homeschooling tools Archives

50 screen-free activities for kids to do over summer break, indoors and out

So many parents are looking for fresh ideas for screen-free activities for kids now that we finally turned a corner. I know I’m not the only parent with kids whose screen time increased significantly over the quarantine. It was their primary way to connect with...

What was the Tulsa Race Massacre? Resources to help teach kids (and adults) of all ages

by Kate Etue | Doing Good, Kids, Thinking : Parent

May 30, 1921, marks one of the darkest days in America’s history. And yet the Tulsa Race Massacre isn’t an event I ever learned in school — and unfortunately most kids today don’t either. The Burning of Black Wall Street can be a hard day to...

The Extraordinary Book that Eats Itself: the eco-forward book full of hands-on, earth-saving fun

by Kate Etue | Books for Kids, Toys + Playthings

It’s a clear, gorgeous 65-degree day here today, and it’s the perfect opportunity for me to send my 10-year-old to the back porch with a copy of The Extraordinary Book that Eats Itself — along with permission to do any of the fun eco-friendly...

How to encourage your kids’ interests and passions: 5 expert tips

by Cool Mom Staff | Kids, Tips + Tricks

We keep looking for the silver lining in the past Year That Was Like No Other, and as we talk to other parents, one thing comes up over and over: “my kid discovered they really love _____.” Whether it’s manga or chemistry, dystopian fiction or...

A free lesson plan about Amanda Gorman’s inauguration poem will make for some great dinner table conversation tonight.

by Kate Etue | Thinking : Parent

My kids and I were glued to the TV last Wednesday, watching history take place on Inauguration Day. We were sobered by the national guard presence, excited about the achievements of our new VP Kamala Harris, and just so totally and completely relieved to see President...

The top 10 most popular Cool Mom Picks posts of 2020

by Kate Etue | Editors Best of the Year

Every year, we love to share our 10 most popular Cool Mom Picks posts. No surprise, there are lots of posts about Covid-19 here — and we were glad we could help our readers out during such challenging times. But there are some surprises here too. If you’re...

20 fun, educational board games that totally count as homeschool time: Math, science, geography and more

by Kate Etue | Toys + Playthings

If you don’t think of family board games as an educational opportunity to supplement your kids’ learning, well put away the Cards Against Humanity (ha) and check out these suggestions! To be clear, as a homeschooling mom, I’m a big fan of actual...

Setting up a study space at home for distance learning or homeschool: How to make it one your kid will actually use

by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, Kids' Furniture, School Gear, Storage + Organization, Tips + Tricks

Right now, so many parents are trying to figure out how to set up a study space at home for the kids because hey! 2020! Whether your kids are going to be doing distance learning with their school, or homeschooling — maybe for the first time — I can only...

This website makes reading and writing absolutely magical for kids — and the parents trying to help. | Sponsored Message

by Cool Mom Staff | Tech CMP-Style, Toys + Playthings

This is a sponsored message from Night Zookeeper As millions of parents prepare for a school year that won’t look like any other school year, this is a good time to line up the educational apps and websites to help engage your kids in core subjects. If their...

Should you send your kids back to school? Find guidance from these 14 considerations parents are talking about | Spawned ep 211

by Cool Mom Staff | Podcast

This week on the Spawned Parenting podcast we knew there was only one topic we could possibly cover: Sending our kids back to school. It seems to be all any parent is talking about, online, offline, in community groups, and over Zoom cocktails. To cut to the chic:...

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.