More coolness from recent weeks…
12 of the most fun, easy Valentine’s crafts for kids that we’d like doing too.
With Valentine's Day less than a week away, I'm going to take advantage of this weekend with the kids to finish up their printable Valentine's Day cards and make a few yummy Valentine's food gifts to hand out to all our favorite people. We're also going to keep our...
An Elements of Style t-shirt for those who don’t have to ask what that is.
As a bona fide (oh look, I used a fancy Latin word!) word nerd, I have a particular fondness for gifts that we've featured here like the grammar police mugs or fun books for kids that play with language. But then, alas, I am imperfect. I spell occasionally wrong the...
3 ideas for family-friendly Valentine’s Day dinners: How to adapt them from kid-friendly to adult-friendly later on.
Every time we parents make dinner, family cooks work to strike a balance between what the kids are willing to eat and what the grown ups actually want to eat. Sometimes holidays make this balancing act even harder. Ever make a heart-shaped pizza and call it dinner on...
9 outstanding Black History Month books for kids of all ages
Black History Month is the perfect time for us to widen our scope on the lives of Black people in this country and their ongoing contributions to its advancement. In school, our kids typically learn about the impact that people like Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa...
I saw the signs.
I've seen my fair share of beautiful initial necklaces, many of which I own (funny how that happens), but none like these beautiful Sign Language Alphabet necklaces by Monserat De Lucca. I recently discovered them and wow. Talk about a thoughtful, creative, and super...
16 of the sweetest first Valentine’s gifts for babies.
You didn't think we'd forget little ones in our 2015 Valentine's Gift Guide did you? While of course we dig all the romance of the day, we also can't resist showering babies with love, which is why we put together this list of 16 Valentine's gifts for babies, should...
8 decadent Nutella breakfast recipes for any special, extra indulgent morning
Recently, there was a whole lot of controversy about marketing Nutella as a healthy breakfast food. Apparently, someone thought that the kids of the world need help eating toast by slathering it in a chocolate-hazelnut spread. But on World Nutella Day, I'm...
American Museum of Natural History and J. Crew make history with cool science t-shirts
When I took my son to the American Museum of Natural History in NYC last summer, I realized that I'd forgotten how full of fun and wonder museums can be. The fab collection of museum-inspired science t-shirts for kids from J. Crew for AMNH is bringing it all back--for...
Easy homemade Valentine’s food gifts, because you know what they say about the way to someone’s heart.
We’re suckers for easy DIY Valentine’s Day crafts that make thoughtful gifts, especially when they’re deliciously edible. So I've put together some ideas for homemade Valentine’s food gifts that are easy to make with the kids—even little ones and those not gifted in...
Share the love: 19 of the best printable valentines for your (very thoughtful) kids.
Yes, parenting in the digital age comes with the hassle of monitoring screen time and wondering if our kids are using social media for good. But there are also printable valentines, so we never have to comb through boxes of Dora and SpongeBob cards in a last-minute...
Red: A Crayon’s Story. The perfect children’s book at the perfect time.
If you're thinking red Valentine's gifts of for kids, here's an idea a bit off the beaten path: Red, A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall, just out this week. It's a beautifully told, wonderfully illustrated story (in crayon, natch) about a red crayon who just isn't very...
Cool heart necklaces that are as stylish as sentimental.
I am a total adherent to the "thought that counts" school of Valentine's gift giving, but sometimes that thought counts just a little more when you really know your sweetheart's taste. There's nothing wrong with classic jewelry from big-name designers, but if you...
The 2015 Caldecott and Newbery medal winners are here. More great reading for all!
Yesterday's big awards news had nothing to do with Bradley Cooper or the Oscars (which I can't wait for either). The American Library Association announced the 2015 Caldecott and Newbery medal winners for young adult literature, and we were really excited to see some...
3 of the best BB creams for any busy woman without a lot of time in the morning
I've been using BB creams since I first discovered them years ago thanks to my Birchbox subscription, and I've never gone back to using anything else, though surprisingly enough, not a lot of women I know have used one. If you're wondering what the heck a BB cream is,...
Candy gifts for Valentine’s Day that go way beyond the ordinary.
I know what you might be thinking: Candy gifts for Valentine's Day? Could you be more cliché, Cool Mom Picks? And well, if you've never been introduced to Sugarfina, a favorite here with our staff, well then you will understand why I'm all excited about their...
IKEA Kallax: The best storage for families gets a makeover and a name change
I've purchased six Expedit storage units from IKEA for our three-child house, so you can imagine my shock when I discovered that they were no longer selling what I consider their most versatile, affordable, and useful storage solution for families. Turns out that the...
14 romantic Valentine’s gifts for him under 50: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
The truth is, if you want a romantic Valentine's Day for him, it doesn't have to be plane tickets to Paris. (Not that we'd discourage that.) In fact it can cost a whole lot less. So we took the time to track down some really fun Valentine's gifts for the lucky man in...
Happy Handmade: The super-fun, super doable new craft e-book for kids.
Sometimes I see the same crafts in crafting books for kids over and over again, but the ideas in the new e-book Happy Handmade, are fresh and fun, with diverse perspectives from 17 creative contributors. We're talking respected craft and DIY bloggers like Mari...
10 easy Valentine’s Day crafts that make cool DIY gifts: Valentines Day Gift Guide
We love homemade gifts, and have always had a heart for Valentine's Day crafts that make truly thoughtful gifts. But then we look around, and...eek! Unless you have your own woodworking shop and an MFA in jewelry design, not all the ideas floating around will come...
Naptime with Theo and Beau: The book that could get more kids napping. Or asking for a puppy.
I can hardly imagine a parent online today who isn't familiar with the huge viral success of Theo and Beau. This gorgeous photo series comes from our friend and fellow mom Jessica Shyba, who has lovingly documented the daily naptime ritual of her toddler son and their...
Join us for a Twitter Social to help you get ready for a great Valentine’s Day. (And laugh about the ones that weren’t so great.)
We love celebrating Valentine's Day because it's a chance to show the people we love just how much we love them. Which we already do, but you know, there's work and school and homework and activities, so we'll take every opportunity we can get to step things up just a...