We're board game freaks around my place, and now that I have kids old enough to play, we usually have game night at least once a week. That is, if we have all the pieces to them these days. Well hallelujah for a new event that's letting …
As a homeschooling mom, my kids know that I'm often trying to sneak learning moments into our day . Unfortunately, they are now old enough to resist my attempts to shove some factoids down their throats; often they aren't trying to be me…
Just when I thought my daughter had sort of outgrown the wand phase, a few days ago I watched her snatch up a tulle covered one and attempt to pawn off a pointer to her younger friend. You can be the " teacher fairy " , she said. Not bad…
I can't even walk into a sprawling, mega-selection toy store without breaking into a sweat. Oh sure, they may carry some of the brands I love, or even have an organic stuffed toy tucked into a corner, but I have to weed through so many t…
Every month, each of the CMP contributors pick our favorite pick of the month and write a quick blurb on it for our monthly newsletter . Out of dozens of amazing posts in September, four of us nearly had a cage match over who got to sque…
I want to give a hand to WeeKnit on Etsy: they've brought together the coolest collection of finger puppets I've ever seen. Where else can you find a vampire, a mummy, Frankenstein, a pirate, and a ninja in one place? And would that not …
The list of things my 3-year-old daughter doesn't love is a lot shorter than the list of things she does. But if there's one thing she digs more than anything else right now, it's dolls. Specifically, dolls to whom she can assign the per…
Though I have a six-year-old son, I have somehow avoided those plastic transforming toys that are supposed to go from a car or a truck to a robot, though I can never get them to look like either one. But avoid a block of wood that transf…
Here at CMP, we love the thrill of bringing you something new and exciting-- from gummi bear chandeliers to faux fur blackboards and the practical, super-cool stuff in between. And we really, really love it when one of our picks starts o…
My kids are all puzzle fans, as evidenced by the thousands of cardboard and wooden pieces strewn about my floor at any given time of the day. But we've yet to see anything like the new multiple solution shape puzzles from one of our fave…
In a house full of girls, my son is used to playing with pink ponies and pretty castles. Really, I'm all for it. But it is nice to find pretend play toys that are a little more gender neutral too. The eco-friendly castle tower from Imagi…
My kids really love their stuffed animals, but not knowing what the heck most of these piles of fur are made of, I kind of wish they'd love them a little less. And after seeing a new organic line of plush toys that is not only safe for a…
When I saw these LEGO Man crayons . I fell in love. I'm not sure what to do with them exactly, but that's never stopped me from loving an item (or some men) before. I'm thinking party favors, a new big brother/sister gift for a toddler ,…
I'm not going to lie to you: When I opened the Morph-O-Scopes Kit box my daughter received for her birthday one year, I was unimpressed. Some crayons. A shiny cup. And a bunch of coloring pages with a hole in the center, the images all s…
CMP loves to turn ABC into ROFL, and we are totally digging on these XYZ Blocks by Fred & Friends. They stack, tumble, and teach letters just as well as more traditional blocks, but they're beautiful, unusual, and entertaining, too. E is…
D anielle asked us on Twitter for the best birthday gift ideas for a 5 year old boy, since her son is about to hit the big number five. She says he likes "things that go" but already has 400 cars. He also likes art projects and writing n…
Today I was so desperate for a new project to pull the tiny whiners off my knees that I gave them a huge cardboard box and some Sharpies. They ended up just stomping on the bubble wrap inside, much to my headache's eternal sadness. But i…
My kids are in that nightlight phase right now. (They're also in a Silly Bandz phase, a make me a sandwich and then I won't eat it phase, and a fighting about who gets to drink out of which princess cup phase. But that's besides the poin…
There's nothing like finally taking that summer vacation and then getting stuck in the hotel while the skies rain down on your plans. To save us from extreme hotel ennui, I make sure we take along a few easy-to-pack games to help us pass…
My nieces and nephews from Israel are on their way visit grandparents. My 2 year old son will probably not have a chance to visit but would like to send something to them while they are here. Any ideas for a gift to help entertain the 2 …
Almost every day, we drive by a castle. No, really-- it's in a field near our house, and the moat is a swimming pool, and the iron fence is guarded by concrete dwarves painted in garish colors. I can't make stuff like that up. "Mommy, ca…
Maybe toddlers shouldn't fish. I remember thinking this as I watched my 3-year-old niece clutch a big fishing pole while my husband tried to keep her from falling into the deep dark water or skewer him with the sharp fishing hook that wa…
If my kids are any indication, Stickermania may in fact be an actual medical condition. It strikes kids between 2 and 3, can last as long as a decade, and side effects may include weak and broken nails--your own--after scraping stickers …
When I was pregnant with my first daughter, now six, rattles that were actually cute, functional, and not made completely of plastic were just starting to make it onto the scene. Well it seems that now cuteness and a bit of hilarity abou…