More coolness from recent weeks…
The Swurfer: Not your grandma’s backyard swing
When I first saw a picture of The Swurfer in my local toy store's summer catalog, I thought that it looked like a nice wide swing for those of us who can't quite, ahem, cram ourselves into our kids' smaller swings. And while it can definitely be used like a...
Educational activities for children this summer? Reader Q & A
Hi Cool Mom Picks! Any suggestions for workbooks or activities to help prepare my child--and keep them out of my hair (ha)--for the summer between kindergarten and first grade? -Chaitali Ahhhh, summer! No school lunches to pack, no buses to catch, and yet, now...
The coolest gifts for Grandpas: Father’s Day Gift Guide 2015
Next up in our 2015 Father's Day gift guide, are some of the coolest gifts for grandpas. Or grandfathers. Or papas, pop-pops...you know, that awesome patriarch in your family. We've got a fun range for you from thoughtful gifts from the grandkids, to spendier gifts...
6 sets of cool wooden blocks for older kids that are anything but square
Just when I think it's time to put the baby blocks away, my kids will surprise me by building some huge creative structure on the living room floor, enhanced by LEGO men and dollhouse furniture. Still, I can tell the basic square blocks we've had for ten years aren't...
15 of our favorite mom-approved, totally adorable, non-hoochie two-piece swimsuits for girls this summer
It's become a tradition for us now to track down our favorite two-piece swimsuits for girls that are, shall we say, age appropriate? As a mother of two girls, the eldest of which is pretty much hitting tweendom (eep) I'm really glad that they still gravitate to...
20 fantastic ideas for DIY Father’s Day gifts, cards, and printables from the kids: Father’s Day Gift Guide 2015
For those of us with young kids, we know that one of the best parts about Father's Day is letting the kids participate in making DIY Father's Day gifts for their dads and grandpas. And because we don't expect them to be hand-stitching an eyeglass case, forging their...
Behold the cuteness of matching swim trunks for dad and son. At least when they’re as cute as these styles.
Finally, it's pool and beach season! For the dad in your life, there's something very smart about getting something sentimental (if even a homemade card) then also considering a Father's Day gift that will be put to good use. So when we had an opportunity to partner...
Where to find Cool Mom Picks. You know, besides Cool Mom Picks
Whichever social media site you like to frequent, we're probably there too -- making sure you don't miss our favorite posts, sharing great deals and discounts we come across, or just freaking out about Game of Thrones. (Those zombie children, whoa!) Plus, we just like...
Wynn Ruby: One-stop shopping for the cutest baby gifts from small designers.
We're always happy to discover new online shops that feature some of the small label designers for kids that we love, and now there's another to add to our list: Wynn Ruby. Right away I knew it was going to be a fun selection when I saw they...
Let Neil Gaiman take your kids to the beach this summer.
When you hear about a Neil Gaiman book for kids, you might assume it will be along the lines of Coraline or at least his Hansel & Gretel book, but nope. Gaiman is prolific (if you weren't yet aware of that) and this time he's pairing with illustrator Adam Rex...
6 of the coolest printable birthday crowns for the true ruler of the household
We've got a lot of summer birthdays for the kids in my family, so party planning is definitely top of mind for me these days. But I realized, as I've looked around the web, that while there are lots of gorgeous handmade birthday crowns on Etsy or instructions for...
Our favorite handmade toy boxes: Now personalized, on sale, and supporting a really special cause
June is going to be a busy month in the studio of one of our favorite modern kids' furniture makers, Kiersten Hathcock of Mod Mom Furniture. The Shark Tank winner, cool mom, and handmade toy box builder extraordinaire -- along with her dad (love that!) -- are going...
Great anti-chafe swim trunks for boys that keep your beach bums happy
My beach bum son loves everything about the beach except for the one thing that actually gives him beach bum: That mesh insert in his bathing suit. (I know, we're very clever.) So, I'm so very thankful to find NoNetz swim trunks for boys that are made to do away with...
A paper block city that’s ready to travel with your kids
If your kids like building blocks as much as mine, you'll want to check out Paper Punk's new Urban Fold paper blocks which allow kids 6 and up to build a sprawling metropolis without the bulk and weight of traditional blocks. This is such a great toy to toss in the...
12 of the coolest personalized Father’s Day Gifts: Father’s Day Gift Guide 2015
We are so excited to launch our 2015 Father's Day gift guide, because as our longtime readers know, we just love tracking down fantastic gift ideas for the dads we love in our lives. (Yay cool dads!) So we're starting out with the coolest personalized Father's Day...
Wonderful custom artwork for babies, kids, and kids at heart.
I still think that a great piece of personalized art can be one of the best baby shower gifts, provided you know the parents' taste. And uh, the kid's name. Of course. But I think this new discovery should fit the bill for lots of families and lots of styles. The new...
DoodleLit by Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver: Because, Mr. Darcy coloring pages.
Every once in a while I come across a kids' book I love as much (or more) than my kids do. It's even more rare with board books, but the brilliantly creative BabyLit board books by Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver are definitely on that list. I have to admit, the...
10 fantastic summer party themes for kids, and loads of inspiration to bring them to life.
Oh, the joys of the summer birthday party when the nice weather means celebrating with friends out-of-doors. And whether this means gathering everyone into your backyard, meeting at the local park, or even taking over a quiet piece of sandy beach, we've put...
Retro-cool printable gift boxes full of summer fun. And yummy treats.
We've been smitten by Claudine Hellmuth's clever gift boxes that look like ovens and popsicles for a while now. So we just visited her Etsy shop again, and wow, she has so many fun printable gift boxes at her site now that I'm tempted to give away little treats all...
10 fun summery crafts for kids that can keep the boredom away.
Oh, summer. The kids wait and wait and wait for it, and then, how many minutes in are they complaining about how hot it is? Or how you won't take them to the pool (for the second time that day)? Or that they're simply bored? So we've tracked down a whole bunch of...
The new TKEES are here! Behold our disproportionate excitement about such things.
To say I'm a TKEES sandals fan is a bit of an understatement. Ever since I discovered them about four years ago, they've slowly become the only flip-flop style sandals I own. They're comfy and can take a bit of a beating, plus they're chic enough for me to wear into...