More coolness from recent weeks…
Not quite Crayolas, they’re Crazyoleez
I'm always on the lookout for goodie bag favors that aren't mini plastic Slinkies from the dollar store. And last week I discovered the adorable Crazyoleez crayons and I thought, now there's a winner.Two passionate moms essentially melt all sorts of crayon colors into...
Expressing Motherhood – The good, the bad, and the OMG I can’t believe she just said that.
Mom's Night Out is an all too rare occasion. (Who's with us?) So Cool Mom Picks co-founders Liz Gumbinner and Kristen Chase are excited to be part of three good excuses to get out in NYC this week, when we perform along with a group of super talented writers as part...
An eco-friendly Halloween, with an emphasis on “friendly”
It didn't take me too long to learn that younger kids are pretty much scared out of their wits by a lot of the costumes and decorations that are par for the course on Halloween. Forget bloody eyeballs or Scream masks -- even the giant inflatable Shrek at my...
Bumbo Potty Seat
Potties aren't exactly the kind of item that gets me all excited, but I when I saw the new Bumbo Potty Seat at the recent ABC Kids trade show I actually did a double take, then backtracked to check it out. I loved our Bumbo baby seat when the girls were little, and so...
Steal this CD
Any band that uses solar power to make their CD then encourages people to copy it for their friends makes me feel all warm and fuzzy before I've even heard a note. Thankfully, The Harmonica Pocket's new kids' music CD, Ladybug One, is filled with such cool, trippy...
Even more justification for playing Sudoku online
I am always amazed by the number of online gaming pitches we get and then I realize -duh- I am totally addicted to online games, and have been ever since I was first introduced to Snood back in the day. Let's just say there is no better way to keep your hands busy on...
More scanimation, please.
I am so excited about artist Rufus Butler Seder's third "scanimation" book, Waddle!. Um, I mean my kids are.If you're not familiar with these so cool they're almost magic books, they blend engaging rhyming prose about animals with graphic images that give the illusion...
Great schools deserve free money
It's music to any educator's ears: The chance for big bucks for the school, just because it's great.GreatSchools.net and Care2.com have partnered up to create the America's Favorite School Contest, and they're giving away everyone's favorite recession prize -- cash....
Let’s hear it for the girls!
CD audiobooks, or what I still call "books on tape," are my secret weapon against boredom in the car. Our newest gem is Tell Me a Story 3: Women of Wonder which follows in the footsteps of its much loved predecessors, Tell Me a Story and Tell Me a Story 2: Animal...
It looks so wise, because it’s so smart
Of course my child, like yours, is an absolute genius, but even he wasn't able to tell time when he was a newborn. So why get one of this adorable bamboo Baby Owl Clocks for the nursery? How else can you regale your friends with stories of how you were up from 3:12 to...
Six more weeks ’til bobbing for apples!
I am a total Halloween loving dork, and if I had more hours in my day, I'd be That Mom who does the whole crazy haunted house thing, throws the awesome costume party, and gives out the best candy. I'd also be the mom who gets my you know what together in time to send...
Where the wild things are? How about right here.
Give us a few cold rainy days and my kids will be climbing the walls and snarling at all my attempts to cheer them up. So I'm stashing away the downloadable Monster Mania ebook from Make and Takes to help me out with a few easy craft ideas when crayons just aren't...
Halloween baby onesies that look just as good November 1.
I used to feel bad when my baby wasn't the only one sporting holiday themed clothing. But when your kid only has a week to wear it, it's really not the smartest budget choice anyway. So here's a way to stretch a buck -- grab something that works for Halloween and the...
Lunch totes so cool you’ll keep them for your very own
There are all sorts of good reasons to pack a lunch instead of grabbing one on the go. The downside, of course, is the packaging; paper bags are wasteful but most reusable lunch bags are, well, ugly. Or designed for third graders. Or both.Spring Los Angeles has the...
Toddler bedding that’s looks absolutely nothing like toddler bedding. (That’s a good thing.)
I hesitate to admit that my daughter's current toddler bedding collection includes a queen sheet wrapped twice around the mattress and a handmade quilt with shudder-worthy pink flowers. Needless to say, not my style. That's why I was so drawn to Olli and Lime's line...
The cutest handmade baby booties – CMP does etsy
I can't wait to show you what I've found for this week's Etsy roundup. Baby shoes! Ok, you might not be as excited as I am, but when all your kids are big and sweaty and teens that smell like Axe, I'll ask you again and then you'll squee. This felt pair of shoes from...
Dapper is the word for fall
The television show Mad Men isn't just influencing adult styles for Fall. We've seen some pretty awesome retro-inspired kid's clothes and shoes this back to school season, like the adorable Elliott shoes from See Kai Run.Even though these super sharp kicks are...
The writing’s on the wall, literally
Telling your child to grab a marker and go scribble on the walls is right up there with asking them to run with scissors. Unless you're talking about Idea Paint, which basically turns any surface into a dry erase board. It's easy to apply; just prime a surface with...
Great first birthday gifts? Reader Q&A
I am trying to find a gift for my one year old niece and I can't figure anything out. I don't want to do clothes and plastic toys. I'd like something commemorative - but what? -GraceIf your niece's grandparents are like my kids' grandparents, chances are the clothes...
We’re off to see the wizard. Yes, that one.
One of my favorite aspects of parenting has to be watching my favorite classic movies with my kids for the first time just like I did with my parents. Except we saw them on the big screen back then. And no, I'm not talking about a gihugic plasma.But for one night at...
On the wings of angels
If you watch Project Runway (and if you don't, you're dead to me) then you know that shoulders are the new black. All the fall fashions seem to be drawing attention to shoulders in some way, and now baby clothes are in on the bandwagon too. Here, it's the ruffled...