by Caroline Siegrist | Holiday Picks
With big holiday dinners back on the menu this year, I was thrilled to discover this cool color-your-own Thanksgiving activity tablecloth at Tiny Expressions. It’s full of activities for kids — like word searches, tic-tac-toe, and ample coloring...
by Liz Gumbinner | Holiday Picks
With Hanukkah coming up November 28, it’s time to share some of the best Hanukkah gifts for kids in 2021 — that actually are Hanukkah gifts. And yes, that’s November 28. As in this month! While it’s not quite the Thanksgivukkah madness we went...
by Cool Mom Staff | Holiday Picks, Living, Thinking : Parent
Diwali. Being the light we share. Guest contributor: Nirasha Kumar Growing up as a minority in South Africa, living under an Apartheid regime, I was forced to live only with people who looked like me, That meant that for me, the spirit of Diwali was merely going along...
by Liz Gumbinner | Holiday Picks, Toys + Playthings
I want to be cynical, because you know, Barbie, but something moves me about the new Barbie Inspiring Women set of collector’s dolls that I stumbled on last night as I browsed the Target site. To think that in my childhood, Barbie was…well, Barbie, and now...
by Caroline Siegrist | Holiday Picks, Kids, Party Ideas
For my fellow millennial parents who need a laugh, I present these hilarious 90s throwback Halloween costumes for kids, all inspired by the decade of our misspent youth. We’ve got Fresh Prince! Wayne’s World! Clueless! As if… you couldn’t tell...
by Caroline Siegrist | Holiday Picks
Whether the Christmas season is a stressful time for you or a glorious season of joy, I believe with all my heart that it will be infinitely improved with this Dolly Parton Advent calendar Yes, a Dolly Parton Advent calendar! The very thing we didn’t know we...
by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, School Gear
When we look for cool backpacks for teens, it’s not enough for them to just be, you know, cool. As kids head to middle school or high school— especially after a whole year at home more or less (sigh) — they need bigger, sturdier backpacks, better shoulder...
by Kate Etue | Back to School Shopping, School Gear
For some of our kids, the wait for this school year has been two-years long. They are seriously geeking out over school supplies, starting with the quest for the perfect backpack. For those kids who are headed to preschool or kindergarten for the first time this year,...
by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, Tips + Tricks
With back to school coming up, I’m sharing some of my favorite personalized label ideas to help keep you organized, keep you sane, save you money (whoo!) and even keep the peace. Hey, parents of more than one kid! You know what I’m talking about. We have...
by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, School Gear
Each year, in our annual back to school shopping guide, we always love tracking down those cool lunch box accessories, water bottles, bentos, and other fun goodies that help make opening that same old lunch box every day a little more special. Only last year… we...
by Kate Etue | Back to School Shopping, School Gear
It’s kind of amazing that we’re searching for the best small appliances for dorm rooms these days — with our own teens in mind! It’s like we blinked and our team went from back to school shopping for preschool backpacks to sending some of our...
by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, School Gear
Hi Cool Mom Picks, I know you’ve tested so many lunch boxes every year and I was hoping you could tell me what you think really are the best lunch boxes. I want something I don’t have to get rid of at the end of every year! And it should be sturdy and...