outdoor fun Archives | Cool Mom Picks

5 smart and easy tips for your first backyard campout with the kids.

We’ve still got a lot of summer left for camping out with the kids! If you love the idea, but you’re not sure you’re ready to head out into the wilderness with the family just yet, a backyard campout is a great place to start. If it goes wrong...

7 crazy lawn sprinklers that will get your kids outside all summer long.

by Kate Etue | Party Ideas, Toys + Playthings

We have found some of the OMG, craziest, fun lawn sprinklers for kids this summer, because come on, don’t you need more silly, crazy fun in your life? We know we do. With one initial investment (ranging from small to oof in the options we’ve found), your...

The lawn sprinkler made entirely from predatory humanoid alien parts

by Liz Gumbinner | Toys + Playthings

The trend of crazy inflatable lawn sprinklers and cool pool floats shows little sign of slowing down. But if rainbow and unicorn sprinklers aren’t quite up your kid’s alley, I wouldn’t be surprised if a predatory, inter-dimension humanoid lawn...

19 incredibly cool gifts for dads who love the outdoors | Father’s Day Gift Guide 2019

by Kate Etue | Father's Day Gifts

This Father’s Day, if you’re shopping for a dad who loves the outdoors — and struggling a little — I feel you! My husband would rather take my kids hiking and camping than pretty much anything else, and I love that so much. And yet it can be...

What to do this weekend with the kids: How about free admission to a National Park?

by Liz Gumbinner | Family Travel

With tomorrow, September 22 being the 25th anniversary National Public Lands Day, that means it’s one of 4 days of the year that you can get free admission to more than 400 National Parks that ordinarily charge admission. And it’s not just free for kids,...

Wha-aa? A pool float made just for pregnant women. And our bellies.

by Lexi Petronis | Gear

We’ll be honest, we are completely flipping out over this new pregnancy pool float. HOW HAS NO ONE THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE? When you’re pregnant, nothing is comfortable. It’s like all the regular things in the world start actively conspiring against...

9 adorable ideas for making a summer fairy garden for the kids

by Ellyn Exley Dvorkin | DIY

Fairy gardens are such whimsical additions to outdoor (or indoor) gardens everywhere, especially if you’ve got kids. It’s an adorable way to get them excited about getting outdoors, getting their hands dirty, and learning more about the real magic of...

Cool backyard lighting ideas, because it’s really time to toss those tiki torches

by Marsha Takeda-Morrison | Art + Decor

Hey you! Yes you, hanging out in the backyard in the dark. Let’s talk cool backyard lighting. Because isn’t it hard to see what you’re eating when the only light you have is the moon and the flickering light of your iPhone? (By the way, you couldn’t see it but a...

6 of the coolest backyard swings to turn your yard into a playground

by Kate Etue | Toys + Playthings

You’ve got to admit, it helps motivate the kids to get outside and active when you have cool backyard swings for them to play with. My own kids have all enjoyed hanging out on some new swings we’ve installed to update the old swing set. My four-year-old...

Ready to try camping with kids? Here are 8 camping essentials you need, and how to get them affordably

by Kate Etue | Family Travel

If you’re considering becoming a first-time camper (and more power to you!) you’re probably wondering exactly where to start. I’m here to help! You’re probably not going to find me back-country camping off the Appalachian Trail any time soon,...

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, easier, more organized, 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).

But we did.

And we still love what we do every single day.

We're so glad you're here.