5 Ingredient Meals, From Dinner To Dessert, For The Whole Family

I find it very refreshing to know that every family trying to figure out dinner struggles. From meal planning to prepping to grocery shopping, it’s all kind of chaotic, and I find that the simpler, the better. (Especially if you have picky kids anyway.) Sticking to five-ingredient meals, from desserts to breakfast to dinner, means you can give yourself an easier grocery shopping list and less time stressing at 5 p.m. Five ingredients sounds so specific that it almost feels impossible to do, but there are a surprising amount of five-ingredient meals and recipes to try for the entire family.

And trust me, as a mom of three, I’ve struggled a lot with figuring out budget-friendly recipes. I get real tired real quick of casseroles featuring rice and canned soups, and can only have so many of those types of dinners before I’m ready to pull out a cookbook with extensive recipes that require a $100 grocery trip. But this list of five-ingredient meals is a good mixture of super easy kid-friendly recipes like pizza chicken casserole, but also has some fun favorites sprinkled in, like pumpkin cinnamon rolls and coconut curry.

So whether you need something for lunch, a quick dinner before soccer practice, or want to make a sweet treat that doesn’t require half the pantry, this list of five-ingredient meals is for you.

Coconut Curry

This coconut curry featured on Yummly is, of course, only five ingredients, but it’s also incredibly filling thanks to the chickpeas and broccoli. This is an easy one to double up for leftovers or lunches if you want, and it’s super quick to pull together.

Teriyaki Chicken

This teriyaki chicken recipe featured on Yummly could not possibly be any easier. All you need are some pantry staples like soy sauce, brown sugar, garic, and ginger to make this flavorful sauce over chicken breasts. Throw a bag of frozen veggies in the microwave to steam and add some rice, and you’ve got a gourmet meal ready to go in no time.

Pizza Chicken Casserole

I mean, casseroles are usually pretty flavorful and full of cheese, but this pizza chicken casserole featured on Yummly is like the ultimate comfort food. Tons of mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, and marinara sauce over chicken with garlic make for an epic dinner.

Instant Pot Carnitas

I love the idea of making these five-ingredient Instant Pot carnitas for a week of lunches, but they’re obviously great for any time of the day. Using oranges and limes, this recipe is super budget-friendly and doesn’t skip out on any flavor.

Italian Sausage & Kale Baked Ziti

OK, to be fair, a lot of five-ingredient meals are going to require pasta so that they are nice and filling, but this baked ziti recipe from Gimme Some Oven is especially good. With italian sausage and kale (and of course, lots of cheese), this five-ingredient recipe kind of breaks the mold and packs a lot of flavor.

Pizza Poppers

Another pizza recipe, but these five-ingredient supreme pizza poppers featured on Yummly are literally so easy to put together, it’s hard to believe they’re also delicious. Rolling out crescent roll dough and adding in the toppings is really all you need to do — and you can feel free to customize them. But a note: on their own, these are really best as an appetizer or heavy snack, so maybe put together a salad or some veggies on the side to go with them.

Chicken Soup

Who doesn’t love a great chicken soup recipe? This one from Yummly is full of protein thanks to the chicken breast and great northern beans, and you can really jazz it up with some toppings you already have in your fridge like avocado or sour cream.

Rolo Cookies

If you love an uncomplicated dessert, these five-ingredient Rolo cookies from Yummly are too perfect. Using a boxed cake mix and a couple of other pantry staples (plus Rolos), you and your family can make some delicious, easy cookies for a family movie night or just a sweet treat.

Chicken Parmesan Lasagna

OK, remember what I said about pasta? Here’s another five-ingredient pasta recipe that goes above and beyond noodles and sauce. The five-ingredient chicken parmesan lasagna from Yummly can be made on the stove or in your slow cooker, so it even has the added benefit of being done at 5 p.m. thanks to just a little bit of work on your part in the morning.

Baked Tortellini Casserole

Yes, we’re still sharing pasta recipes, but stick with me. This five-ingredient baked tortellini casserole from Yummly is so good. Using both spaghetti sauce and alfredo sauce, it’s hard to believe such a decadent dish is only five ingredients. Add in some sausage links and tortellini (and cheese, always) and this is a super filling meal everyone will love.

Crispy Potsticker Brie Bites

I love the idea of these five-ingredient crispy potsticker brie bites from Cooking for Keeps for a heavy snack or a light dinner. They’re also super festive and look great for a holiday party, but delicious bites of brie are always in season, so feel free to make whenever.

Airfryer Zucchini Fries

Another heavy snack idea (or a great dinner side) is this recipe for airfryer zucchini fries from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs. Zucchini are usually pretty cheap for produce, so it’s nice to think of this easy five-ingredient meal as an appetizer or for kids who love a crunch, but need some extra veggies.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Squares

These no-bake peanut butter oat squares from Cookies and Cups are so easy and also so delicious and filling. Even better: they only have three ingredients. With peanut butter and oatmeal, these actually feel like a fairly good-for-you treat, and the honey is a great way to add some sweetness without going overboard.

Banana Pancakes

Who doesn’t love pancakes? These banana pancakes from Cookie and Kate are easy, budget-friendly, and help you combat food waste by using super ripe bananas that might’ve been ignored by the family the rest of the week.

Chicken Guacamole Taquitos

Give me all the taquitos. If you’re having a relaxing family movie night or planning for a party, these chicken guacamole taquitos from Gimme Some Oven are a great five-ingredient meal to pull together. You can even freeze these and save them for future lunches or dinners.

Lemon Chicken With Asparagus

Talk about a one-pan meal, this lemon chicken with asparagus from Pinch of Yum is so flavorful and easy. Add some mashed potatoes on the side if you want, but I think this is a filling enough meal all on its own.

Skillet Gnocchi

OK, OK, let’s do another pasta dish! But this five-ingredient skillet gnocchi from Two Peas and Their Pod is so lovely. Fair warning: there’s no meat in this one, but it’s still a great weeknight meal that you could pair with some chicken or sausage if you wanted.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter is definitely a theme in easy, cheap desserts, and these peanut butter cookies from Cookie Named Desire prove that. There are only three ingredients, and the recipe makes the chewiest, most delicious treats.

Sheet Pan Sausage & Potatoes

Sheet pan meals had a huge moment a few years ago and I think it’s time to bring them back, especially when the sheet pan only has five ingredients. This sheet pan sausage and potatoes recipe from Averie Cooks is a great one to customize — make it spicy, add extra garlic, whatever you want — and can reheat beautifully for lunch the next day.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Making a fancy breakfast, especially on the weekends, can take a lot of time and money and ingredients, but not this one. These five-ingredient pumpkin cinnamon rolls from The Comfort of Cooking are so easy and will fill your entire house with the best smells.

Potato & Corn Chowder

I love a hearty soup! This five-ingredient potato and corn chowder from The Modern Proper is so good and is full of so much stuff, honestly. Five ingredients is only five ingredients, but the way each of these ingredients works with the other makes for a super hearty and filling recipe.

Chili Cheese Dip

Whether you want a heavy appetizer or just a yummy side (maybe to go with those taquitos), try this chili cheese dip from Willow Bird Baking. Added bonus: it really only requires two ingredients.

These five-ingredient meals are perfect if you’re looking for some budget-friendly recipes or if you just want to make meal time a little bit easier for you and your family.

