More coolness from recent weeks…
Cute knee socks that may put other cute knee socks to shame
You don't see many little girls sporting knee socks these days unless they're paired with a pleated skirt and collared shirt as part of a school uniform. But when younger girls catch a glimpse of these adorable fox and raccoon socks from Little Circus, I imagine...
16 hilariously funny Valentines cards. Because we can only be sappy for so long.
I like funny Valentines cards. You probably like funny Valentines cards. The real question is, do you have the sense of humor required to actually receive one of these? Or do you have the cool-enough friend or partner who'd rather receive a Kanye West card from you...
Building a better bear with Bears for Humanity
It's pretty easy to find a teddy bear that my kids will love. Cute and stuffed? Check. But finding one that I love for them is a bit trickier. Bears for Humanity is a winner for all of us. My favorite thing about Bears for Humanity is their buy one, give one business...
Designer LEGO jewelry for the kid at heart.
We've been fans of jewelry designer JacQueline Sanchez's Forever Young collection of LEGO jewelry since, well, forever ago. The artist makes rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more with LEGO bricks that are more like designer pieces than a craft project you...
Princess Awesome: Where trains, dinos, and science symbols help you dress #likeagirl
It's been pretty well established by now that girls are capable of loving both science and pink. They might even like dinosaurs and pirates and trucks and purple princesses...all together. I know, it's like a world gone crazy for most mainstream toy marketers who...
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...