Party Ideas Archives | Cool Mom Picks

We tried the first LED string lights with mosquito repellent built right in. How did we live without these?

I’m all about outdoor entertaining in the summertime — especially this year — except the one thing that hasn’t gone away are the mosquitos. Nothing kills a mood quite like your guests all slapping at themselves while trying to talk one another....

5 clever and safer ways to blow out birthday candles during Covid-19

by Christina Refford | Party Ideas, Tips + Tricks

I saw a recent Twitter thread that asked about all the things we may never go back to since COVID-19: Eating from a buffet. Trying on makeup samples. Shaking hands. And one that comes up time and again is that time-honored tradition of blowing out the candles on a...

New Year’s Eve at home with the kids: These 13 festive (and easy!) ideas can make the night memorable.

by Kate Etue | Party Ideas, Tips + Tricks

New Year’s Eve at home with the kids isn’t a new idea for this year. In general, New Year’s Eve parties for parents are more about trying our very best to stay up till midnight (though 10 PM is more like it) and drinking sparkling cider with our kids...

Safe trick-or-treat alternatives for a very 2020 Halloween. It can still be fun, promise!

by Liz Gumbinner | Entertainment + Media, Kids, Party Ideas, Tips + Tricks

It’s official: I’m writing about safe trick-or-treat alternatives after weeks of putting it off. The CDC has even officially recommended against trick-or-treating during COVID-19, at least in the traditional way, and oof. I need some safe trick-or-treat...

Kids and birthdays in the age of Covid: The loss is real. | Spawned Ep 210

by Cool Mom Staff | Party Ideas, Podcast

One of our most popular posts of the past few months has been this list of social distancing birthday ideas for kids during COVID-19. And the more it’s been clear that Covid isn’t just a few-weeks-and-it’s-over-kind of thing, we’re now at the...

These are the 5 fun card games for kids that our family is loving right now. Ready to change things up?

by Kate Etue | Kids, Party Ideas, Toys + Playthings

We’ve all had a lot of (ahem) together time recently, and we’re honestly starting to get a bit bored the same board games. There’s only so many rounds of Apples to Apples I can play before it’s not so funny anymore. So lately, we’ve...

7 special graduation ideas during Covid-19 for your 2020 grad. They deserve it!

by Christina Refford | Party Ideas, Tips + Tricks

Our Facebook groups have been asking for graduation ideas during Covid-19 and quarantine, and as a mom to a rising senior, and a high school grad last year, my heart goes out to all the 2020 grads. While school kids everywhere have had their lives and routines upended...

Birthday parties in the age of quarantine: We love these social distance birthday party ideas that make the day special no matter what

by Kate Etue | Party Ideas, Tips + Tricks

My son turned 10 this month, and I have to admit, it was a bit of a bummer birthday. He had a great attitude and enjoyed some chocolate cake, but with the current quarantine and social distancing guidelines, his party was cancelled and his friends weren’t able...

Easy ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the kids, without leaving the house

by Christina Refford | Party Ideas

With so much uncertainty around us right now, I understand that many of us may be feeling pretty determined to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the kids as normally as possible. . .especially since we now have SO MUCH TIME TOGETHER with them. And, luckily, there...

Birthdays with older kids: Isn’t it great when they don’t want a party? | Spawned ep. 165

by Cool Mom Staff | Party Ideas, Podcast

With the launch of our brand new Ultimate Birthday Gift Guide (you’ve already browsed around, right? Right? Right?) we’ve got birthdays on the brain! And we realized that wow, lots of things change with birthday celebrations once your kids get a little...

3 different ways to make DIY balloon arches for your next party. Make your entrance!

by Caroline Siegrist | DIY, Party Ideas

Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of gorgeous DIY balloon arches in my Instagram feed that have me inspired to figure out how to try my own. And after sleuthing around for tips from my favorite craft bloggers, I’ve discovered that it’s actually totally...

7 crazy lawn sprinklers that will get your kids outside all summer long.

by Kate Etue | Party Ideas, Toys + Playthings

We have found some of the OMG, craziest, fun lawn sprinklers for kids this summer, because come on, don’t you need more silly, crazy fun in your life? We know we do. With one initial investment (ranging from small to oof in the options we’ve found), your...

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.