Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Smart tips for tackling digital clutter with Joshua Zerkel of Evernote | Spawned episode 77
If you're like us, you've got a bazillion photos sucking memory on your phone, not to mention all those unnamed documents on your computer. And we won't even talk about our email inboxes. But that's all about to change for us, and you, thanks to our special guest on...
Getting kids excited about science: A chat with NPR Wow in the World hosts Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas | Spawned ep 76
Well, if Spawned with Kristen and Liz haaaaas to be beaten by someone in the Kids + Family podcast category, we're happy it's the new NPR podcast Wow in the World, a weekly science show "for kids and their grownups." Especially because it's hosted by two of our...
Work after baby: Lauren Smith Brody’s tips for surviving with sanity and style | Spawned ep 75
How do you get back to work after having a baby without losing your mind? How in the world can you start looking -- and feeling -- human again when you feel anything but? How do you carve out me-time when it seems least likely? And the big one: Is it possible to ever...
More coolness from recent weeks…
A new magazine inspiring kids to do more than find a new lipstick color.
As a new mom, I'm excited to see a growing trend toward empowering children's books and magazines, especially ones that encourage kids to discover their own unique voices and interests. My latest favorite discovery is Bravery Magazine, a new, beautifully designed,...
Cheering for Tommy Hilfiger’s new styles of of adaptive clothing for kids and adults: WOW are they good
Getting dressed presents special challenges when you have special needs, so we love it when big-time brands recognize the need and create adaptive styles that are just as cute and affordable as the originals. Target's Cat & Jack Adaptive line for kids was launched...
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...