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Drew Barrymore Shares "Before & After" Video Of Her Messy Bedroom

If ever you needed more proof that Drew Barrymore was a generous, down-to-earth soul, we have it right here. The talk show host and mom of two recently shared a video of her home before and after she cleaned it, and that level of openness deserves to be applauded. Especially since the “before” version might look so very familiar to so many of us.

Barrymore recently shared a video on Instagram that was an absolute exercise in vulnerability. “Show me your room before and after you clean it,” she captioned the video, and boy did she mean it. Barrymore started in her bedroom where the floor was littered with detritus like paperwork, which included an E.T. script, of course, as well as boxes, clothes, and accessories with cupboards flung open all over the place. Barrymore then made her way to her ensuite bathroom. There her sink was covered in bottles, lotions, makeup, and intriguingly, yet more cupboard doors flung open. Barrymore looks at the camera and bites her knuckle, seemingly overwhelmed by the amount of work she’ll have to do to get everything cleaned up.

Barrymore then switched to the “after” portion of the video wearing a sweatshirt as she walked through a perfectly organized closet, a tidy bedroom, and a nicely arranged desk that got a chef’s kiss of approval from Barrymore. “Ahhhh. Much better,” she wrote over the video. Her bathroom, however, still had plenty of bottles on the sink but Barrymore laughed it off, because honestly what else can you do?

Certainly Barrymore’s followers appreciated her video. “When you realize celebrities (some of them) are regular people too. I love that her bathroom looks like a normal persons bathroom and not the size of a whole apartment.”

Another added, “So nice to see that I’m not the only one with a mess like this!! Lol.”

“Girl, look at all those doom piles!! So very relatable,” one more chimed in.

Finally, one fan summed it up quite nicely: “If Queen Drew’s room can look like this sometimes, then it’s okay if mine does too. ️Thank you for your authenticity. This is a major struggle of mine and it’s good to see that even those we look up to deal with this as well.”

The Never Been Kissed star is not the first celebrity to offer fans a glimpse of a more realistic-looking home. Julia Fox won hearts when she shared a tour of her New York City apartment last month, perhaps inspiring the often-relatable Barrymore to follow suit.

If this becomes a trend, it’s absolutely a trend we can get behind. Real homes that get messy and disorganized. Just like life.

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'Ted Lasso' Season 3 Trailer Is Here Ahead Of The March 2023 Premiere

We are mere weeks away from the premiere of Season 3 of Ted Lasso, and perhaps as a reward for all of our patience, Apple TV+ has dropped a new trailer to whet our appetites. And while it was very satisfying to see all of our pals from AFC Richmond, the song choice for the new season does not bode all that well.

Note: Spoilers ahead for Season 2 of Ted Lasso.

Apple TV+ dropped Season 3’s new trailer ahead of the March 15 premiere of the Emmy-winning series, and right out of the gate it feels quite emotional. Coach Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) walks into an empty locker room to the tune of Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” although he is smiling so perhaps that means good things are coming? Club owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) is also seen smiling as she enters the building, followed by Coach Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), his girlfriend Keeley Jones (Juno Temple), AFC Richmond star Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) and the rest of the team.

One glaring omission, sadly, is Coach Nate (Nick Mohammed), who turned to the dark side at the end of Season 2 and left the club high and dry. The trailer does offer a glimpse of Nate sitting alone and drinking wine at a restaurant, although he did finally manage to get a seat in the window like he always wanted. So maybe it worked out for him after all since he appears to be coaching West Ham and wearing nice suits later in the trailer, although he does look pretty depressed about it.

While Nate’s fate is undecided, the rest of the coaching team, including Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) is seen hitting the field with the players just like the old days. And Coach Lasso is back to holding press conferences that are more like comedy routines, although Trent Crimm (James Lance) of The Independent is no longer part of the press pool after quitting over some underhanded dealings last season.

Fans have been waiting for the feel good hit to come back to their screens for some time, so this trailer is a perfect amuse bouche ahead of the Season 3 premiere on March 15 on Apple TV+. Just try not to think about the fact that this season could be the last for Ted Lasso and enjoy the ride. Like the song says, you can’t always get what you want.

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Advice On Dating a Woman After Divorce From A Man

I have been single since my divorce, going on various dates here and there, but nothing has felt right or good or even exciting. I've been very content just being a mom to my kids and spending time with my friends. Then last week I walked into the local bike shop and I lost all my composure, so enamored was I by the woman in the shop. I have been with women in my past — it was considered "experimenting" in my youth — and I had a secret relationship in my early 20s with someone. I am definitely attracted to both men and women, but have been married and in relationships exclusively with men for the last 18 years. But I got up the courage to ask this woman on a date, and we are going to dinner on Friday. I am so excited and so nervous. I'm not going to presume that she wants to be intimate with me, although if dinner goes well I'm fairly certain it could lead to that. I’ve been so focused on men that I feel like I've missed out on all these years of knowing what to do to please a woman. I’m out of practice and could really use some advice!

I love this for you for multiple reasons. But before we dive in, I just want to applaud you for what sounds to me like a very lovingly established relationship with yourself.

Feeling content with the relationships you have and the life you lead is such a good sign; so is knowing what does and doesn’t feel right (or exciting) and refusing to settle for anything less than losing all composure when you meet someone new. For all those times you could have settled for meh, you chose not to, instead staying open to chance encounters in bike shops. I want to take a quick beat to recognize how spot on your instincts have been, and might I add, still are, which is what I want to hone in on here. You clearly know from your own experience what feels right and what feels wrong.

I’m going to say that again: You know from your own experience what feels right and what feels wrong.

And, yes, now we’re talking about sex.

Because it’s all connected.

You are about to go out with someone who had an overwhelming effect on you — someone you responded to carnally, vulnerably. Someone who also made you feel brave enough to ask out on a date in the first place. Which bodes well for your ability to please her later.

Hello! Of course you’re nervous. As indeed I was the first time I ever had sex with a woman.

Because if she can bring out your bravery, vulnerability and lose-all-composure wantonness while running errands, I have a very good feeling that when it comes to an after dinner make-out-sesh, you will know how to proceed and you will enjoy yourself doing it.

That’s not to say that your nerves aren’t understandable. I mean, hello! Of course you’re nervous. I would be, too! As indeed I was the first time I ever had sex with a woman. When you spend decades equating sex acts with dick, it takes a second to acclimatize to a body that doesn’t have one. But it’s also going to make whatever intimacy you experience with her all the more titillating. And by allowing yourself to lean into your nervousness, you are also leaning into your vulnerability, which is where the best sex happens.

My first piece of advice is tell her before you go out. Remove the proverbial elephant in the room and give her the opportunity to respond to your nervousness and start an open dialogue about what excites you both. I can’t imagine her not being turned on knowing that her presence revived two decades worth of dormant desire.

I’m pretty sure she will be flattered, if not totally turned on, knowing how long it’s been since you’ve responded to a woman’s presence in this way. I certainly would.

The first time I was intimate with a woman after 20+ years of boners and blowjobs, I couldn’t stop asking, “Hi, is this okay? What about this? Does this feel good?” Which ended up making the whole situation hotter because communication is very hot! Beyond that, I realized very quickly that I knew my way around a woman’s body. And while I didn’t have a lot of sexual experience with women, I did have quite a bit of experience when it came to female pleasure, communication, and trusting my instincts.

And judging by your ability to know exactly what you do and do not want, it sounds like you do, too.

