7 smart tips for staying in a hotel with toddlers. (Real tips, not those ridiculous TikTok hacks)

by Kate Etue | Tips + Tricks, Baby, Family Travel

It was time for us to bring back some solid tips for staying in a hotel with toddlers, babies or even older kids. Because this week, we all started seeing this “TikTok hotel hacks” article going around and sheesh! It seems the article was made more for...

Outrageously fun swim goggles for kids: 7 styles for aspiring mermaids, mermen, and merpeople

by Caroline Siegrist | Kid Style

One of my favorite things about taking my son to swim lessons is seeing all the fun swim googles for kids that have become so popular over the last few years. Eyelashes goggles! Rhinestone goggles! Shark’s teeth goggles! Sequined goggles! Where were these when I...

Game on! These 6 fun group board games are perfect for summer camp. Or just summer friends.

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 post packed with the best ideas for summer camp care packages, she talks a lot about sending fun board games the whole bunk...

23 ways to celebrate the Fourth of July for kids (even if you don’t feel like waving a flag).

by Christina Refford | Party Ideas

While 4th of July is a time to celebrate freedom and the best of America, lately I know so many of us are having a hard time feeling celebratory. It’s hard to feel like waving a flag when many of our rights are under attack right now, including those of us who are...

The coolest lanyard pattern instructions that every camper needs.

by Lexi Petronis | DIY

Lanyards are a summer camp mainstay — remember making them back in the day? But like so many things from our own childhoods, these knotted summer crafts have only gotten way cooler. Lanyards (also called scoubidous, scoobies, boondoggles, scooby doggles, gimps,...

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

by Cool Mom Team | Living

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...

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

by Kate Etue | Kids, DIY

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...