DIY Archives | Cool Mom Picks

This brilliant mask self-portrait art project is one every teacher needs to assign before school starts.

This back to school season will be different from any we’ve seen, because no one knows what the heck fall will look like regarding COVID. Let alone next week. What we do know however, is that kids will be (and should be!) wearing masks in public, whether...

8 homemade Father’s Day cards from the kids. Keep tissues nearby. | Father’s Day Gifts 2020

by Christina Refford | DIY, Father's Day Gifts

Homemade Father’s Day cards are so perfect, whether they’re from kids old enough to manage their own craft supplies, or you know, “from the baby.” In fact we all feel like a homemade card should be part of any Father’s Day gift...

Crayola introduces Colors of the World crayons with 24 gorgeous skin tones in every box.

by Christina Refford | DIY, Doing Good, Toys + Playthings

There’s so much in the news right now, you might have missed that today is International Diversity Day. (Not that every day shouldn’t be International Diversity Day but that’s another story.) Which makes this the perfect day for Crayola to announce...

11 easy Father’s Day crafts for kids that celebrate #1 dads, rock star dads, and superhero dads. | Father’s Day Gift Guide

by Christina Refford | DIY, Father's Day Gifts

As we look for the best Father’s Day crafts for kids to make for their dads, grandpas and stepdads as part of our annual Father’s Day Gift Guide, one thing becomes evident: While not all dads have mustaches, or wear neck ties, or play golf or like bacon,...

These custom photo paint-by-number art kits are the coolest gift of the summer

by Kate Etue | DIY

We’ve played countless rounds of cards and assembled literally thousands of puzzle pieces lately, but our new favorite obsession in my house has been paint-by-number kits. So when I discovered these custom photo paint-by-number art kits on beautiful canvases...

15 easy recycled Mother’s Day gifts your kids can make from stuff you have right at home | Mother’s Day Gift Guide

by Christina Refford | DIY, Mother's Day Gifts

On Mother’s Day for the past few years, I’ve always loved my kids’ homemade gifts and cards most of all. But, this year, I don’t want my family to worry about shopping for craft supplies to make, or to have to go anywhere to buy me something....

8 creative ways to thank our teachers during a very different Teacher Appreciation Week

by Christina Refford | DIY, School Gear

If there is any year we should all be making sure we send an extra thank you to our favorite teachers, it’s this one. They’re reimagining their entire spring curriculum so that kids can continue to learn from home, they’re getting up to speed on...

10 ways to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with kids, safely at home.

by Christina Refford | DIY, Doing Good

Readers have asked us for ways to celebrate Earth Day with the kids while we’re all sheltering in place right now and I have to be honest — with all of the days starting to run together while we’re in quarantine, the holiday kind of snuck up on me...

4 colorful DIY crafts from Joy Cho to inspire curiosity in your kids

by Liz Gumbinner | DIY

I recently had such a great podcast discussion with Joy Cho of Oh Joy! Design Studio, about ways to encourage creativity in kids. Now more than ever, we’re all looking for ways to keep our kids engaged, and for those of you with little ones at home, I really...

How families are making Easter special for the kids this year: 7 ideas from our readers

by Christina Refford | DIY, Kids

No matter how you celebrate Easter with your kids, things are going to be different this year during quarantine. There will be no town-wide Easter egg hunts or photos with the Easter Bunny at the mall. Church services, if you attend, will be virtual, and big family...

The world’s easiest DIY face mask tutorial, no sewing required.

by Liz Gumbinner | DIY, Health, Fitness + Wellbeing

I have spent the past week grappling with whether or not to make my own face mask and upgrade from the bandana I’ve been wearing over my mouth and nose when I head out for groceries. The thing is, I don’t sew. This post last updated April 6 with new...

Lincoln Center at Home offers the most amazing art classes and concerts for kids. Free! From home!

by Kate Etue | DIY, Entertainment + Media

Even those of us who are seasoned homeschoolers are feeling a little frazzled about how to fill our kids’ long, uninterrupted days at home right now. But I’ve loved the way our artist community has come out to support our kids and families in so many ways...

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, more meaningful, and more fun for parents of all kinds.

Trivia: It was called Cool Mom Sh*t for the first two days. (Yeah, we rethought that.)

We had no idea our site would grow to become a major lifestyle network, that we'd end up sharing our finds with the TODAY Show and Martha Stewart, that we'd be able to make a real difference for so many small businesses and women-run companies, or that we'd end up with an incredible community of the coolest readers on the planet. (If we do say so ourselves).