Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Raising curious kids: Expert tips from Brains On host Molly Bloom | Spawned ep 80
This week, we are talking about the importance of curious kids -- how to raise them, how to keep them that way. And there's no better person to join us for this chat and answer our questions than Molly Bloom of Brains On, the popular science podcast from Minnesota...
A BTDT mom’s guide to surviving sleepaway camp (you, not the kids!) | Spawned episode 79
Today on Spawned, guest host Stacie Billis joins Liz for a great chat that should put all you first-time sleepaway camp parents -- or future sleepaway camp parents -- at ease. Well, mostly. Tune in for tips like when to know your kid is ready for camp, how to decide...
Man V Child: Comedian Doug Moe on surviving the baby + toddler years | Spawned ep 78
Does anyone really want to see your kids' poop photos on Facebook? Should you lie to your kids when they walk in on you uh...wrestling? What does it mean to "walk a mile in another table's pants?" Actually, we don't know about that last one. Still, tune into this...
More coolness from recent weeks…
Unicorn gift boxes spread magic. And we need magic-spreading unicorns.
Just when you were thinking the unicorn trend was passing...haha, just kidding! With all our Lisa Frank loving hearts, we all know that unicorns will never go out of style! And that's just one of the reasons I was so excited to find these new Send a Unicorn boxes....
6 educational activities for preschoolers that make time fly when you’re stuck indoors
When the weather has made taking your kids to the park impossible -- or at least, miserable -- it's helpful to have a few creative educational activities handy to keep preschoolers busy and entertained indoors. Because these winter days are soooo long. Even if they're...
Black History flashcards that inspire and educate, 52 cards at a time.
Each year, Black History Month is a wonderful time for Americans to celebrate the historical achievements and contributions of Black people in this country. But I dream of a time that these achievements will be given equal representation in our history books and...
Can’t find the exact bedding of your dreams? Flaneur has the (spendy) solution.
This year, I'm determined to get some of my home decor annoyances crossed off my to-do list and that includes finding a new comforter. One problem. I've been looking for a comforter that's just the right shade of navy for a while now, and I haven't been able to find...
3 wonderful new picture books about African American heroes, all written by authors of color
As a strong proponent of bookshelves filled with diverse books -- in our libraries, our schools, and certainly at home -- I've become much more aware of not seeking out books featuring heroes of color, but ensuring that a diverse group of authors and illustrators are...
Family ideas for making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a day of service, not just a day off.
Over the years, we've shared some of our favorite activities for Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Reading outstanding kids' books about activism, getting messy with some inspirational family craft projects (we're still loving this DIY mural), or seeking out other ways to...
Which state does the most reading? Innnnnnnteresting….
If you haven't yet checked out our annual roundup of the the best lists of the best children's books of the year, it's well worth your time. But here's one more book list that really caught my attention: Amazon's list of the states that read the most. The top 10...
5 books about Haiti for kids that celebrate its beauty, resilience and culture.
It's become devastatingly clear that not everyone recognizes Haiti as the naturally beautiful, culturally rich, nation that it is. Not to mention a resilient one, as we commemorate the 8-year anniversary today of the massive Port-au-Prince earthquake that struck the...
I’m a mom. Explaining the word “shithole” is far from my biggest concern.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! - Emma Lazarus After yesterday's racist, hateful, and decidedly non-presidential presidential "shithole" characterization of immigrants to America from predominantly black and brown...
6 of our favorite Disney movies that you can watch free at home this week.
This is a sponsored post on behalf of our partner Disney. We are total entertainment geeks, and as our readers know, we're big fans of family movie night. (i.e. Put down those screens, kids, and come watch the big screen right here with us.) So we are pretty psyched...
The best stay-put lipstick I’ve tried. Kiss me, Nars!
I am always looking for a good stay-put lipstick, which means it uh, actually stays. Plus, it can't be too drying, it has to distribute the pigment evenly, and it uh...actually has to stay put. Within reason of course. Well hallelujah for Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment...
Why #TimesUp made last night’s Golden Globes important family viewing. | Thinking Parent
Knowing that the Golden Globes would be more about female empowerment than fashion this year, with more red carpet questions and speeches about #MeToo movement and activism and gender parity and social justice, I decided to let my kids stay up and watch the awards...
Everything you ever wanted to know about eyelash extensions
After admiring my friend's gorgeous eyelash extensions a few months ago, I decided to bite the bullet and try them myself. As someone who doesn't wear a lot of make-up, and doesn't have a lot of time, I figured it would a cool way to make me look a little more awake...
The best children’s books of 2017 to read in 2018: All the year-end lists, all in one place.
This is my favorite recurring post every year on Cool Mom Picks, in which we collect all the best children's books of 2017 lists from all over the internet -- from big publications like the New York Times to our favorite indie bloggers with great taste in literature....
12 of the very best printable calendars we hope are as inspiring as 2018 will be.
2017 was...quite a year. And if you're anything like me, you find the idea of a fresh calendar for a fresh New Year a great way of wiping the slate clean and getting a fresh start (to use a cliche or two). That's why I poked around to find some of the coolest 2018...
The parents’ ultimate guide to snow day sanity with 34 genius snow day activities.
Are you in snow day hell, stuck inside with antsy kids, looking for some fun ideas besides staring at your Instagram Stories? We feel you! Don't lose your mind looking for great snow day activities; start with these ideas, newly updated for 2018. We've got nearly 3...
A wonderful little gift to yourself to help power you through the new year.
We featured the Speakeasy Works Equality wristlet as one of our favorite feminist gift ideas all created by women in our recent Holiday Gift Guide. And even though the holidays have passed, we all love it so much we think it makes an amazing gift for yourself to get...
The Generosity of Regular People. Like You. | Editors Top 10 of the Year
Our final Editors Top 10 of the Year pick seems the perfect one to close out 2017 -- and really, to lead us into 2018. There's always been a current of social good through our site from the day we started it, as we've highlighted incredible charities, gifts that give...
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls Vol. 2 | Editors Top 10 of the Year
The truth is, we want to give a shout out to the many wonderful children's authors this year who dedicated their energies to supporting, uplifting, and empowering girls -- and to those publishers who gave them the opportunity. But the one that really steals our hearts...
The Ibtihaj Muhammad Olympian Barbie | Editors Top 10 of the Year
During a time that so many people are waking up to the essential need for diversity reflected in all aspects of life, we're so thrilled to see that toy makers are getting it too. Especially one of the biggest in the world. Which is why we're cheering for the launch of...
Amazing Card Games for Family Game Night | Editors Top 10 of the Year
This year we featured a few super cool card games that we just can't stop playing with our own families. And no, we're not talking Go Fish or Gin-Rummy! So we decided the awesome family card game trend deserves a spot on our Editor Top 10 Picks of the Year list. Like...