I want to answer any and all questions you all have about the exhilarating, terrifying, and wonderful experience of dating and having sex with new people after becoming a parent. Send me your questions at rebeccawoolf@gmail.com.

Rebecca Woolf writes Romper’s Sex & the Single Mom series. She has worked as a writer for more than two decades and is the author of two books, Rockabye: From Wild to Child and All of This: A Memoir of Death and Desire. You can subscribe to her newsletter, The Braid, for more. She lives in Los Angeles with her four children.

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Courteney Cox Responded To Prince Harry's Magic Mushroom Story In 'Spare'

Prince Harry’s memoir Spare was chock full of incredibly private stories about incredibly public people. Mostly the royal family, of course, but there was a smattering of stories in there about some high-profile celebrities as well. Like when the Duke of Sussex claimed he did magic mushrooms at a party at Courteney Cox’s house, for instance. Prince Harry alleged that he stayed at Cox’s home during a visit to Los Angeles and took some magic mushrooms, and Cox herself has something to say about that particular story.

In Spare, the Duke of Sussex specifically wrote about staying at Cox’s house for several days, which was apparently a big deal for him because he was a “Friends fanatic, the idea of crashing at Monica’s house was highly appealing,” he wrote in his memoir, noting he became a fan when he found himself staying home more due to social anxiety. “Day after day, night after night, I sat around eating takeaway, watching 24. Or Friends. I think I might've watched every episode of Friends in 2013. I decided I was a Chandler,” Prince Harry, wrote per People.

When he finally got to stay at Cox’s house, he claims he found a box of “black diamond mushroom chocolates” in her fridge while looking for a soft drink and decided to partake. The mushrooms left him hallucinating in the actress’ bathroom, according to the dad of two.

In an interview with Variety, Cox responded to Prince Harry’s claims. “He did stay here for a couple of days — probably two or three. He’s a really nice person,” she told the outlet. The Shining Vale star went on to admit that she hadn’t “read the book” but would like to at some point. “I do want to hear it, because I’ve heard it’s really entertaining.”

As far as the mushroom story goes, she’s heard all about it. And has some thoughts on his recollections. “It’s gotten back to me about it. I’m not saying there were mushrooms! I definitely wasn’t passing them out.” So she’s not saying there were mushrooms. But she’s not saying there were not mushrooms either.

Prince Harry’s magic mushroom story is just one of several stories about using drugs in Spare. He also opened up about using wife Meghan Markle’s laughing gas and eating Nando’s chicken while she gave birth to their son Archie. Unlike Cox, Meghan Markle hasn’t really responded to that story publicly. But I bet she responded at the time.

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Keke Palmer Gives Birth To Baby & His Name Is Bound To Set Trends

Keke Palmer is officially a mom! She and boyfriend Darius Jackson welcomed their first child, a son, on Feb. 26, and they are both so excited to have “made a someone” together. A that little someone has an incredible name.

Palmer revealed on Tuesday that she and Jackson had welcomed their son 48 hours earlier. “Hey Son!!!!” Palmer wrote on Instagram on a slideshow of her and Jackson’s “48 hours of being parents.”

“Darius always made me playlists when we first started dating, ‘Someone’ by El Debarge was a favorite,” the Nope actress shared in her post. “We became each other’s someone and made a someone, look at God! 😆”

After noting that her baby boy loves “Rolling Ray,” Palmer went on to point out that her baby had been “born during Black History Month, with a name to match!” Her son’s name? Leodis Andrellton Jackson. “Welcome to the world baby Leo,” the new mom wrote.

Palmer also shared photo of her sweet baby boy all cuddled up with an elephant stuffie, and he already suits his name so well.

Fans truly could not get over her baby boy’s incredible name, with many agreeing that her son’s name sounded as though it was giving off a civil rights leader vibe. Even Palmer agreed when someone pointed out that her son’s name “sounds like it lead a civil rights march.” The proud mom tweeted, “It’s giving I marched with Martin [Luther King Jr.] purrr.”

Another fan user has high expectations for baby Leodis, writing on Twitter, “Can’t wait for your son to change the world with a name like that.” Interestingly enough, the name Leodis has Celtic roots and refers to people “who live by the fast-flowing river.” The name has been around for centuries but has never made the top 1,000 list, but I suspect that’s all about to change.

Now that little Leodis has arrived, Palmer and Jackson can set about finding their way as a new family of three. Or four, technically, if you include Palmer’s cat Jackie, who got suspiciously cuddly during her pregnancy. I wonder what she will make of little Leodis. Time will tell.

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40 March Baby Name Ideas

Representing the start of springtime and fresh beginnings, the month of March is a beautiful time to be born. In fact, there’s so much inspiration when choosing names for March babies, you'll never run out of ideas. We've rounded up some some of the coolest names inspired by this blustery, but magical month.

The first day of spring is celebrated around March 20, according to the Farmer's Almanac. (Fun fact: the start of spring is sometimes celebrated on March 21 or even the 19, because seasons don't have an even number of days.) This alone provides you with tons of inspiration — consider a name related to the blooming flowers associated with this season. Even if it's still technically pretty darn cold where you live, this time of year heralds the beauty and blossoms of warmer days ahead.

Or perhaps you want to draw inspiration from March’s most iconic holiday — St. Patrick's Day. Or you want to lean into your baby’s zodiac sign; there’s two in March, Pisces (February 19 to March 20) and Aries (March 21 to April 19). You could also go with the month’s birthstone (aquamarine), birth flowers (daffodil), or just focus on the fact that this is a month of winter and spring that comes in like a lion and out like a lamb.

No matter the reason, there are plenty of March baby names to choose from in this list below.

Ari

As the old saying goes, March "comes in like a lion,” and Ari is a Hebrew name meaning (you guessed it) “lion.”

Lahela

The month may come in like a lion, but it goes out “like a lamb.” This Hawaiian name of Lahela means “lamb.” (Bonus points to anyone having twins in March and goes with an Ari/Lahela combo.)

Haruki

Meaning "spring child,” the Japanese name Haruki is pretty much perfect for a March baby. Plus, your child gets to share a name with the writer Haruki Murakami, earning all the cool points.

Aidan

For babies born after March 20, consider an Aries-inspired baby name. Aidan is an Irish name meaning “fiery one.”

Darratu

Hailing from Ethopia, the name Darratu means “blooming flower,” a gorgeous take on a floral-inspired name.

Finn

If you want to use the zodiac for inspiration, then there's no shortage of Pisces-inspired names for babies born between February 19 and March 20. The baby name of Finn may be a little on the nose, but what better name can you find for a baby born under the sign of the fish.

Leon

Leon is a sweet French name and another that means “lion.”

Iris

Iris is a Greek name that means “rainbow.” It’s also the name of a gorgeous flower that can start blooming in late March.

Jonquil

The birth flower for March is the daffodil, a member of the Narcissus family of flowers. But since “Daffodil” doesn’t exactly roll tripplingly from the tongue, you could go with a type of daffodil known as a jonquil and use Jonquil as a March baby name.

Joe

One of the more random holidays in March is National Joe Day, which falls on the 27th. Honor the silliness of this March day with the baby name Joe.

Marine

Beautiful aquamarine is the birthstone for March. You could also choose a name inspired by this stone, such as Marina or Marie.

Mars

The Roman god of war Mars is the inspiration for the name of month of March. It’s also the planet that rules Aries, and Mars is a great baby name choice for people who are inspired by the movements of planets and stars.

