I love teaching my children about different cultures and how to appreciate the beauty of family traditions . This lesson is most important around the holidays. There is a Christmas tree on every corner, sometimes with a Hanukkah menorah …
I hate the feeling of cold feet -- yuck! -- but my kids must not mind because they kick off their slippers at the slightest provocation, freezing floors be damned. Kids! They just don't appreciate cozy toes. Or baths. Or naps. (Silly chi…
Though my religious affiliation can best be summed up with a long puzzled silence, there are certain things from my youth that I carry with me to this day, like praying when the plane jets down the runway, and setting up the nativity sce…
My kids fell in love with Anamalz right away. Not so much because they were made out of eco-friendly, organic wood and textiles by a super cool Australian company. But because of all the reasons kids like toys--they're cute. And they're …
I feel like, every fall, I end up on on a mission to find handmade sweaters and other goodies that have that little extra bit of TLC knitted in. You know, like someone made them just for my kids Robbie Carmack of RCforkids is pretty much…
We're honored to be working with our sponsor the American Cancer Society , who's doing such good work in ensuring that all of us continue to have many more birthdays. My mom hit the big 60 birthday milestone last year (don't kill me for …
Looking for a gift this holiday season that won't take up any more space in the playroom? How about some practical and functional items for your little ones to call all their own? Artist Mayi Carles has a full line of pieces that you can…
When we find something as smart and cool as the magnetic blocks by Tegu, we keep an eye out for whatever they come up with next, because we know it's going to knock our socks off. This time, they're knocking our blocks off by adding--- d…
Let's face it people, good Hanukkah items are hard to come by. Fortunately Emily Sper, creator of those clever Hanukkah activity books is back and I'm especially pleased to find a fresh pick from her for 5772. Emily' new collection of Ha…
We have a thing for Zappos . A big, hard, mad love kind of a thing. So we were thrilled when, as our newest sponsor, they asked us to choose a few of our favorite holiday shoes for boys and girls. That's uh, kind of like our dream job. A…
When the toy store ads appear in our Sunday newspaper, I'm mostly uninspired by all the blinky, noisy, plasticky stuff touted as The Next Big Thing. Would these really be the toys that Santa's elves carefully assemble in the North Pole? …
With all the cool apps and e-books on my iPad, I sometimes worry that my kids will have a hard time appreciating real books. But then I find ones that remind me that children's books can be just as engaging , if not more, than the ones w…
Ever since Zara started selling online this fall, I've been stalking their site for European styled clothing for my kids at great prices . But recently, I popped into one of their NYC stores just to make sure the clothes were as awesome …
I was wondering if you could recommend a classic dollhouse for my two daughters' Christmas gift? Would love any suggestions you have. Thank you!! -Amy Ooh, dollhouses! One of our favorite things to look for, now that there are so many to…
Every time I go shoe shopping for my son I feel like I'm swimming in a sea of flashing sneakers. Then I remember to check one of my favorite kids' shoes purveyors Livie and Luca and voila, I find cool shoes that won't double as a night l…
We are honored to once again be working with our sponsor, the American Cancer Society, on their More Birthdays campaign since if we could make one really big wish, it'd that cancer never steals someone from us again. But wishes alone wil…
My boys love woodworking. It certainly helps having a super handy husband and grandpa to keep them busy and tinkering away in the garage. But I have to admit, seeing them wielding heavy tools does frighten me some. A while back, I search…
So here's some fun news: We're so excited to be this week's guest bloggers at the Lucky Kids site this week! We've put together 5 picks for a handmade holiday , featuring 5 fabulous handmade items that we're crushing on hard. Click over …
So we've finally got a look at the much anticipated Gwen Stefani Harajuku Mini line for Targe t. While it's hopefully not going to lead Missoni-style riots at the store, I'd say if you've got some funky kids to clothe, it's definitely wo…
Before the 24-hour carols, the jammed parking lots, and those news stories about people fighting over the latest Elmo toy, there is Neighborhood Toy Store Day today, November 12. This is one that hits near and dear to our indie-loving he…
When I was little, I used to stare at the moon looking for a tiny dot moving around, going about his business. It wasn't until much later that I realized that the "man in the moon" was a shadowy face on a full-moon's facade---I liked my …
Here at CMP, we're total blockheads. We've brought you classic blocks, magnetic blocks, and amusingly subversive blocks. But this is the first time we're taking it old school, all the way back to the periodic table. Yes, friends, you're …
Please tell me I am not the only one with such nostalgia for some of our baby clothes, that I've saved them. The little peasant dress from Mexico, the smocked dress from a great-grandmother, the onesie with the swallow tattoos on the che…
With the 70s coming back hard everywhere from music to fashion (hello, Ella Moss) to Broadway revivals, I am not surprised at all to see the most fabulous pair of old school roller skates, front and center at Fred Flare. The colorblock r…