summer activities Archives

10 ways to make the most out of the last weekend of summer, most of them free

With the final unofficial days of summer so close (wah!), we’ve got one more long weekend to milk the most out of the late sunsets with the family. So we’re bringing back this post from a few years back, when our editor Liz offered up 10 wonderful little...

10 of our most popular summer articles to help get you through the season

by Liz Gumbinner | Kids, Living

This week we’re doing something I don’t think our team has done in 15+ years — we are taking a full staff summer break. (Whoo!) Some of us are traveling, some of us are hanging with the kids, some of us are counting the seconds to Ted Lasso season...

Summer trend alert: Bling swim goggles in 7 styles for aspiring mermaids and mermen

by Caroline Siegrist | Kid Fashion

One of my favorite things about taking my son to swim lessons is seeing all the kid swim fashions, and recently that includes lots of bling swim goggles, full of glam, color and fun. Eyelashes! Mermaids! Shark’s teeth! Sequins! Where were these when I was a kid?...

We found 8 stylish, athletic two-piece swimsuits for teens who aren’t feeling the teeny bikinis

by Kate Etue | Fashion, Kid Fashion

While some of our daughters are rocking the teeny bikini this summer, others are more interested in athletic two-piece swimsuits that let them be as active in the pool or on the beach as they’d like. It turns out it’s a little harder to find stylish but...

Game on! These 6 fun group board games are perfect for summer camp

by Kate Etue | Toys + Playthings

When I send care packages to my boys at summer camp, I generally include snacks and silly toys for them to goof around with. And in Liz’s recent post packed with the best ideas for summer camp care packages, she talks a lot about sending fun board games the...

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

by Kate Etue | DIY, Kids

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...

10 fashionable beach totes we absolutely love this summer

by Kate Etue | Fashion

Summer is officially here, and for those of you who are hoping to spend most of your time around the pool or at the beach…we’ve found some of the most fashionable beach totes to elevate your summer style. I know, you probably don’t immediately think...

7 terrific new YA books with LGBTQ+ main characters: They’re not just for Pride Month

by Kate Etue | Books for Kids

Happy Pride! It’s been such a joy finding so many terrific YA books with LGBTQ+ main characters for this post. I always turn to books when I am looking for resources to help more kids feel seen and understood — and to help kids see and understand other...

We tried the first LED string lights with mosquito repellent built right in. How did we live without these?

by Kate Etue | Living, Party Ideas

I’m all about outdoor entertaining in the summertime — especially this year — except the one thing that hasn’t gone away are the mosquitos. Nothing kills a mood quite like your guests all slapping at themselves while trying to talk one another....

We found a new bike for kids 5-12 that’s made to grow with them — in smarter and safer ways than just raising a seat

by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings

We’ve reached peak bike-riding season, but if you’ve been trying to buy a quality kids’ bicycle, they aren’t as easy to find in stock right now as you might thing. (Maybe because it’s peak bike-riding season?) That’s why a new line...

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.