Midori

Midori is the Japanese word for “green” and is also a not-uncommon girl’s name perfect for March babies.

Patrick

Celebrated every March 17, St. Patrick’s Day is a centuries-old holiday. Why not name your kid after the patron saint of Ireland himself with Patrick? (Fun fact: St. Patrick was actually Welsh and is associated with the color blue!)

Nyssa

This Greek name of Nyssa means “the beginning” and is a unique (and lovely) choice for your newborn. Because March may not be the beginning of the calendar year, but it’s the beginning of the new cycle of seasons.

Pinar

Meaning “spring,” the Turkish name Pinar is a unique and a beautiful choice for your March baby.

Rachelle

A French name meaning “lamb,” Rachelle is another sweet choice for your March newborn. It's even more beautiful when spoken aloud.

Ruth

RGB herself was born on March 15, 1933 . Why not name your own baby Ruth after this wildly influential Justice? This Hebrew name means “compassionate friend.”

Verna

Every year around March 21, the vernal (aka spring) equinox) marks the first day of spring. The name Verna means “springtime” — how much more perfect can you get?

Zelenka

Meaning “new and green,” the Czech name Zelenka is another perfect choice for a springtime baby.

Other Names For March Babies

Rahm (Sanskrit; “pleasing, lofty” and a nice nod to Aries, aka the ram)

Agnes (Latin; “lamb”)

Guido (Italian; “leader, guide”)

Winter (Because for as much as we look forward to spring in March, it’s also a winter month)

Lily (Any floral name works for this month, but water lilies are the flower associated with Pisces)

Ares (Greek; “throng of battle,” and the name of the god of war as well as a homophone of “Aries”)

Renata (Italian; “rebirth”)

Leo (Latin; “lion”)

Spring (Why not make this a name!?)

Eve (Hebrew; “life”)

Cedric (Welsh; “warlord,” a nice nod to Mars and the Aries tendency to be aggressive and leaders)

Kilenya (Miwok; “coughing fish,” a unique name choice for a Pisces girl)

Dagon (Hebrew; “little fish”)

Anahita (Persian; the name of a goddess associated with healing. Pisces are known for their healing skills)

Enkai (Japanese; “deep ocean waters,” perfect for a little water sign child born in early to mid March)

Seraphina (Hebrew; “fiery, burning,” perfect for a little fire sign born in late March)

Sahil (Hindi; “leader”)

Althea (Greek; “healer”)

Raidah (Arabic; “leader, pioneer”)

Asher (Hebrew; “hapiness,” but also a good nod to fire or ash trees)

Whatever name you choose for a baby born in March, it'll be the perfect one for your springtime child.

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What Age Is 'M3GAN' Appropriate For? M3GAN Is Not A Child's Toy

When M3GAN first premiered theaters, it was a massive hit. A generator of thousands of GIFs, an instant cult classic based almost solely on the peculiar esthetic of M3GAN herself. If you happen to be one of the few people who has not heard about the artificial intelligence doll with an over-developed sense of propriety and comically old-fashioned wardrobe, you might be thinking this sounds like a cute movie for kids. After all, kids love dolls, right? So is M3GAN appropriate for kids to watch? Here’s what parents need to know.

What is M3GAN about?

The story behind M3GAN (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) sees a young girl named Cady (Violet McGraw) survive a car crash that kills her parents. Cady is sent to live with her aunt Gemma (Allison Williams), who might be her legal guardian and a literal toy maker but really has no clue how to take care of a child. Especially a grieving child. Enter Gemma’s creation “M3GAN”(an acronym for Model 3 Generative ANdroid) who is meant to be her best friend. She is tasked with being a friend to Cady as well as a teacher and quasi-parent, mostly expected to “protect” Cady from any kind of loneliness or pain. And boy, does M3GAN ever take her role seriously. Some might even say too seriously.

M3GAN might be about a doll, but it’s definitely not a kids’ movie.

M3GAN’s dance moves have gone viral, and certainly some of the TikTok youth have taken to emulating those dance moves. Which could give parents the sense that this movie is sort of a campy, kid-friendly faux horror. Think again. M3GAN is definitely campy, but it’s also dark and disturbing. Think Chucky from Child’s Play with a different motivation, or Frankenstein’s monster in a dress with a complicated bow at the neck.

This is not a kids’ movie. M3GAN kills characters in frequently gruesome ways, there’s some salty language including a few F-bombs, and let’s get real here. Do we really want our kids out here looking for a M3GAN doll of their own to use against us?

What is M3GAN rated?

The original theatrical release was given a PG-13 rating, which matches up pretty well with Common Sense Media’s recommendation that M3GAN is appropriate for kids 14 and up, while parent reviews on the site say it’s OK for kids 11 and up. However, a different unrated cut is also available for streaming now, and you can bet that one is going to give even more scary/bizarre M3GAN moments plus some more swears peppered in for good measure.

How can you watch M3GAN?

If, like so many of us, you were waiting to watch M3GAN in the comfort/safety of your own home, you’re in luck. After a hugely successful run in theaters, M3GAN is now available to stream on Peacock. The original theatrical version as well as the unrated edition. Neither version is something you’ll want to watch with young kids.

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Jessa Duggar Shares She Suffered A Miscarriage In Heartbreaking Video

Jessa Duggar Seewald took to her YouTube channel recently to tell her 245,000 followers that she had suffered a miscarriage. The former 19 Kids & Counting star opened up about her heartbreaking experience in a 19-minute video on her YouTube channel, beginning with the moment she told her kids she was pregnant again and ending by letting people know she would be taking a break from social media in the aftermath of her miscarriage.

Jessa and her husband Ben Seewald opened the video with their four children, 6-year-old son Spurgeon, 4-year-old son Henry, 3-year-old daughter Ivy, and 1-year-old daughter Fern, as they gave them the news that their family would be getting bigger. “I popped my clues,” son Spurgeon said. “You’re going to have a baby.”

Later in the video, Jessa said that she was “very sick” at 11 weeks in her pregnancy, noting she had some “spotting” and decided to book an ultrasound. When she went in for that ultrasound, the technician told her that the baby “did not look good.” And it was truly devestating for Jessa. “Nothing could have prepared me for the weight of those words in that moment,” she said. “At that moment I was just in complete shock. I didn't have words. I just immediately started crying.”

Her husband Ben was there with her, and put his arms around her while the technician gave them their space to process the loss. “We were just sitting there holding hands and crying, like, ‘what do we do from here,’” Jessa explained. “I feel like in some ways missed miscarriages can be so jarring because you don’t have clear signs of something going wrong. I had minimal spotting for 24 hours, and that was it.”

A missed (or silent) miscarriage happens when the fetus has died or not developed in vitro but has not miscarried. These often happen without any symptoms or signs. Approximately 1 to 5% of pregnancies end in missed or silent miscarriages, according to experts, and tend to be found during the 12-week ultrasound check-up.

After consulting with her doctor, Jessa decided it was safest to check into the hospital to have a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure to remove the fetus from her womb rather than waiting for it to pass at home due to previous complications with hemorrhaging. And the moments after that process were some of the most difficult of her life, she explained. “Those 10 to 15 minutes before I was taken back to the room where Ben and my mom were waiting were probably some of the hardest in my life, just laying there feeling so alone.”

In the aftermath of her miscarriage, Jessa felt “grateful” for the help and support of family, but now has decided to “take a break” from social media to try to recover from the emotional experience. To be with her kids, her husband, and herself. And try to heal.

