costumes Archives | Cool Mom Picks

75+ last-minute Halloween costume ideas for kids and parents. Because what’s not last-minute this year?

It’s not too late to make this Halloween awesome, even if you’re doing everything last-minute. And that includes last-minute costumes. Liz recently some incredible ideas for alternate ways to celebrate Halloween besides trick or treating this year, and we...

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...

Clever ideas for Halloween costumes using face masks. I mean, as long as we’re all wearing them. (Right? Right?)

by Caroline Siegrist | DIY, Kids

I imagine that searching for Halloween costumes using face masks is going to be a thing this year — and I don’t mean your typical Halloween masks that cover your whole face. You know how no kid wants their long-planned costume ruined by a heavy winter...

8 fun Halloween face masks for kids…that aren’t too scary. (Because we’re all wearing face masks, right? Right?)

by Caroline Siegrist | Health, Fitness + Wellbeing, Kids

Getting my kid to keep his face mask on is a pretty tall order, but I’m hoping that introducing some new Halloween masks designed for kids will make it a little easier. I can just pass his off as a costume accessory that way, right? I found quite a few I thought...

20 of the most amazing, must-see Halloween face paint video tutorials on YouTube.

by Liz Gumbinner | DIY

My kids have spent hours in front of the mirror perfecting scars and simpler character makeup based off of YouTube face paint tutorials, but these Halloween themed face paint tutorials should put their growing skills to the test. From your classic Halloween ghouls to...

This indie kids’ label collab is like goth-fantasy-new-orleans-ballerina and it’s wonderful!

by Liz Gumbinner | Kids

Just in time for Halloween, two of my very favorite kidswear brands have joined together for an awesome collab: Nununu X Tutu Du Monde. Whoa! I have written about the edgy but wearable offerings from Nununu and the theatrically-inspired, spectacularly crafted,...

17 of the best pop culture Halloween costume ideas for kids right now, from Meghan and Harry to Serena to Riverdale

by Kate Etue | DIY, Kids

Usually, my favorite Halloween costumes that our readers come up with each year are clever pop culture reference costumes. Do you remember the “Derry with the Bat” costume that Kristen’s son wore last year, from the viral meme last year? It was...

13 of the absolute coolest family Halloween costume ideas right now from Moana to Guardians to Avocado Toast.

by Caroline Siegrist | Holiday Picks

I’m so excited to look for cool family Halloween costumes this year! We’ve moved past the babywearing costumes stage now that my son is old enough to trick-or-treat, but he’s young enough to accept pretty much whatever costume I dress him, and there...

The fun Halloween costume kits kids can DIY themselves — while getting a lesson in STEM

by Kate Etue | DIY, Toys + Playthings

This year, if your kid wants to be a unicorn with a glowing horn or a chomping dinosaur or even a lit-up UFO for Halloween, you can say with all confidence, “Sure, kiddo! And you can even make it yourself.” (If only we could say that about all our family...

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.