summer activities Archives | Page 4 of 38

10 alternative ways to celebrate the 4th of July, if you’re not feeling like waving a flag this year.

by Kate Etue | Doing Good, Tips + Tricks

This year, a lot of readers and Facebook fans and even some of our own team have mentioned that they feel different about July 4th this year. You too? You’re not alone. In 2018, Gallup released a poll stating that fewer people feel proud to be an American this...

How to find $1 movies for families, and spend the summer in air conditioned comfort

by Lexi Petronis | Entertainment + Media

Today, where I am, it’s expected hit 103 degrees. That kind of scorching heat makes the idea of taking the kids to a mid-day family-friendly movie in a nice, cold theater extremely appealing…and expensive. Right? Nope. With Regal’s Summer Movie...

10 festive (but easy!) 4th of July crafts and activities for kids of all ages

by Kate Etue | DIY

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, because you can easily make it a slow, relaxing, easy day with family and friends. No presents to exchange and no huge meal to cook. Just time together — and the magic of fireworks through my kids’ eyes. That...

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, particularly now that it’s summer. And I get it! I mean, it’s not even the end of June, and I’ve heard it 100 times already: Can I play screens for a little while? As...

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...

Web Coolness: Swimsuits for all bodies, children’s books about immigrants and the most successful Facebook charitable fundraiser ever.

by Cool Mom Staff | Best of the Web

Here are some of the best links we’ve been reading around the web this week. Hope you like them too. It’s summer, yay! Meaning swimsuit season – not always yay. So here’s to these swimsuit brands that celebrate diverse women’s...

7 amazing swimwear brands that honor women’s diverse bodies

by Caroline Siegrist | Fashion

I am so grateful to find these 7 swimwear brands that respect and honor the diversity of women’s bodies. Because for me, the post-baby swimwear hunt felt a bit like jumping off an Olympic-height diving board — into a pool of g-strings and plunging...

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,...

The top 10 most affordable safe sunscreens for kids, from EWG’s 2018 safer sunscreens guide

by Kate Etue | Health, Fitness + Wellbeing, Kids

Every year, I browse the Environmental Working Group’s report on the best safe sunscreens for kids and babies. This list measures popular brands against the EWG’s standards, including everything from worrisome ingredients to false marketing claims. But...

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).