dolls Archives | Cool Mom Picks

Barbie honors real-life healthcare heroes and wow, more stories like this please.

by Liz Gumbinner | Doing Good, Toys + Playthings

If the Barbie #ThankYouHeroes initiative isn’t the epitome of our times, in the best possible way, I don’t know what is. Barbie has added all kinds of famous role models to their collection in recent years, and now they’re honoring some global women...

Mattel launches the first gender-neutral dolls for kids and everything about this is beautiful.

by Liz Gumbinner | Thinking : Parent, Toys + Playthings

When I read the news last night that Mattel is launching Creatable World, the first gender neutral doll and accessories to put kids in charge of their own play experience I teared up. In part because of the tag line, “All Welcome.” In part because I know...

How to get your hands on the new Barbie x Star Wars dolls before they cost a schmillion Galactic Credits

by Liz Gumbinner | Toys + Playthings

The limited edition, totally collectible, geektastic collaboration between Barbie x Star Wars is coming soon, so start saving those Creds. Shipping exclusively from Amazon around November 18, you’ll find 3 Barbie figures, including Barbie R2-D2, Barbie Leia, and...

Worldgirls Dolls are here to help girls embrace their inner power. Yes!

by Kate Etue | Toys + Playthings

If you’re like me, you might be struggling to find a meaningful, inspiring doll choice for your kids on the shelves of the toy aisle in your closest big box store. But when I heard about the new collection of Worldgirls dolls, I got excited. This is the kind of...

7 important reasons that children need baby dolls — both girls AND boys

by Cool Mom Staff | Baby, Toys + Playthings

For years, we’ve written about the joy and beauty and specialness of baby dolls as gifts for our kids, from newborns to toddlers, even our school-aged kids. A doll can be a cherished best friend, a bedtime comfort, a travel companion, a tea party guest, and...

The Barbie same-sex wedding set: Why it needs to happen | Thinking: Parent

by Liz Gumbinner | Thinking : Parent, Toys + Playthings

Could Mattel be developing a Barbie same sex wedding set? Well, yeah. They could. And they might. And I am here for it. We’ve been writing for so long that in all things — especially for our kids — diversity matters. Inclusiveness matters....

We found wonderfully diverse dollhouse dolls: Multicultural, multiracial, differently-abled and more.

by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings

If a dollhouse is on your kids’ holiday wish lists, don’t forget to include some dollhouse dolls so that they can get right to the business of playing (while you clean up wrapping paper). But unlike dollhouses which come in lots of different styles, from...

Get well soon Ruth Bader Ginsburg! We need you!

by Liz Gumbinner | Holiday Picks, Toys + Playthings

I just received a news alert that our strong, feisty, beloved SCOTUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, fell and fractured three ribs last night. It’s happened before (she evidently “did not skip a beat” during that time, according to the court because,...

20 of the absolute coolest mermaid gifts for kids. And uh, maybe adults.

by Caroline Siegrist | Art + Decor, Kid Fashion, Kids, Toys + Playthings

I’ve had the best time searching for the coolest mermaid gifts for some of the mermaid obsessed kids in my life. After all, the mermaid trend shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. So this summer we’re diving in with head-first with 17 cool mermaid gift...

Here are all the real life sheroes you’ll find in the Barbie Role Models collection

by Lexi Petronis | Toys + Playthings

Barbie has been busy lately. She’s gotten a new variety of body shapes (with dad-bod and man-bun Ken by her side), she’s taken on our heroines from A Wrinkle in Time and Wonder Woman, she’s figured out that yes, women can code. Today, however, in...

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.