method to see if you’ll need any additional tools for assembly. We carefully considered design, material, ease of installation and use, and value when reviewing products. Here are the best baby gates to meet all your babyproofing needs. The optional stop bracket with this system prevents opening over a stairway for even greater safety....

When choosing a chore chart, it’s important to find an option that suits your child’s developmental stage and, ideally, can grow with them. Effective chore charts are visually engaging and provide ways to showcase rewards and positive feedback. Families with multiple children might also consider a single chore chart that all of their kids can use. To find the best chore charts, we spoke to a child psychiatrist and considered each chart for age appropriateness, longevity, family size, and clarity of expectations....

“Generally, the recommendation is to allow feet to develop and minimize shoes when children are in a protective environment," podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon Mark Mendeszoon, DPM, tells Verywell Family. However, with water often comes rough rocks, hot pavement, or sticky mud, so going barefoot while playing in the water isn’t always an option. In this case, Dr. Mendeszoon, a physician spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association, says, “The recommendation is to use water shoes....

When shopping for a speaker for teens, you’ll want to consider whether it’s waterproof or water-resistant (based on their needs), how good the sound quality is, and overall size for portability. We carefully reviewed design, sound quality, size and shape, value, and water-resistance when reviewing products. Whether you’re in the market for the perfect gift or just want to surprise your kiddo, these are the best speakers for teens. We named the Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker II our top pick because it packs strong sounds into a bold, colorful, small speaker....

Because these devices can be advanced, it can be hard to shop for the best fit for your family. We spoke with Winston Nguyen, VR developer and founder of VR Heaven, and Dr. Zishan Khan, MD, a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist with Mindpath Health, to learn about what you need to know before you hit “add to cart” on a VR headset for your kids. When picking the top products for our list, we read reviews and considered features, parental controls, ease of use, and device compatibility....

While it may be tempting to think pregnant women can just wear larger versions of their everyday clothes, the truth is that maternity wear is created specifically to fit and support a pregnant woman’s body. This is also true of plus-size clothing, which is designed to provide both a comfortable fit and a flattering style. “The difference between plus and straight size clothing is more than just the numbers,” says Alicia Lloyd, styling supervisor at Stitch Fix....

Ashley Anttila, MD, of Nemours Children’s Health in Delaware, tells Verywell Family there are no exact “right answers” when it comes to feeding your little ones. “I encourage trying different things for different babies or toddlers! Different foods, textures, temperatures, [and] consistencies all make for a varied diet throughout this period of life!” There are dozens of different toddler bowls and plates on the market, so consider some important factors before purchasing....

How Parents Can Help Their Children With Rhyming Skills What you can do to help develop your child’s rhyming skills at home. Rhyming Books Read rhyming books to your child. If possible, try to have reading time at least once a day. As always, reading time should be a fun and enjoyable time for both of you, and it helps to build reading activity into part of a routine. Reading before bedtime is a good way to introduce the activity into your child’s day....

It’s not a question of whether or not to disclose this, however. “It needs to be clear to adoptive parents that they need to tell their children they are adopted. It isn’t a decision for adoptive parents to make or to take into consideration. Adoptees need to be told,” says Jessenia Parmer, an adoptee mental health advocate and consultant. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, there are some general guidelines you may want to consider when telling your child that they’re adopted....

But as our understanding of care and parenthood has evolved, so too have custody agreements. Society has historically devalued fathers as parents—which has impacted how custody decisions are made. Fathers pursuing custody may have to overcome popular engrained ideas that they lack parenting qualities that courts implicitly or explicitly assume the mother has. While this is an additional burden, it isn’t insurmountable. Any parent seeking custody must meet the same criteria—here’s what you need to know....