More coolness from recent weeks…
How many times do we tell our kids, STOOOOOOP!
I have to admit, I never thought about my car's tires a whole lot. I guess your tires are the kind of thing you don't think about a lot -- until they stop working properly. In which case...yikes. So I'm truly happy to support our fantastic sponsor Michelin, on their...
5 fun Thanksgiving crafts for kids that double as your Thanksgiving table decor
Having some themed Thanksgiving crafts on hand is a great way to entertain your younger holiday guests over what can be a long day, but I'm never quite sure what to do with all the finished projects after the kids are done with them. So, this year I've been tracking...
10 creative Advent calendars for 2018 that make the Christmas countdown even more fun.
We've had so much find finding creative 2018 Advent calendars for kids. And even if you don't think the holiday season needs more presents and candy (agree to disagree), I think you might change your mind when you see these awesome calendars. Whether your kids are...
Black Friday shopping: 6 holiday toys to have on your radar this weekend | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message on behalf of the toys seen here Hitting the stores this Black Friday? Whether you're braving the crowds or shopping the virtual shelves, you'll want to keep these 6 fun toys on your radar for your holiday gift lists. From STEM and Harry...
The People Shall Continue: a conversation-starting epic history of Native people for kids
Each year during November, which is National Native American Heritage Month by the way, we like to take a look at some of the great resources for our kids about the Native experience. Especially as we approach Thanksgiving. Because without the Wampanoag people, there...
5 gifts to help kids develop valuable skills: Top holiday toys from Lakeshore Learning | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from Lakeshore Learning Kids love toys -- all kinds of toys -- and parents love those toys when they get kids excited about learning and building skills they need through play. In fact, learning through play is how kids learn best! And for...
Support an amazing cause when you bid on these one-of-a-kind jean jackets from some of our favorite artists
We've been watching the news in shock and horror as fires ripped through California this past week. We know many friends and family who have been affected, and in an effort to lend some support, we've shared some ways you can help. And well, we just got word on...
The hottest beauty gifts right now to make you sparkle, glimmer and shine: What’s on our wishlist
Here's to some much-needed pampering time just before the crazy holiday season hits, amiright? This past weekend, I took myself over to the Sephora inside JCPenney in the Manhattan Mall -- and can you say best sponsor ever? I treated myself to a free 15-minute mini...
12 fantastic Hanukkah gifts for kids that are cool, not corny
Hanukkah comes early this year -- December 2! -- so it's time to start gathering up ideas for cool Hanukkah gifts for kids. While of course every toy, game, accessory or gift can be wrapped up for Hanukkah, I love that we've been able to track down so many gifts that...
15 stylish winter coats for girls, all inspired by adult runway looks
I'm feeling sweatah-weathah turn into stylish winter coat weather pretty quickly, and we're loving some of the trends we're seeing in girls' winter coats this year. In fact, when Liz shared Vogue's trend watch for adult outerwear this winter with me, I knew I'd seen...
Surviving the toddler years with Dr. Heather Wittenberg | Spawned Episode 131
The toddler years comes with quite a reputation for putting poor, unsuspecting parents through the ringer. Well, we're here to give you a little bit of your sanity back thanks to our special guest Dr. Heather Wittenberg aka The BabyShrink, who's an expert in all...
Our favorite multi-denominational kids’ holiday tees for a happy Hanukkah, merry Christmas, and joyous everything
Leave it to Free to Be Kids to create a collection of positive multi-denominational holiday tees for kids and babies that I couldn't wait to run here to share with you all. We've joked before about the dearth of cool, clever Hanukkah tees and gifts for kids, but yay!...
How to talk to kids about natural disasters like the California fires
With the tragic California wildfires all over the news right now, once again as parents, we're faced with prospect of having difficult conversations with our kids about natural disasters. We want to say the right things. We don't want to give our kids nightmares. And...
5 big things parents get wrong about potty training
While some aspects of parenting little ones have gotten easier over the years, thanks to baby food makers, nursing stations in airports, and 24/7 streaming cartoons (ha), potty training is one thing that remains a major source of stress and frustration for so many...
Free Thanksgiving coloring pages to help children express gratitude
While there's no shortage of websites out there that offer free Thanksgiving coloring pages for children surrounded by lots of blinking ads and downloadable PDFs of dubious quality, we have an alternative: A selection of nicely designed, artful Thanksgiving coloring...
How buying one of our favorite kids’ toys on Veteran’s Day will support deployed military families in a great way.
Each year on Veteran's Day, we love finding new organizations that support the families of military service men and women. And wow, I am so thrilled to learn about United Through Reading and their 40 Million Stories campaign. This non-profit gives the more than...
A collection of culturally and historically accurate Thanksgiving coloring pages for children
This year, I've been on a mission to track down more culturally and historically accurate Thanksgiving coloring pages for my own kids and for our readers. Because most of us know by now that, however uncomfortable it may be, the story of Thanksgiving that so many of...
How to help the California fire victims, from evacuees to animals to our brave first responders
The images and stories of the Western Wildfires -- the Hill and Woolsey Fires in the LA area, and the Camp Fire in Northern California that has entirely decimated the town of Paradise -- have been nothing short of horrifying. With upwards of a quarter-million evacuees...
Representation FTW! Spawned Ep. 130
Whatever your feelings about what happened on November 6, 2018, we hope you can agree that it was an exciting, historic day for women. Over 100 women in Congress! YES! So, on this week's episode of Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we're talking about Election Day, the...
This weekend’s GameStop PRO DAYS sale can save you a ton on these hot holiday gifts | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message from GameStop If your family has video games, gaming systems, or pop culture tees and gifts (hey there, Fortnite fans!) on their holiday wish lists you're going to want to check out this weekend's huge GameStop PRO DAYS sale. The GameStop...
Get well soon Ruth Bader Ginsburg! We need you!
I just received a news alert that our strong, feisty, beloved SCOTUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, fell and fractured three ribs last night. It's happened before (she evidently "did not skip a beat" during that time, according to the court because, RBG), and I know...