10 incredible new children’s books this spring, from the biggest names in children’s literature

by Kate Etue | Books for Kids

Spring is in the air at my house, and I’m channeling my energy into refreshing our bookshelves. We’ve taken boxes of old books to the used bookstore, and we’re making room for some new favorites. Because the best new children’s books coming out...

Valentine’s Day nails: 7 fun, fairly easy ideas to get your fingers feeling the love

by Kate Etue | Beauty + Cosmetics

Here’s a fun way to get festive for Valentine’s Day this year: Valentine’s Day nails. These are blowing up social media, and the creative designs we’re seeing are making us so happy to go beyond switching up your favorite color for red or pink....

14 fun and easy Halloween crafts for prechoolers

by Kate Etue | DIY

We always love fun Halloween craft projects for our preschoolers and little kids, because it’s one way to get them excited about Halloween that’s (generally) non-caloric. And we’re all about keeping it real with easy crafts because, hey, we’re...

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...

Make family night more…disgusting with these 7 popular gross-out games

by Kate Etue | Toys + Playthings

“Gross” is really having its moment. Last year we saw the pimple popping game as an alternative to fidget spinners, and I have to admit, it made me gag. Now, we’re seeing a new trend in kids’ toys: gross family games. They are seriously ew. But...

Tips, tricks and recipes to help you host the coolest, gooiest, best slime party.

by Cool Mom Team | Party Ideas, Tips + Tricks

Who else has a kid who’s dying to have a slime party? Hey, we get it! Our own kids’ obsession with slime seems to be here to stay. Forever. And surely we’re not the only ones with tubs of various types of goo piled high on our countertops. We figure,...

3 clever new puzzle and activity books for kids, to keep hands busy and minds sharp

by Liz Gumbinner | Books for Kids, DIY

For some kids, picking up a book is pure torture in the summer. For others, well..it’s not totally out of the question, provided it’s a puzzle or activity book. So if you’re looking for some new screen-free, paperback fun for the kids, here are a few...

8 extraordinarily cool hotels to visit with kids before they grow up. Wow…mind blown.

by Kate Etue | Family Travel

It’s time for my family to start thinking outside the box when it comes to my family vacations. We’ve been taking the same-old trips for years, and I think I’ve officially ridden Splash Mountain for the last time. Now I’m ready for some...

Over-scheduled kids: 7 questions to ask your child to help prioritize activities and bring more sanity to the family

by Kate Etue | Tips + Tricks

Raise your hands if you may have an over-scheduled child. It’s not a judgment or a criticism. I get it — it happens. Our kids have lots of interests, their clubs or sports or lessons require big commitments, or maybe we just really need the kids scheduled...

Screen-Free Fun is the remedy for “I’m bored.”

by Kate Etue | Books for Kids

This week is National Screen-Free week, our kids’ favorite week of the year. Ha! We love hearing from our readers about the different ways you manage screen time at home, including some of the tricks you’ve picked up from Cool Mom Tech. Lots of you have...