Empowering Teens, One Showtune at a Time

Empowering Teens, One Showtune at a Time

by | Doing Good

One of the coolest and most underrated nonprofits I know is City at Peace, which uses performing arts as a way of promoting positive development in urban teens. They bring together a diverse group of kids for a year, during which time they mine their lives for stories...
Fill it with Yen

Fill it with Yen

by | Kids

Lately I’ve been on the lookout for a cute little change purse that I can toss into my diaper bag when I head out to the playground; something lighter than the eight-ton monstrosity known as my busting-at-the-seams wallet, and slightly more impervious to leaky...
Who Needs Paper?

Who Needs Paper?

by | Toys + Playthings

My daughter has recently discovered the wonderful world of coloring. You name it- she isdrawing on it, and sadly, it’s rarely on actual paper. So instead of squashing her inner artiste, I’m thinking a Chalkboard Table from Sparkability might be just the...
Cool Cats, No Hairballs

Cool Cats, No Hairballs

by | Cards + Stationery

I don’t entirely understand all the ducks and lambs and barnyard animals on children’s stationery. I mean in my urban neck of the woods, where does a child even see any of those things, let alone grow to love them? ‘Round these parts, it’s all...
Buggin’ Out

Buggin’ Out

by | Art + Decor

Lots of kids go bonkers for bugs. But if you’re like me, you’d rather not be collecting those winged suckers in your house, thankyouverymuch. You can keep nature outside and still enable your child to explore the intricacies of living things, with the...
Now It’s Easy Bein’ Green

Now It’s Easy Bein’ Green

by | Kids

We here at Cool Mom Picks are all about being kind to the environment. But trying to live that way can be a challenge, particularly in you live in a not-so-green state like I do. I’m so glad I found Emerald Market, a new shopping blog from Karen Walrond (of...
Reversible Can Be Cool, I Promise

Reversible Can Be Cool, I Promise

by | Kids

I have to admit that I haven’t had much success with reversible stuff. I mean, sure, it’s great in theory. Butit always seems like one side is way better than the other, and that just sort of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it? This is not the case...
These Pants Were Made For Crawling

These Pants Were Made For Crawling

by | Baby, Kid Style

Trade my gorgeous hardwood floors for wall-to-wall? No chance. Fortunately I’ve been alerted to crawling pants. No, I’m not kidding. Crawling pants. Pants. Just for crawling. These inventive and thoughtfully constructed toddler trousers from mom Tammany...
Better Than Cucumbers

Better Than Cucumbers

by | Random Coolness

As if I don’t have a hard enough time falling asleep already, I am constantly dealing with my night-owl neighbors whose bright kitchen light shines right into our bedroom window.Tying to avoid any neighborly conflicts, I’m thinking of scoring an eye pillow...