More coolness from recent weeks…
One good thing you can do in one minute today to change the world.
If you've been reading Cool Mom Picks for a while now, you know we're strong advocates of increasing opportunity for women and girls across the globe in all kinds of ways. Sometimes it's promoting businesses that support women in need, like FashionABLE, Raven &...
9 fun, easy Easter crafts you can make with everyday household objects.
Spring is in the air and our kids are clamoring to make some easy Easter crafts -- the holiday will be here before you know it! So this year, I'm looking for some fun, realistic (ahem) craft ideas for Easter that incorporate things I have at home already. These easy...
Sharpie Easter eggs! 19 of the coolest no-mess ideas that make Easter egg decorating easy.
Sharpie Easter eggs are some of our favorite no-mess, no-dye Easter egg ideas over the years. What's cool for us as parents is that not only is there less to clean up but hey, what kids don't jump at the chance to play with a forbidden Sharpie? So, I've sought out 19...
An honest review of Marie Kondo’s newest book, Spark Joy: Does it light a fire or lack a certain spark?
It was with immense excitement that I ordered Marie Kondo's newest book, Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up. After all, it's been a year since I wrote about her first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese...
The political baby onesie that hopefully every party can agree on.
I know I'm not alone in wanting to hurl my laptop out the window many times during what's probably been the most contentious election cycle of my lifetime. So I had to just stop, smile and breathe a little sigh of relief when I saw the new Let's Be Friends baby onesie...
Micuna’s cool modern baby furniture from Spain, now finally available in the U.S.
I've had my eye on Micuna, a popular, gorgeous line of eco-friendly, modern baby furniture made in Spain, for a while now. But shipping from Europe is kind of a nonstarter. Well, now parents of new babies -- at least who happen to have an ample nursery decor budget --...
The Gift of Failure: 3 tips from Jessica Lahey to help you raise more self-reliant kids
With the prevalence of helicopter parenting these days, it's no surprise we're seeing kids becoming much more dependent than independent -- and let's face it, we're seeing more really tired parents. But it can be challenging for parents who are used to doing so much...
The Ruth Bader Ginsburg coloring pages. Free, printable, and making history.
You can't have a conversation about Women's History Month without including second female Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She's fought tirelessly for women her whole career, and following the success of the best-selling Notorious RBG by Irene Carmon and...
My First Book of Girl Power. Lasso of Truth, not included.
Hold on to your bracelets of submission, ladies. We've found a smart new gift for girls. My First Book of Girl Power by Julie Merberg teaches our little girls what it means to be strong, important, and powerful. The geek in me loves that I've found a cool, comic...
More than 40 cool Star Wars The Force Awakens birthday party ideas: invitations, decor, treats, and activities. Now THAT’S how the force works!
Since the release of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, kids all over planet Earth and Jakku are begging for a Star Wars Force Awakens birthday party that incorporates Rey, Finn, BB-8, and yeah, Kylo Ren along with our favorite pals from the original franchise....
Creative kids can now design their own dream dollhouse and take it everywhere they go
We're big fans of toys that inspire creativity in our kids. And if they're small enough to fit in a backpack, even better. The Dollhouse Book by Rock and Pebble is perfection. This house-shaped cardboard-cover book is a 30-page blank canvas, literally, for your...
Happy birthday Dr. Seuss! You’re still alive in our hearts and on our bookshelves.
Every year, we so love honoring the birthday of Dr. Seuss and celebrating all the wonderful work he created for generations of children. Of course his many books and their important lessons are the most dear to our hearts, but he's created so many wonderful characters...
The SodaStream Power sparkling water maker: Is it really worth it?
I admit I have always coveted a SodaStream ever since I tried an earlier model at my parents' house. However theirs seemed pretty big to me, and I live in a small apartment, where we're supposed to subscribe to the rule about not owning single-purpose appliances...
Presenting the 2016 Ultimate Baby Shower Gift Guide! It’s back, and bigger than ever.
We are so thrilled to present, our 2016 Ultimate Baby Shower Gift Guide, back by popular demand after a short hiatus. It's been a labor (pun kind of intended) of love to seek out over 175 of the absolute coolest baby gift ideas, including lots from the small brands...
Beating boredom with cool wooden toys inspiring art, design, engineering and imagination.
Walking the toy aisles of most big discount stores can make any parent feel dizzy, to use a polite word. Where are all the cool wooden toys? Where are the toys that inspire imagination? Why does it seem like every toy made for kids these days is some beeping,...
Swing into spring with 7 non-toxic nail polishes for kids in the season’s prettiest pinks
If your kids love mani pedis as much as mine do, but you're not a fan of the chemical-packed polishes in a lot of salons, I've put together 7 non-toxic nail polishes for kids from some of our favorite safer brands, all in adorable shades of pink -- seeing as how Rose...
There’s more to kids’ movies than Disney and Marvel: Top picks from the NY International Children’s Film Festival
This weekend kicks off the NYICFF, or the NY International Children's Film Festival, which has become one of our favorite annual traditions. We are definitely a movie-loving household, and work hard to find the good stuff. (Multiple viewings of My Little Pony:...
The Clek Mat-thingy. Because kids + cars = gross.
As a suburban mom of four, I live in my car. And as much as I try to tell my kids that this time we will not be eating in the car (don't laugh too hard), I can never stick to that rule because, well, we're all in it so much. That's why the Clek Mat-thingy is so smart....
Sex after pregnancy: 5 tips from Rosie Pope to help you get back in the saddle again
Sex after pregnancy isn't exactly the hottest topic ever, because when you've just had a baby, well, it's probably the last thing on your mind. But, it's definitely important for a relationship, and one that a lot of parents have a lot of questions about. So, on this...
Creative toys for an 8 year old — no beeps, boops or batteries
My daughter loves her screen time, that's for sure, but lately I have been keenly aware of the other creative toys that she, as an 8 year old, really gravitates to, without any prompting from me. Or really, the toys that I realize I'm always telling her to put away,...
Adaptive clothing for special kids gets more stylish. Thanks, Tommy Hilfiger.
It's hard enough to get the kids up and ready for school most days, but when your morning routine also includes a lengthy struggle with buttons and zippers, it's extra frustrating. This week, some of my friends and their fashionable tots who happen to have special...