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How To Make Sure Every Kid At Your Scholastic Book Fair Can Buy A Book

When I took over the Scholastic Book Fair at my kids’ elementary school in 2022, the institution itself seemed to be governed by two different forces: millennial nostalgia (Goosebumps paperbacks; holographic puppy bookmarks) and class politics. The book fair, the savvy pointed out, was a formative delight for some, but a nightmare if you didn’t have money. Having run the book fair at my kids’ school the past two years, I can say from experience: It still is both those things.

During my week working that red register, I saw everything I’d heard about: kids hanging off to the side, kids trying not to look at the books as they went to lunch, kids bringing things up and having to hear the word no. We tried offering kids who didn’t have money books from the free box, but the free box did not have the gorgeous Roblox gaming guide. And, aside from, shh, a corporation raking in millions off the work of volunteers, isn’t choice the whole point of the fair?

Choosing the book that speaks to you from dozens of titles, buying it, owning it — this is how the fair lights kids up around reading. It’s easy for me to imagine shutting down on reading altogether if I had found the fair embarrassing or upsetting. (It’s been 27 years since I fell off a rope into a creek at Brownie camp, and still when people want to do nature things, I’m like, “I can see the nature fine from here.”)

For the first time, every kid in our school came to the fair, and no one left empty-handed.

The Scholastic Book Fair will pop up in 85,000 schools this year, including more than 40,000 schools that are Title I, meaning they serve a high proportion of students from low-income households. There are a few existing and commonly recommended ways to fight inequity at the fair. Scholastic has offered an initiative called All For Books, which allows shoppers to round up their change or donate money to a fund. That fund can then be used to cover books for kids who don’t bring money or who come up short at checkout. Some schools start trying to stock their All for Books fund months in advance, by holding coin drives or doing carnival games — a quarter a chance, and so on.

Then there are the tricks fair chairs and parents have come up with to get around heartbreak: Consulting free-lunch lists and quietly issuing vouchers, rigging gift certificate “raffles,” sending their own child in, if they’re able to, with a budget meant for two kids. These methods work best at schools where most of the kids do have money to spend, and the risk of being left out is confined to a small group of students. They aren’t as useful at schools where the opposite is true, and where, subsequently, the pain the fair causes can be equal to or greater than the magic it creates.

If your school is a Title I, serves students from a variety of economic backgrounds, or happens to be full of families stressed by post-pandemic inflation and child care shortages (read: everyone), let me make a suggestion that worked for us. Toss those coin-drive boxes and lollipop pulls, and implement a whole new model: the sponsored book fair.

Here’s how.

1. Consider the advantages of a sponsored fair.

I first became aware of this possibility when I read a news story about the show Abbott Elementary sponsoring Scholastic book fairs. At six Title I schools in 2022, ABC and the show covered the costs of two books per kid and 10 books per teacher.

Instantly, I got the appeal. This arrangement would preserve the crucial choice element of the fair. It would allow all students to participate in exactly the same way, without so much as a telltale coupon crushed into their little hands. In short, it seemed like a path to minimal angst, and maximum magic.

2. Find the right sponsor.

Pull up your school on a map and widen out. Look at the businesses around it. The sweet spot is a company that’s large enough to handle the expense but small enough to have a connection with your area. Bonus points for a business that’s relatively new to town — it’s less likely to already be full up on sponsorship requests. In our case, we were lucky to connect with Gerrity’s the Fresh Grocer, a regional supermarket chain here in Pennsylvania. Gerrity’s had just taken over a store we could see from the school’s front door. The connection was authentic; I shop there. Tons of our families shop there. We were asking the company to invest in kids who eat their food for dinner. Fortunately, Gerrity’s completely got it. They were eager to introduce themselves to the community, and identified with our vision of literacy and equity. (It didn’t hurt that the founder of the stores was once a teacher herself and goes by “Mom.”)

3. Offer the sponsor meaningful involvement.

We hung a banner above our fair that read “Everybody Reads Thanks to Gerrity’s the Fresh Grocer.” All the kids took their books home in bags that said the same thing. (Rest assured: All promo merch was either donated or purchased on deep discount. I hand-stamped the bags while watching TV at night.) The Gerrity’s team visited and toured our school on day one of the fair. And of course, we publicized their gift to our school families and our district at large.

4. Don’t be scared that Scholastic will be mad at you.

At first I wasn’t sure how my fair rep would feel about us taking on a corporate sponsor. When I felt it out, though, she was nothing but enthusiastic, and everyone I’ve talked to at the company since has been supportive.

In fact, Scholastic reps told me that if you own or work at a business or organization that wants to sponsor a fair, you can email fundafair@scholastic.com to have them match you with a high-need school. Last year, they matched donor organizations, including the Detroit Lions and the Scripps-Howard Foundation, with schools to host over 700 sponsored fairs like the ones Gerrity’s funded for us.

5. Hammer out a book buy strategy.

Gerrity’s was generous enough to commit $1,000 per fair to our school. That felt like a lot of runway, but since we’d never done this before, we puzzled: Should every kid get a free book, even the ones who brought money? What if we ran out? During these discussions, our principal reminded me of a core principle: Equity doesn't mean that everyone gets the same. It means that everyone gets what they need.

In the end, we settled on a sliding scale arrangement. The first two days of the fair were devoted to classroom shopping. During those trips, every child had to leave the fair with a book. If you brought money, whatever denomination it was went toward that book. Meaning: If you brought $20 and wanted a book that cost $14.99, you bought the book at full price and got your change. If you brought $5 and wanted a book that cost $14.99, our donated funds covered the difference. And if you brought nothing and wanted a book that cost $14.99, our donated funds purchased it outright. We sent a letter home prior to the fair explaining the new arrangement, and specifying that every kid would get a book, no matter what they brought. That way, any parent feeling particularly stretched that month could err on the side of not sending cash, or not sending more than they felt comfortable with.

6. Supplement your sponsorship with Scholastic Dollars.

I’m getting into the true Scholastic wonk stuff here, but stay with me. For most fairs, schools can take their profits in two ways: in Scholastic credit, or “Dollars,” or in cash. You can get more in Scholastic Dollars than you can get in cash, which is why many schools opt to take the Dollars and use them for various building needs — new library books, equipment and supplies, or even author visits. But Scholastic Dollars can also be spent right at the fair, and most of them don’t expire. They build up year to year.

So, if your school doesn’t typically need to use every Scholastic Dollar you make every year, it’s possible to build yourself a savings account that’s constantly refreshing. Spend Dollars at the fair, earn more Dollars at the fair. If banking those Dollars toward a great fair experience for all becomes a shared school priority, you may even get to a point where you don’t need a sponsor’s money.

7. Embrace the learning curve.

Was our first sponsored fair flawless? No. Some of the kids didn’t love that they had to get a book before buying other things, which I get. The smell of the gummy bear erasers intoxicates me, too. Sometimes people were confused by the sliding scale system. I understood that, too. It takes a minute to absorb, but I stand by the principle behind it: The book fair is a fundraiser. Every dollar spent there helps the school — and under this new model, it also helps to ensure that all kids get a book, indefinitely.

Frizzy retails for $12.99, but at various points during our fair, it also went for seven bucks, a dollar, and zero dollars, zero cents.

