More coolness from recent weeks…
17 cool DIY Star Wars costumes for kids that you can make, from Han and Leia, to baby Ewoks, to the droids you’re looking for.
If your kids are begging to be a Star Wars character this Halloween--or if you are just dying to turn your baby into Yoda for their first trick-or-treating--we've rounded up an entire galaxy of DIY Star Wars costumes that cover a variety of characters and ages. From...
Reply all is scary, and other things kids really need to know about email. Some adults, too.
Thanks to a lovely iTunes review who told us she'd have us as guests at her famous person dinner, on this week's episode of SPAWNED with Kristen and Liz, we were inspired to chat about who we'd have at our own! Bradley Cooper, Hillary Clinton... you'll just have to...
13 fabulously easy no-carve pumpkin ideas for the kids. (Yes, they really are easy.)
Last year we found 6 impressive no-carve pumpkin ideas for the seriously crafty and I still look at them longingly, knowing I will probably never make them. As awesome as they are. So this year I'm looking for something a little more easy. A little more DIY-able. As...
An artist transforms Bratz dolls into real female role models and the results are amazing.
When we first discovered Tree Change dolls, our readers went wild and with good reason -- mom Sonja Singh is taking one of the most polarizing children's toys (Bratz) and refashioning them into some of the most beloved children's toys (wholesome little girl dolls). So...
Toyboarders: Little green army men like, totally transformed, dude.
I know a lot of parents have a fondness for those little green army men toys of their youth (and the Toy Story franchise) but not everyone wants their kids playing around with guns. So I have to give props to Toyboarders which transformed the idea into a kinder,...
14 wildly cool, creative sibling Halloween costumes to inspire you beyond superheroes and princesses.
It may not be fair -- or the best system -- but I admit I give out a little more candy to the kids who come to my door in creative and clever themed Halloween costumes. And when they're cool sibling Halloween costumes that work together, well I kind of want to toss in...
Sponsored Message from Hulu: 4 hot series to catch up on after the kids are in bed
This post is brought to you by Hulu Welcome back to fall, parents! If you're like us, this is the time of year you start diving back into the series you missed over the summer -- and realize just how many you've always meant to start watching but never did. Well...
No Sleep Til Brooklyn: The earworm of parents everywhere
If you had told me, way back when, that one of my favorite tracks off Licensed to Ill would end up being the anthem of new parenthood -- and not of rockin' this party eight days a week -- I'd never have believed you. And yet there I was years later, cradling...
21 of the coolest free Halloween printables for kids. Because we’re all for fun that costs zero dollars.
As we start to get excited for Halloween around here -- as in, endless costume discussions considering my girls have a new idea every 17 minutes or so -- I've been distracting them with Halloween crafts projects, front door decor request, and coloring pages. In other...
Tips for building an emergency fund, and why it’s so important for parents.
We’ve been really pleased to get so much great feedback from you all when we post about financial matters, from budget tips to college savings. As parents, it’s one of our (many, many) jobs to be as financially prepared as possible– not just for all the awesome...
Meet the awesome new superhero Robeez: Able to leap all that baby gear all over your floor in a single bound.
Robeez has been a favorite of mine since before my kids were even born; I was literally buying them when I was still pregnant. With awesome styles like the little peanut elephant shoes, football frenzy shoes, and monogrammed options - could you blame me? Well this...
#62MillionGirls are not able to go to school. Here’s one easy thing you can do about it.
Today is the International Day of the Girl. And while we talk so much here about how important it is to empower and educate our girls every day, if they're not even in school, both of those things are nearly impossible. So we thought one of the best things we could do...
Everything you need to know about Handmade at Amazon: Is it the Etsy competitor everyone says it is?
We started Cool Mom Picks shortly after Etsy launched, and we've been big fans ever since, discovering and happily sharing some of the coolest indie artisans and their handmade goods here on our site for nearly ten years now. So as huge supporters of the handmade...
How to throw an awesome space-themed party
If you want to know how to throw a cool, space-themed party for kids, well we've just done it and we're sharing our most successful ideas here. Having just thrown a NYC launch party for the newest, space-themed title in the highly personalized Lost My Name series of...
4 seriously stylish new baby carriers we love in honor of National Babywearing Week
Today is the last day of International Babywearing Week, so we thought we'd put together some of our favorite new stylish baby carriers carriers for you all. But it's not like we need a pseudo-holiday to remind us what a lifesaver a baby carrier can be, whatever the...
5 brilliant hacks for easier mornings with kids, from a mom of 4 who knows what she’s talking about.
Today on the TODAY Show, our own Kristen, co-publisher, editor, and single mom of four extraordinaire shared some of her best tips for making mornings easier with kids, staying organized, and getting her kids to help out more around the house. I will tell you I get...
Moms and me-time (or lack thereof), and kids and cursing: A juicy Episode 18 of Spawned
We think you parents are really going to like this episode of Spawned with Kristen + Liz, in which we talk about moms and me-time and why we can't ever seem to get enough of it, especially in the US. Also, what is wrong with us when we think taking a shower qualifies...
12 adorable winter jackets to keep your kids warm and dry: Reader Q & A
Hey, Cool Mom Picks: Any good recommendations for a waterproof winter jacket for my preschooler? I'm starting to realize it's probably going to get cold on the East Coast fast! Thanks! - Leah, via the Cool Mom Picks Facebook page UPDATE: Please see our updated 2017...
The Story of Diva and Flea: 2 of our favorite children’s authors/illustrators team up and the results are wonderful.
At very first glance, the cover of the upcoming The Story of Diva and Flea cues some sort of classic French picture book. And then I scanned down to the author credit: As told & shown by Mo Willems and Tony DiTerlizzi. That's when I knew, whoa. This isn't going to...
11 natural cold and flu remedies for kids that can help them feel better faster
Fall may be our favorite season -- with its cooler temperatures, hot coffees, and the chance to laugh at pumpkin spice everything. But cold and flu season most definitely is not our favorite. A few of us have already been feeling the sniffles, so we've put together 11...
More than 40 of the coolest Star Wars birthday party ideas for your little Padawan
We imagine a whole lot of parents out there are starting to plan some amazing Star Wars birthday parties and are going to be looking for some creative, cool ideas. After all, in just a few months, Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens will be released and a whole new...