More coolness from recent weeks…
Diverse, interracial dollhouse families: Reader Q&A
After featuring Georgette's post on 6 toymakers making diverse interracial dolls for kids, Facebook fan Melissa asked us if we know of any interracial dollhouse families. I love this question. So many of us want to bring more diversity into all our kids' doll...
This gift for the classroom will keep on giving. Yes, more than a Starbucks card.
Very little in life is as terrifying as being handed a wad of cash by desperate parents asking you to find a group teacher gift that's meaningful, memorable, and not a lifetime supply of Best Teacher Ever mugs. This year, you can forego the stack of Starbucks cards...
3 artsy, whimsical craft kits for kids with big imaginations
For the little girls in my life, ages 6–9 has been a craftaholic phase. One that's moving away from cardboard and pipe cleaners and more toward DIY craft kits for kids that result in beautiful finished products they can keep themselves or give to others -- like to...
16 seriously amazing beauty stocking stuffers, beyond nail polish and hand cream.
If you've got a stylish woman in your life, I've got some really fantastic ideas for you for beauty stocking stuffers. My checklist: They have to be practical, useful, affordable (well, relatively) and yet still totally fun to receive. Maybe things she would love but...
My favorite holiday gifts: 5 cool cocktail gifts I want in my stocking.
I'm not going to lie, this past year, and especially what's going on in this country right now has been really hard on me. Really hard, and really stressful. And while I'm the queen of self-care and would love any of the self-care gift ideas in our Cool Mom Picks...
10 fabulous holiday gifts under $25 for the whole family
Whether you're finishing up your holiday shopping or just getting started (hey, no judgment here!) we always love finding cool gifts that are easy to get a hold of and won't break the budget. Even better when they're all at the same shop, so you can just zip around...
Hello, Dolly! Here are 6 of the coolest and most diverse dolls for holiday gifts this season.
As a mom to two beautiful biracial girls, I know just how difficult it can be to find diverse dolls for them to play with. When my firstborn was a baby, it was downright impossible. Today, there are so many dolls for girls and boys that capture the beauty of different...
This ancestry kit is a great gift for the grandparents who have everything.
Put that boring pair of slippers back on the shelf. We've found the perfect gift for the grandparents who already have everything. It's cool, it's educational, and it involves spit and bragging rights. The Geno 2.0 DNA analysis kit from National Geographic and...
We’re spreading the love with these 6 great places to donate toys this holiday season.
It should be obvious by now that here at Cool Mom Picks, we love presents. (We have 350 of them in this year's holiday gift guide, which we think you should check out, if you haven't already.) But even more, we love when our gifts give back in big ways. And what...
This year’s best new books for Christmas, to help your kids get even more excited for the big day.
My family has a tradition of reading Christmas books at bedtime every night during Advent. Some years, I wrap each holiday book in our collection, so they'll be surprised which book we're reading each night. Other years, we take turns choosing a favorite. But every...
6 DIY holiday gifts for teachers from the kids that will get an A+
When it comes to holiday gifts for teachers, as a former teacher myself I know first-hand that there is no way to really thank the fantastic teachers of the world enough for all that they do. All day long. Every day. But there are still meaningful holiday gifts for...
Transitioning to winter skincare: The only 3 tips you’ll need.
Right now, tons of clients are asking me for the best winter skincare tips, because even if you love the change of seasons, it's likely that your skin does not. Even those of my clients with generally amazing skin will comment that their skin acts out this time of...
Kitchen lifesavers! 21 favorite easy holiday recipes made easier with kitchen shortcuts
Those of you who are also fans of Cool Mom Eats (and hey, thank you!) know that I'm all about coming up with smart solutions to help busy parents with home cooked meals that still feed our families quickly and easily. Especially this time of year, when presumably most...
An amazing one-day sale on movies that supports an amazing cause too.
Right in time for last-minute holiday gifts and stocking stuffers, I've discovered the Entertainment AIDS Alliance, which is offering popular DVDs and Blu-Ray discs at 30–90% off retail, all to provide services through 155 of the best organizations helping those...
Rockets of Awesome: The clothing subscription box for kids that is, well, awesome.
I admit I am very skeptical of subscription boxes of clothing like Stitchfix (we published a terrific, brutally honest she said/she said post on it that's worth a read) since I have very particular tastes and I tend to know what shapes I can wear and what I can't. So,...
An exquisite gift for book-loving kids from award-winning authors | Sponsored message
This is a sponsored message from Candlewick Press Award-winning children's book author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers and fine artist Sam Winston have teamed up to create a gorgeous children's book that's a tribute to the power of a great story -- and just in time for...
A brilliant way to figure out how to be the change you want to see in the world.
In order to stay positive in life, I always try to find the good in a bad situation. Sometimes it's easier said than done. But I honestly believe that actually doing something about the issues that concern me, give me hope, even if busy parents like me struggle with...
5 of our favorite drugstore lip balms that work as well as the pricey stuff
December brings holiday cheer, festive fun, and hella chapped lips. And considering the nearest Ulta is 38 miles from my house, I don't always have the most posh options for lip care here in the mountains. So I've put together some terrific drugstore lip balms out...
Here’s how you can follow Cool Mom Picks, Cool Mom Tech, Cool Mom Eats. We promise we’ll make it worth your while.
Whichever social media site is your guilty pleasure du jour, we’re there, making sure you don’t miss our favorite posts on parenting, fashion, apps, recipes, deals and discounts, and random awesomeness from around the web. Plus our favorite part: we love hearing from...
13 sparkly holiday dresses for girls: Bring on the dazzle!
If your family's holiday schedule is anything like mine, and you have daughters, you know why I'm looking for sparkly holiday dresses for girls right now. I have a calendar full of holiday parties, recitals, school concerts, and a gazillion other special events coming...
We got WHAT for Christmas? The answers to all your holiday questions | Spawned episode 61
With so many holiday dilemmas and conundrums, we decided to ask you, our awesome readers and listeners, what holiday questions you'd love to hear us answer on the air. And wow, you delivered! On this extra special, extended version of Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we...