Of course, you can’t chase inequity out of the fair altogether. When the one-book days were over, those with the means to do so could still snap up sushi pens and fuzzy journals by the armful. But for the first time, every kid in our school came to the fair, and no one left empty-handed. Students shopped as classes — we’d never done that before — and they had long, leisurely visits. They browsed. They agonized: Bounce Back: Misako Rocks or The Tryout? (Having read them both, it’s a tough choice.) When they were ready with their selections, the students formed a single line. The transactions looked the same whether money changed hands or not.

Our top seller, Frizzy, a graphic novel about a Dominican-American girl’s hair journey, had to be restocked twice throughout the week. I was not surprised. It’s gorgeous, spunky, and lovingly rendered, from the heroine’s first prickles of “good hair” angst straight through to the moment her cool aunt guides her through her first wash day. Three days after our fair closed, Frizzy (written by Claribel A. Ortega, illustrated by Rose Bousamra) won the prestigious Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award, a yearly prize the ALA awards to a work of fiction that affirms Latino culture. Frizzy retails for $12.99, but at various points during our fair, it also went for seven bucks, a dollar, and zero dollars, zero cents. I would estimate it took less than $80 in donated funds to span the gap between no one in our school reading Frizzy and 20 different kids now owning it. At the fair, when students were done checking out but still waiting on their classmates, most of them sat right down on the linoleum and started reading. It was warming to see, but mostly it was a reminder of how little help kids need, when it comes to making magic.

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'1923' Season 2: Release Date, How To Watch, News

The Dutton family drama is far from over, folks. With the highly dramatic, cliff-hanging finale of 1923 Season 1 behind us, fans of the Yellowstone prequel series are already itching for more episodes — and Paramount+ and creator Taylor Sheridan are ready to deliver. While release date and plot details are scarce at the moment, here’s everything we know so far about 1923 Season 2.

Will 1923 return for Season 2?

Yes! Paramount+ announced in early February that 1923 has indeed been renewed for Season 2 and will return to Paramount+ in the near future. “There are more stories to tell… #1923TV will return for a second season,” the network revealed on Instagram.

1923 also reminded fans on Feb. 26, after the Season 1 finale, that a second season is indeed coming. “TFW you realize there's a season 2 of #1923TV,” the official 1923 Instagram page captioned a behind-the-scenes photo of Helen Mirren raising her arms.

What is 1923 about?

With Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren starring as Jacob and Cara Dutton leading operations at the Yellowstone ranch in Montana, 1923 takes place after the franchise’s first prequel, origin story series, 1883.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sheridan said that he chose to focus this series on the year 1923 because it was “a time of great drought, at a time of Prohibition, at a time of all this expansion — the Wild West was truly becoming a relevant center of resources.” He added that viewers also get to see “the children that we’ve met in 1883 attempting to raise another generation of Dutton.”

And it’s been a hit so far. In fact, the premiere episode of 1923 in December 2022 drew in a whopping 7.4 million viewers, according to Variety.

When will 1923 Season 2 premiere?

While filming for Season 2 of 1923 hasn’t started yet and no release date has been announced, the Wall Street Journal reports that production will begin in Spring 2023. And it’ll be a pricy venture. “Shooting on a second batch of eight episodes, with an estimated cost of $17 million each, is scheduled to start this spring,” the magazine reported, which added that Season 1 took about 10 months to write, film, and produce. If Season 2 follows a similar timeline, it could premiere in Winter 2023 or early Spring 2024.

It’s also unclear where exactly filming for Season 2 will take place — Season 1 filmed episodes not only in Montana, but also in South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, and Malta — but it will surely feature the same beautiful cinematic experience fans have come to expect from the Yellowstone franchise.

How many episodes will be in 1923 Season 2?

As with Season 1, the second season of 1923 will also include eight episodes. And we can most likely expect each one to be an hour-long mini movie, as Sheridan intended. “He’s produced a work of incredible ambition, scale, scope [and] cinematic ambition. Taylor thinks of each of these episodes as a one-hour movie,” Ford told The Hollywood Reporter in December 2022. “And that’s the product that we’re getting.”

Will the same 1923 cast return for Season 2?

The Season 1 finale appeared to hint that much of the ensemble cast will make it into 1923 Season 2. The first season stars Harrison Ford as patriarch Jacob Dutton and Helen Mirren as his wife Cara as well as Brandon Sklenar as Spencer Dutton, Julia Schlaepfer as Alexandra, Jerome Flynn as Banner Creighton, Darren Mann as Jack Dutton, James Badge Dale as John Dutton, Sr., Marley Shelton as Emma Dutton, Michelle Randolph as Elizabeth Strafford, Aminah Nieves as Teonna Rainwater, and many more.

Where can you watch 1923?

While several seasons of Yellowstone are also on Peacock, 1923 is only available to stream on Paramount+. But don’t worry, all eight episodes can be watched right now and as many times you as need until Season 2 premieres.

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Black-Owned Parenting Brands To Try For Gear & Toys

These Black-owned parenting and kid brands feature everything from shoes and teethers to breastfeeding gear and supplies.

View this story on Romper

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115 4-Letter Boy Names, From Trendy To Classic

They say big things come in small packages and I’m inclined to agree. That’s true not just of babies, but of baby names. Just a few letters can convey a lot of history, culture, meaning, and general vibes. That’s why there’s a list here of the best 4-letter boy names. Whether you have a long last name, prefer a short moniker, or are just looking for something that sounds right, there’s a lot of variety here. This list is organized by placing the names into different categories to help you narrow down your choices a bit! From classics to more modern trends, there’s something for everyone.

Nature-Inspired 4-Letter Boy Names

These 4-letter boy names draw inspiration from the elements, the world around us, animals, and the galaxy. So whether you love to get out in nature or just want to instill a love of the environment in your little one from the get-go, these names from around the world are beautiful, with a great mix of classic and unique.

• Adam (Hebrew; “earth”)
• Elio (Italian; “sun”)
• Linc (Old English; diminutive of Lincoln, “lake/pool colony”)
• Rhys (Welsh; “fire, ardent”)
• Abel (Hebrew; “breath, vapor”)
• Reef (English; “a ridge of rock, sand, or coral just beneath the surface of the ocean”)
• Yuze (Chinese; “rain, friend”)
• Yves (French; “yew”)
• Dean (Old English; “valley”)
• Knox (Scottish; “hill”)
• Ross (Scottish; “upland peninsula”)
• Beck (Old English; “stream”)
• Ravi (Sanskrit; “sun”)
• Adom (Ghanian from Hebrew; “man of the earth”)
• Nash (English; “by the ash tree”)
• Atid (Thai; “sun”)
• Colm (Irish; “dove”)
• Ford (English; “river crossing”)
• Dawa (Tibetan; “moon”)
• Elon (Hebrew; “oak tree”)
• Arlo (Old English; “fortified hill”)
• Lyon (French; “lion”)
• Oran (Irish; “little green one”)
• Esen (Turkish; “wind”/ Mongolian; “good health”)
• Rafe (English from Old Norse; “wise wolf, counsel of the wolf”)
• Wolf

Spiritual & Religious 4-Letter Boy Names

Some of these 4-letter boy names are inspired by religious figures from a variety of faith traditions while others just have deeply spiritual meanings

• Gabe (Hebrew; diminutive of Gabriel, “man of God”)
• Theo (Greek; “god”)
• Jose (Spanish; “God will give”)
• Zeke (Hebrew; diminutive of Ezekiel, “God strengthens”)
• Joel (Hebrew; “YWH is god”)
• Zion (Hebrew; “highest point” also a name for Jerusalem)
• Hans (German; “God has been gracious”)
• Bram (Dutch from Hebrew; diminutive of Abraham, “father of multitudes”)
• Jude (English from Hebrew; “praised, Jewish man”)
• Cruz (Spanish; “cross”)

Mythology-Inspired 4-Letter Boy Names

There’s a reason these stories have been with us for thousands of years — they resonate on a deep, sometimes primordial level, capturing something about our collective humanity that’s as true today as it was in, say, the days of Ancient Greece. Often, gods and heroes have very long names (who can forget that figure from Japanese folklore Jugemu-jugemu Gokōnosurikire Kaijarisuigyo-no Suigyōmatsu Unraimatsu Fūraimatsu Kūnerutokoroni-sumutokoro Yaburakōjino-burakōji Paipopaipo-paiponoshūringan Shūringanno-gūrindai Gūrindaino-ponpokopīno-ponpokonāno Chōkyūmeino-chōsuke), but others keep it short, sweet, and simple.

