holiday activities Archives

Kids, gratitude, and the holiday season: Can parents do better? | Spawned ep 261

As we head into the holiday season, which can be filled with the abundance of food, gifts, and celebrations, we know that a lot of us struggle with all the excess. It’s valuable for us to slow down as parents, and consider ways to help develop and express more...

We’re grateful for this Thanksgiving tablecloth that lets kids doodle during the meal

by Caroline Siegrist | Holiday Picks

With big holiday dinners back on the menu this year, I was thrilled to discover this cool color-your-own Thanksgiving activity tablecloth at Tiny Expressions. It’s full of activities for kids — like word searches, tic-tac-toe, and ample coloring...

Celebrating Diwali in a country that hardly knows it exists

by Cool Mom Staff | Holiday Picks, Living, Thinking : Parent

Diwali. Being the light we share. Guest contributor: Nirasha Kumar Growing up as a minority in South Africa, living under an Apartheid regime, I was forced to live only with people who looked like me, That meant that for me, the spirit of Diwali was merely going along...

80+ creative Easter egg decorating ideas: Your ultimate egg decorating resource!

by Liz Gumbinner | DIY

For more than a decade now, so many of our writers have searched the web to compile the most creative Easter egg decorating ideas, from simple to wow, from traditional to modern, from designs for toddlers to designs for teens — and everything in between. And so,...

2021 inauguration activities and events for kids and families: Lots of ways to watch, learn, and celebrate with your kids

by Liz Gumbinner | Kids

As we move on from the worst president of all time, some wonderful organizations are coming together to help us collectively process, plan, and heal. You can find the full schedule of official Biden-Harris inaugural events here, but there’s more inaugural...

12 acts of kindness you can do with your kids over the holiday break, to make the season about more than presents.

by Christina Refford | Doing Good, Tips + Tricks

Acts of kindness have never felt more important than they do this year. And since kinds are naturally inclined toward kindness, we wanted to give this post a bump this year. Because when Christmas is over, Santa is back at the North Pole, the toys are all unwrapped,...

New Year’s Eve at home with the kids: These 13 festive (and easy!) ideas can make the night memorable.

by Kate Etue | Party Ideas, Tips + Tricks

New Year’s Eve at home with the kids isn’t a new idea for this year. In general, New Year’s Eve parties for parents are more about trying our very best to stay up till midnight (though 10 PM is more like it) and drinking sparkling cider with our kids...

Last-minute holiday gift ideas: Tons of options that let you skip the $$$ shipping

by Liz Gumbinner | Holiday Picks

I totally get the last-minute holiday gift problem. Believe me! I mean, we may have started amassing ideas for our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide in, like…February, but hey, we’re busy moms. And we’re busy shopping for you sometimes at the expense of our...

The best subscription gifts for kids this year: 40+ ideas for every age, and every interest

by Kate Etue | Holiday Picks, Kids, Toys + Playthings

It’s final countdown to the holidays, which means last-minute gift ideas, which means subscription gifts for kids, which are always some of our favorites to give — last minute or not! Wwe know from experience that our kids love to receive boxes in the...

Stop everything and watch Debbie Allen in Dance Dreams: The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker on Netflix.

by Ibidunni Ojikutu | Entertainment + Media, Holiday Picks

The day it was released on Netflix, I watched Shondaland’s Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, the new documentary about Debbie Allen Dance Academy and their annual production. Before I knew it, I was crying. While I danced as a child, I was never a ballet...

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.

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