gifts for teens + tweens Archives

The new LEGO Brick Sketch kits are 3D puzzles made for framing. Fun!

by Caroline Siegrist | Toys + Playthings

Our house needs more tiny LEGO pieces like it needs a hole in the roof, but then the new LEGO Brick Sketches were finally released on the LEGO site. They’re so cute, I find myself actually wanting one.For me. The new kits are part building set, part puzzle, part...

This wonderful new kids clothing collection celebrates medical superheroes. Diagnosis: adorable!

by Caroline Siegrist | Baby, Kid Fashion

I’ve been blown away by our frontline medical workers during the Covid pandemic, and the degree to which they’ve selflessly put their own safety and health at risk to care for patients and stop the spread Clearly our kid are learning more about it too,...

These custom photo paint-by-number art kits are the coolest gift of the summer

by Kate Etue | DIY

We’ve played countless rounds of cards and assembled literally thousands of puzzle pieces lately, but our new favorite obsession in my house has been paint-by-number kits. So when I discovered these custom photo paint-by-number art kits on beautiful canvases...

50+ creative ideas for Easter Basket gifts you can grab right at the drugstore

by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings

With Easter around the corner, I’m thinking about how I’m going to fill three Easter baskets and dozens of plastic eggs safely and finding Easter gifts from the drugstore is a smart way to do it. First off, we love ordering Easter gifts from Etsy that...

6 sweet “I miss you” gift ideas to help stay connected you with friends and family

by Kristen Chase | Tips + Tricks

Huddle up, friends, because I’m about to give away a bunch of my secret gift ideas that I send to folks when I want to tell them how much I’m missing them. And when you’re under a shelter-in-place order thanks to this Coronavirus crisis, that’s...

18 fantastic Easter gift ideas for kids, from Etsy shops that could really use the support right now.

by Liz Gumbinner | Kids, Toys + Playthings

We know that this year’s Easter gifts are going to take on a lot more meaning for our kids this year. At the same time, Easter gifts sold by small businesses can really make the difference in another family’s life, too. Which makes it an extra wonderful...

10+ cool Valentine’s Day gift ideas for boys who might not be into the heart necklaces and sparkly cards.

by Kate Etue | Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day has a tendency to skew all lace and hearts and traditionally “girly” stuff, so as a mom of boys, I wanted to find some cool gifts just for them. Well, not just for them, because I know a lot of girls would like these too. Gender...

These no-carb dumplings on Etsy are perfect for your Valentine.

by Liz Gumbinner | Toys + Playthings, Valentine's Day

Happy year of the Rat everyone! With the Lunar New Year upon us, I’m so happy to find this adorable new Etsy shop, which celebrates all things dumplings. Only, not the edible kind, so if you’re low-carbing right now, you’re in luck. Christine Jee has...

Cool Galentine’s Day gift ideas for your BFF, Leslie Knope style

by Delilah S. Dawson | Valentine's Day

Galentine’s Day is February 13, and if you don’t know about it yet, prepare to become a fan. It was created by Amy Poehler’s Parks & Recreation character, Leslie Knope, to celebrate strong female friendships. In Leslie’s own words: Oh,...

Penguin Minis are the coolest, tiniest way to read your favorite YA books.

by Christina Refford | Books for Kids

As a life-long bookworm, I am always looking for ways to get my three teens to put down their phones and read more books. Sound familiar? Then check out the coolest, new-to-me concept in book publishing: Penguin Minis. These novels for teens and tweens are turning the...

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).