• Dion (Greek; “follower of Dionysus”)
• Odin (Old Norse; “raging, frenzied,” the name of the king of the gods in Norse mythology)
• Ajax (Greek; “eagle.” The name of a hero of the Trojan War)
• Loki (Old Norse; “airy,” the name of the Norse god of mischief)
• Thor (Old Norse; “thunder,” the name of Norse god of thunder and rain)
• Zeus (Greek; “sky, shine,” the king of the gods of Mount Olympus)
• Ares (Greek; “ruin, throng of battle,” the Greek god of war)

Warrior-Inspired 4-Letter Boy Names

A lot of 4-letter boy names denote a fighting spirit, probably since warriors were (and often still are) so respected in cultures around the world. These names are perfect for parents who strive to raise a little boy who is willing to stand up and fight for what’s right.

• Nick (Greek; diminiutive of Nicholas, “victory of the people”)
• Luis (Spanish from German; “famous warrior”)
• Milo (Slavic; “beloved”/German; “soldier, merciful”)
• Cain (Hebrew; “spear”)
• Mark (Latin; “consecrated to Mars, warlike”)
• A-wut (Thai; “weapon”)
• Liam (Irish from English from German; diminutive of William “protector”)
• Hank (English; dimunitive of Henry, “home ruler”)
• Ryan (Irish; “little king”)
• Owen (Welsh; “noble, youthful”)
• Eric (Old Norse; “forever ruler”)
• Lars (Scandinavian from Latin; “crowned with laurel”)
• Enzo (Italian; diminutive of Lorenzo “home ruler”)
• Leif (Scandinavian; “heir”)
• Ewan (Scottish; uncertain, possibly “warrior,” “well born,” or “of the mountain” or “yew tree”)
• Nico (Italian; “victory of the people”)
• Amir (Arabic; “prince”)
• Duke (English from French; the highest nobility title within British peerage)
• Khan (Mongolian; “warrior king, military ruler”)

Sweet 4-Letter Boy Names

These names all convey some characteristic or trait that any parent would be proud to have embodied in their little boy, from good looks to humility, honesty to happiness. These truly sweet meanings are all worth exploring.

• Zane (Arabic; “beauty, grace”)
• Aldo (Italian; “wise and noble”)
• Thad (Aramaic; “courageous”/ Greek; “god’s gift”)
• Noah (Hebrew; “rest, repose”)
• Ezra (Hebrew; “helpful, helper”)
• Levi (Hebrew; “joined together”)
• Luca (Italian; “bringer of light”)
• Omar (Arabic; “flourishing, long-lived”)
• Desi (Spanish; “desired one”)
• Paul (Latin; “humble”)
• Femi (Yoruba; “love me”)
• Gage (French; “pledge, oath”)
• Emil (Latin; “rival, to excel”/ French; “eager”)
• Idir (Tamazite; “alive”)
• Hugh (English; “mind, intellect”)
• Beau (French; “handsome”)
• Bash (American; diminutive of Sebastian, “venerable”)
• Dayo (Yoruba; “joy arrives”)
• Nero (Latin; “stern”)
• Sage (Latin; “wise”)
• Otto (German; “wealth, prosperity”)
• Alem (Arabic; “wise man”)
• Zuko (Xhosa; “glory”)
• Alan (Gaelic; “handsome, cheerful”)
• Miro (Slavic; “peace, world”)
• Batu (Mongolian; “firm, loyal”/ Turkish; “prevailing”)
• Gang (Chinese; “hard, unyielding”)

Trendy 4-Letter Boy Names

The word “trendy” sometimes gets a bad rap when it comes to baby naming... but why? Who cares if a name doesn’t stay popular in the charts for decades? That doesn’t mean it’s not a great name! Here are some 4-letter boy names that have been trending lately.

• Cash (English: “hollow, chest maker”)
• Cian (Irish; “ancient”)
• Ever (English; “always”)
• Grey (English; referring to the color)
• Finn (Irish; “fair”)
• Dash (Scottish from French; unclear, possibly “young man”)
• Seth (Hebrew; “appointed”)
• Jace (Greek; diminutive of Jason “healer”/ Hebrew: “the lord of salvation”)
• Evan (Welsh; “the lord is gracious”)
• Reid (English; “red headed”)
• Xavi (Basque and Spanish; diminutive of Xavier, “the new house”)
• Wynn (Old English; “friend”)
• Remy (French; “oarsman”)
• Axel (Scandinavian from Hebrew; “my father is peace”)

Timeless 4-Letter Boy Names

And of course, on the opposite side of trendy are the names that are perpetually in the top 100 baby names (or 20 or 10) with good reason. Not only are these names classic and full of tradition and history, they also might be a great way to honor an ancestor or older relative.

• John (English from Hebrew; “God is gracious”)
• Will (English from German; diminutive of William, “protector”)
• Luke (Latin from Greek; “light-bringing”)
• Jack (English; diminutive of John, “God is gracious”)
• Sean (Irish; “God is gracious”)
• Jake (English from Hebrew; diminutive of Jacob, “supplanter”)
• Ivan (Russian; “God is gracious”)
• Alex (Greek; diminutive of Alexander, “defender of mankind”)
• Chin (Chinese; “money, ancient”)
• Kofi (Ghanian; “born on a Friday”)
• Hiro (Japanese; “abundant, prosperous”)
• Saro (Ogoni; “first son”)

115 names feels like a good place to start when choosing a 4-letter boy name. From trendy to classic to everything in between, there are plenty of gorgeous, short boy names for your little guy.

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These Wooden Climbing Toys Blend Seamlessly Into Your Home — & They’re Absolutely Worth The Price Tag

As a parent to three children under the age of 7, I’ve learned that the age-old colloquialism “to see the world through a child’s eyes” is not just a matter of speaking. When I look at a couch, I see a piece of furniture that I might get to lounge on with a glass of wine at the end of the day. When my 2-year-old looks at that same couch, he sees a mountain that must be summited. When my 5-year-old sees that couch, the back is a balance beam that must be walked. The 7-year-old? Yeah, she’s launching herself off it because all that energy has to go somewhere. Of course, with these different viewpoints comes slightly different risk levels. That’s why I was thrilled to hear about Piccalio’s Climber Pikler Triangle, an aesthetically pleasing climbing toy that not only promises to get all that climbing out in a safe way, but to also blend in seamlessly with existing home decor. (And spoiler alert: Piccalio has other wooden toys that are about to level up your play space too.)

