More coolness from recent weeks…
An amazing day camp in New York City – even for non NYC kids
Updated with exclusive discount!Imagine sending your kids to a camp where they get to explore all the best sights and sounds of New York City for a week, with a huge educational component. Now imagine that you are visiting New York for a week, and that you can allow...
8 free Olympics printables that deserve a medal
We've found a set of free Olympics printables that bring the excitement of the far-away Olympics a little closer, no passport required. Which is great because the closest we're going to get to London for the Summer Olympics is through our television and laptop...
Every family has a spicy kid…or two.
Molly Ledford and her band of merry Lunch Money mates are just such supreme goodness. We are big fans of theirs here at Cool Mom Picks, but this new CD, Spicy Kid, just might take the cake. Er, peanut butter sandwich. This CD is a combination of sweet fun and...
Cool movie posters for fans of film and great design
Okay so I guess it's cool modern poster day today at Cool Mom Picks, because aside from the adorable city posters that Kirstin raved about, I just fell in love with a series of classic movie posters, reinterpreted by a modern graphic artist and now on sale. The Joseph...
Corolle’s potty training dolls for your whiz kids (heh)
I jumped through many hoops to get my son to finally use the potty: candy rewards, sticker charts, pleading. But I never did try a potty-training doll since I found most of them to be kind of unappealing as a doll that you'd want to snuggle at night after squeezing...
Turning the cities you love into amazing works of art
When traveling, I find myself falling in love with places I go. I usually try and find something to take home with me that will always remind me of it, which is probably why I love when artists create that same feeling with their artwork. Susan Taylor of Taylors Type...
Gift wrapping made easy (and pretty!)
Have you ever been to a white elephant gift exchange? Then you know how everyone goes for the box with the prettiest bow, even though we all know that's the one that has the stale apple and branded notepad in it. That's because presentation counts when it comes to...
Safer bathtime for babies thanks to the help of a blue elephant
Why does bathing our young in a tub have to be so darn hard? The bottom is slippery, so we've got to outfit it with a non stick mat. Then there is the problem with the water spout. It's shiny (so kids gravitate towards it, obviously), and it's also metal. I can't tell...
Turning any table into the best playhouse ever
Its been a while since we first discovered Imaginative PlayToys, and the gorgeous handmade felt table covers she makes to turn your card table into oh...say, a pirate ship. Checking back again after awhile I discovered a new shop name and a ton of inspired new...
Read your veggies.
It seems a lot of baby toys are awfully loud these days. They light up, crinkle, beep and blast music, so sometimes its nice to just have some low-key playthings to appease our easily overstimulated little ones. These quiet handmade soft books from Cutiful Baby...
International Mat of Mystery
Merely a place mat for children? Perish the thought.It can be a hat, a brooch, or a pterodactyl. Or just a handy color-your-own disguise kit for a messy kid who needs a mustache. The Paper Disguises Place Mat at My Sweet Muffin is a fantastic addition to any meal...
Needs more bluebell.
You know how sometimes, when you're walking down the sidewalk, you can smell someone's laundry in the dryer? I'll admit it--I love that smell. And I've missed having it at my own home, since I gave up the high-chemical detergents and started making my own. Good news:...
Hey Girl, You should totally buy this Ryan Gosling tea towel
I make it no secret that I have a huge crush on the Canadian Ryans: Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling. But since I'm not 15 anymore, I'm pretty sure the glossy posters on my ceiling or calendars on my wall are out of the question. But a tea towel? Oh that's more than...
5 summer drink recipes: Copy your favorites from Starbucks and more at home
Other than my morning cup of joe (like one of these iced coffee recipes, yum), I tend to drink water. But when the heat is on, I find myself craving lemonade, frosty coffee drinks, and other summer coolers. I can down icy drinks from Starbucks and Jamba Juice all...
Adorable toddler backpacks and big kid backpacks that you won’t be replacing by October
I learned the hard way, as have many parents, that if you buy a cheap backpack for your kid, even your toddler, you will be buying a second (and possibly third) backpack before the school year is through. So now I look for good quality, functionality, and still a cute...
5 must-haves for chic summer travel
If you haven't yet checked out the beautifully designed online style mag, CeciStyle, from the custom stationers of Ceci New York, we think you might like it. In fact, today is a pretty good day to do that very thing. Not coincidentally, we've even contributed a little...
Serious rad upcycled childrens clothes for seriously special occasions
[updated with corrected info]There is something so special about children's clothes with history. Hand-me-downs aren't just a frugal choice: there's often meaning in seeing your child in his grandpa's favorite college sweatshirt. And now there's a talented artist...
A coat rack almost too cute to hang your coats on
My favorite pastime is visiting flea markets and discovering items that will bring character to my child's space and my own space. And finding great deals adds to the excitement. But now there's an adorable shop online that's giving me the same thrills. All...
The sunblock that turned us into a family of sunblock snobs
This sunblock is so good, so easy, and so waterproof that my kids call it only "the good one."Well, not my three-year-old. He calls it "dat good can dat you spray."Translation: winning product. The brand is MD Solar Sciences, which bills itself as a physician-driven...
Say chubby baby
In some neighborhoods, where feeding a baby a single french fry will earn you the disdain of onlooking parents everywhere (would I know of such a thing?) my anti-authority side is loving a line of vaguely irreverent baby and kids clothes that walks right into the...
How five kids built a better lunchbox
Between summer camp and school, tossing an ice pack in with a sandwich, apple and yogurt is pretty much a no-brainer at this point. But when you consider that not all lunch boxes and ice packs are made for each other, there are plenty of times when I hesitate to pack...