More coolness from recent weeks…
2 cool new coloring books to inspire creativity in older kids
I never think we can have enough coloring books around the house--or stashed in the travel bags for road trips and plane rides. As much as I love handing my kids plain sheets of paper for open-ended creativity, there's something about coloring in the lines and having...
Gorgeous wooden toy cars that run on imagination
Some of the best toys don't need a lot of bells and whistles, or even horns, to make them a plaything that kids will love for years. Our newest find is Candylab's stunning, yet durable, wooden toy cars. After Candylab wooden toy cars received some acceleration from a...
Easy Christmas cookie shortcut: Walkers shortbread. Really!
If you would love to decorate cookies with the kids but have a to-do list as long as mine, my new favorite, and delicious, shortcut to easy Christmas cookies may work for you. It's those amazing, pure butter shortbread cookies from Walkers, the Scottish company that...
A gift for kids who believe fairies are real. Aren’t they?
I may not allow Elf on a Shelf in my house, and Peter Pan is definitely not welcome to fly through my kids' bedroom window, but having some magical fairy visitors would be just fine. Especially if it means my kids go eagerly to bed in the hopes that one will stop by...
O LEGO tree, O LEGO tree…
If all your kids want for Christmas is more LEGO pieces to add to their never big enough collection, they'll be thrilled to discover that you can even cover the Christmas tree with those beloved bricks in the form of LEGO ornaments. Here are three great shops to start...
8 of the best jelly donut recipes for Hanukkah. Or for anybody, anytime. Because donuts are non-denominational.
If you’re not Jewish, get ready to wish that you were: Jelly donuts are a traditional Hanukkah food. As in, you must eat them to celebrate the holiday or you get kicked out of the tribe. Okay, you don’t really have to eat them, but you can and should, and these...
14 of the most beautiful free printable holiday gift tags and paper to make gifts look great for less.
Every year, we are so indebted to the amazing graphic designers and bloggers who give us the gift of free printable holiday gift tags and wrapping paper. It's like they keep getting better every year. While you can always return to our archives, that feature so many...
13 tips for a more sustainable holiday that can save you a ton of money.
These days, there's no shortage of ways to save money, which is certainly welcome over the holiday season and our growing shopping lists. And it's not just about coupons, discounts, and deals, which we love, of course. Taking steps to live more sustainably can...
Holiday food gifts for future chefs—or any kid who likes ice cream and chocolate.
There may be more talk of picky eaters than foodie kids, but some kids really dig food. I know for sure that these seemingly rare creatures exist because I happen to be mother to one. My older son loves eating, looking at food magazines, and is fearless in the...
11 essential cleaning tips before your holiday party. Whether you’re a neat freak or a “hide everything in the closet” kind of person.
It's that time of year when pretty much everyone is entertaining. And yeah, we all know how to run the vacuum and wield a toilet brush (or hire someone else to do it, if you're lucky), but as the resident Cool Mom Picks neat freak, I've got a few pre-holiday party...
Nununu: Another cool clothing line for little kids becomes a cool line for tweens and big kids.
Like so many of you with kids who start to hit six, seven, eight...you realize that your favorite, go-to clothing brands either stop making clothes that fit your kids, or you see the styles start to get a bit more uh, adult than you might be ready for. (Hint to mall...
Keepsake lockets from With You come with more than just a sentimental photo
The first thing I notice about the keepsake lockets from the brand new company, With You, is how pretty and sweet they are—in fact, we listed them as one of our holiday gift ideas for a special mother-in-law or grandmother in our gift guide this year. But I'm always a...
Macaroni and Cruise: A totally different kind of family cruise featuring some of our favorite bands
If you're looking for a family gift this holiday that blows a lot of ideas out of the water, I've got one to float by you: a cruise. We did it a couple of years ago, and the kids were thrilled when they realized that the box full of sunscreen, snorkels, and travel...
We pity the fool who doesn’t love this Mr. T holiday onesie
If there was anything ever that made me think to myself boy I wish I had a baby right now it's this hilarious Mr. T holiday onesie by Cool Mom Picks favorite Mi Cielo. This isn't the first time I've been in love with the baby gifts from Mi Cielo. You might have seen...
10 kitchen gadget gifts for every family cook, even the reluctant ones.
Whether we like it or not, all of us parents become the family cook at some point, and even those of you who hate to cook know that it doesn't get us out of it. (Darn kids and their need to eat.) These fab kitchen gadget gifts are some of my very favorites. They make...
Sponsored Message: Keep fit and stay motivated with the TomTom Runner Cardio
This is a sponsored message from TomTom Runner Cardio It's no wonder so many people are taking up running these days. It can be a huge sanity saver, and frankly it doesn't hurt the waistline either, especially during holiday cookie season. But staying motivated can be...
Beautiful personalized jewelry ideas that you can still get in time for Christmas
We love personalized jewelry which makes such a special gift, but buying personalized jewelry--or personalized anything, really--also means planning ahead, especially at the holidays. And hey, sometimes we parents aren't able to look further ahead than what we've...
5 of our favorite cool tech picks you don’t want to miss this week
In case you missed them, here are 5 of our most popular cool tech picks from Cool Mom Tech this past week. Enjoy! 1. A helpful comparison of the best kids' tablets on the market. 2. Shopping for your little kids? You won't want to miss these awesome tech toys...
A natural skincare gift for your cosmetic junkie friend in need of rehab.
If you have a cosmetics junkie friend--you know what I mean--it may be time for a gift that takes thing back to a natural, cleansing place. And a new line I just discovered, Board and Batten, could be a perfect fit with their "farm to skin" products--kind of like...
Make your holiday cake and taste it, too.
I have a weakness for beautiful desserts, and our Pinterest boards are full of recipes I can't wait to try. I'd love to serve a new cake at my holiday parties this year, but you know how brand new recipes and big events sometimes don't go so great together, especially...
Stitch the coolest big city gifts with these DIY embroidery patterns
My vacation fund tends to get used for school tuition, so it looks like Italy, Sydney, or San Francisco will stay on my travel bucket list for a bit longer. In the meantime, I can dream about them while I make Christmas gifts, using these stunning DIY embroidery...