Kids - Cool Mom Picks

Barbie’s Inspiring Women collection of dolls make the best gifts. (And not just for girls)

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...

Cool non-candy Halloween gift for a cynical tween or teen? Reader Q & A

by Liz Gumbinner | Kids

When Lisa asked us for cool non-candy Halloween gift ideas for her tween/teen nieces and nephews, I was on the case! I checked with my own Halloween-loving but decidedly…particular tween and teen to see what kinds of things they would think are cool. I mean, of...

Why it’s important to talk to your kids about religion (even if you’re not religious): 3 books to help guide your conversation

by Cool Mom Staff | Books for Kids

As a full-time religious studies professor for the past fifteen years, I’ve lost track of how many fellow parents have asked for recommendations when their kids started asking questions about religion. While evangelical Christians and other religious “insiders” tend...

12 awesome kids and baby Halloween costumes made with pajamas. Comfy, easy and cool.

by Kate Etue | Baby, DIY, Kids

For years, I’ve had tons of fun using plain pajama sets — like the ones you can find at Primary or Hanna Andersson — as the base for my kids’ Halloween costumes. With some head-to-toe monochromatic pajamas, all I’ve had to do is add some...

Chance Basketballs give every move on the court more style. But that’s not all they do.

by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings

Looking for a fabulous gift for an athletic kid this year? I’ve got you! Whether your teen can hit a three-point shot from half court, or your grade schooler is still trying to fling the ball high enough to touch the net, the next Lebron James or Sue Bird will...

Want to win $1000 cash? Or gift cards? One of our readers will this week and it might as well be you.

by Cool Mom Staff | Baby, Kids

So here’s something amazing — a Cool Mom Picks reader, and only a Cool Mom Picks reader (or social media follower or email subscriber) is going to win $1000 by the end of the week. Right now you’re thinking…wha-aaa? So let’s back up a...

The Schitt’s Creek Monopoly game is simply the best… at least as far as Monopoly games go.

by Kristen Chase | Entertainment + Media, Toys + Playthings

If you’ve been missing your “Ew, David!” fix, or Moira’s capacious vocabulary (see what I did there?), I give you the ultimate family game night board game: The brand new Schitt’s Creek Monopoly game. Let’s just say that if you are...

From Elle Woods to Fresh Prince: 12 of the best 90s Halloween costumes for kids

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...

How Ada Twist, Scientist is making STEM more accessible to girls | Spawned Episode 253

by Kristen Chase | Books for Kids, Entertainment + Media, Podcast

In a very exciting first for Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we chat with aerospace engineer, Keji Sojobi, who is a part of the new book-to-TV adaptation of the very popular Ada Twist, Scientist. We love how she’s working to make STEM more accessible to girls,...

The inspiring women of Fisher Price’s Little People. Yes, you read that correctly.

by Caroline Siegrist | Toys + Playthings

I’m already looking for ways to introduce my kids to inspiring women of history, and while we have tons of books on the subject of remarkable, inpspiring women, I love that Fisher Price’s iconic Little People is out today with two new sets of all-star,...

The best new parent advice from 9 of the smartest, most insightful parent bloggers we know

by Cool Mom Staff | Baby, Kids, Tips + Tricks

In addition to the hilarious bad parenting advice we once received, and the advice we wish we knew when our kids were babies, we’re so grateful to be able to share some of the best advice from some of the most wonderful, caring, helpful parents we know. You...

Why it’s important for kids to read diverse books, with author Meena Harris | Spawned Ep 251

by Kristen Chase | Books for Kids, Doing Good, Podcast

With the recent news of the York Central School District book ban (only just a few hours from where Kristen lives, by the way), we thought it was important to re-share this amazing episode with the delightful, brilliant Meena Harris. She’s an activist,...

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).

We still love what we do every single day. And we're so glad you're here.