Climber | Pikler Triangle Set

Piccalio

What Sets The Pikler Triangle Set Apart?

The Pros:

While there is certainly no shortage of kids’ climbing toys on the market, they tend to fall into two categories: First, the cheap, plastic kind that looks pretty cringe-y and gets all staticky when kids play on it. Then you have the high-end climbing toys that are gorgeous, Montessori-inspired, and totally Pinterest-y, but along with their massive price tags, they also have a massive footprint. Unless you’re living in a manse, how do you have room for them? That’s why Piccalio’s Pikler triangle set is the answer to so many parents’ prayers: It’s sleek, safe, and relatively small. It measures 27.5 x 36.5 x 30.5 inches (W x D x H) — and it folds up to just 6 inches, so you can slide that baby into a closet or under a bed without breaking a sweat.

The set features a triangle to climb plus a reversible rock-climbing ladder that you can flip into a slide. Your kid can scale it, slide down it, crawl under it, and even use it as a fort — all the while working on gross motor skills. It’s made of quality pine wood that promises to last through years of use (maybe even generations).

The Cons:

The big con here is that it’s pricey. If you have more than one kid, and you know they’ll both use this for years, does it amortize out to be worth the upfront cost? IMHO, yes.

There’s also some assembly required, which depending on how well you know your way around a tool set, may or may not be an issue. It’s also designed for indoor-use only, so it won’t work overtime as a climber for warm-weather fun out in the yard.

The Specs:

• Recommended Age: 6 months to 6 years
• Max Weight Limit: 132 pounds
• Dimensions: 27.5 x 36.5 x 30.5 inches (W x D x H)
• Made From: Birch plywood and pine
• Care: Wipes clean using a damp cloth

The Reviews:

“Easy to assemble and sturdy. So far it has proven to be a great entertainment and skill learning set. It was a big hit with a one year old who loves to climb and explore. Great for developing motor skills and strength.” - John V.

“We bought this as a gift for a one-year-old who loves to climb. It's the perfect size and wonderful quality. It was shipped the morning I purchased it! His older brother is enjoying it too and I know he will enjoy it for years. Thank you!” - Irene

“Absolutely gorgeous and easy to put together! Love it!! Feels very solid.” - Kelly

Climber | Pikler Triangle Set

Piccalio

More Products From Piccalio:

Surfer | Balance Board

PIccalio

Sometimes it’s the simplest toys that are the most fun; kids just seem to get that their imagination can take the lead with a toy like Piccalio’s Surfer Balance Board. Sure, it’s a balance board, but it’s also a slide, a boat, a bridge, a fort, a seat, and so much more. This board also holds a surprising amount of weight — up to 200 pounds — so it’s sturdy enough for a few kiddos (or, ahem, maybe even a parent). This board also strengthens developmental milestones such as balance, gross motor skills, and creativity with its open-ended, imaginative potential.

It’s hard to find a con with this balance board. Like the other toys in Piccalio’s collection, this one shouldn’t be exposed to wet conditions and is made for indoor use only. That’s not exactly a downside, though, more of an FYI.

The Specs

• Recommended Age: 12 months to 6 years
• Max Weight Limit: 200 pounds
• Dimensions: 12 x 32 x 7.5 inches (W x L x H)
• Made From: Beech hardwood and finished with non-toxic varnish
• Care: Wipes clean using a damp cloth

The Reviews

“Purchased this for our 1 year old grandson. He LOVES playing on it, under it and over it. Hasn't even discovered rocking it yet. Very impressed with the versatility and quality. As a retired pediatric occupational therapist, I'm so happy with this purchase!” — Mary B.

“After a pretty epic Xmas with toys they absolutely loved, my 5 year old proclaimed to me that this was in fact his favorite and something he planned to have until he's a grown up. They're super durable and there seems to be a million different use-cases for them with creative kid's minds.” — Sarah

“My 3 year old niece was very excited to receive as a Christmas gift. Went over well with parents as well, received several comments on the great quality of the item. Beautiful color!” — Colleen

Acrobat | Balance Beam

Piccalio

You know that 5-year-old I mentioned who likes to walk the couch balance beam? This seems like a much safer bet. Low to the ground and endlessly configurable, this Montessori-inspired low balance beam has four beams and five connectors that can be arranged into a multitude of shapes. The beam is meant to inspire kids to engage in full-body movement and stretching, and it’s especially great for children who recently learned to walk because it’s built so low. It’s also intended to help with balance, motor skill development, and creativity — hence the Montessori influence. Plus, the beam also happens to double as a pretty cool highway for toy cars.

It’s noteworthy that a few reviewers mentioned that the only flaw they noticed was that the beam, being fairly lightweight, slid around somewhat. It might be a good idea to purchase grip pads to put on the bottom to ensure the beams don’t slide around too much.

• Recommended Age: 12 months to 8 years
• Max Weight Limit: 100 pounds
• Dimensions: Individual beams are 28 x 3.5 (L x W) each; total length of all four beams is 9 feet, 4 inches
• Made From: Beech hardwood and finished with non-toxic varnish
• Care: Wipes clean using a damp cloth

The Reviews

“Daughter loves it and had already found so many ways to play with it, on it, sit her bears on it etc. we live in a city apartment with limited space and this is very convenient to store as well.” — Daniella P.

“Very well made, easy to put together and a lot of fun! It came pre drilled and everything I need to put it together. It even had extra hardware just in case. Because it is so lightweight, I would suggest putting some kind of rubber grips on the bottom.” — Melissa M.

“So much fun. My daughter absolutely loves this balance beam. We bought it with the floor circles and it is endless fun.” — Becky

Mini Chef Convertible | Helper Tower

Piccalio

This helper tower seems destined to become an indispensable part of kitchen life. Young ones are usually eager to help out in the kitchen, and this tower is a safe way for them to do just that. Whether they’re helping to prepare an afternoon snack or doing a science experiment, this helper tower also converts into a table where your toddler can sit and eat. Versatile in where it can live, the tower comes in equally handy for activity in laundry rooms or bathrooms.

Something that sets this learning tower apart from Piccalio’s other pieces are the four color choices it’s available in — a nice feature for choosing the color that best matches your home.

Learning towers are recommended by pediatricians to help kids hone their independence and satisfy their natural curiosity. While it may be costlier than its plastic counterpart, Piccalio’s helper tower is priced comparably to other wood towers on the market — and it’s built to last.

The Specs:

• Recommended Age: 12 months to 6 years
• Max Weight Limit: 175 pounds
• Dimensions: Tower: 16 x 16 x 36 inches (W x L x H); Table: 16 x 36 x 17 inches (W x L x H)

The Reviews

“My daughter (and I) LOVE this tower!! It arrived quickly and was easy to assemble. She happily stands on it while I make dinner and clean up, and loves to help and watch.” — Casey S.

“My son just turned 1 and loves being able to see and participate in the daily activities happening at the kitchen counter. He is still getting the hang of climbing in and out unassisted. I wish the platform was adjustable but I know he will grow into it as he gets taller in the coming months/year.” — Kylie K.

“My daughter beams with joy now in the kitchen as she is involved and can see what is happening on the counters. We definitely use it more as a kitchen tower but the flexibility to change to table and bench is perfect for our small space.” — Margret M.

Shop The Story

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Acrobat | Balance Beam

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Mini Chef Convertible | Helper Tower

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