The best lists of the best children’s books of 2016, all in one place
Once again, we’re happy to have compiled the best lists of all the best children’s books of the year, curated by the top publishers, reviewers, organizations, and bloggers we respect. And boy, was it a fantastic year for children’s literature and...
The 2016 best board games of the year from Spiel des Jahres. Family game night just got a whole lot cooler!
During the summer I usually let my kids stay up late, but we ditch the screens and play board games together instead. So, each year I keep my eye on the Spiel des Jahres award-winning board games to find the best new board games that are guaranteed to be interesting...
The 2016 Coretta Scott King book award winners: Great reads for MLK Day and beyond
I don’t want to let holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day slip by with my kids thinking it’s just an extra day off of school. So if you’re like me and are looking for some ways to honor the spirit of MLK while you’re home today, we highly...
Friendships and middle school collide in Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
The other night my ten-year-old son was looking for something to read at bedtime. I handed him my review copy of Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson, not sure what to expect. When I checked on him an hour later, he was just a few pages away from the end of this 250-page...
The 2015 Caldecott and Newbery medal winners are here. More great reading for all!
Yesterday’s big awards news had nothing to do with Bradley Cooper or the Oscars (which I can’t wait for either). The American Library Association announced the 2015 Caldecott and Newbery medal winners for young adult literature, and we were really excited...
2014 Best Books for Kids: All the lists, in one place.
Thousands of books are published for children each year, and it seems like there are thousands of “best of” lists published too. If you’re shopping for kids books for Christmas like we are, you’ll want to check these lists out for some great...
The 2014 Martha Stewart American Made award finalists: A few of our favorite shops worth voting for
We are thrilled that Martha Stewart is again shining a spotlight on those gifted American makers who brings us so many gorgeous items to decorate our homes, dress our babies, and beautify our lives through the 2014 American Made awards. And now it’s time for you...
Bring some glam to your Oscars party with these fun DIY ideas and printables
I just love a good awards show. The Grammys, Golden Globes, and the Tonys are great, but for me, the Oscars is the ultimate–Hollywood at its finest. If you enjoy celebrating the Academy Awards at home as much as I do, these easy DIY ideas will amp up your...
The Inspiring Mom Awards: help a deserving mom win $1000 for her charity
Recently we told you about the Inspiring Mom Awards, sponsored by Tea Collection, and now I’m so thrilled to let you know that after much (much!) deliberation it’s been narrowed down from 100 nominees to 9 finalists in 3 categories. And your vote can...Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!
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.)
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