Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Turning kids into readers: 3 simple tips from LeVar Burton to help your kids get excited about books
As avid readers ourselves, it's probably no surprise we try to get our kids excited about reading every chance we get. But, some kids are harder than others (funny how that works), and finding creative ways to motivate less eager readers can be tough. And that's where...
The Gift of Failure: 3 tips from Jessica Lahey to help you raise more self-reliant kids
With the prevalence of helicopter parenting these days, it's no surprise we're seeing kids becoming much more dependent than independent -- and let's face it, we're seeing more really tired parents. But it can be challenging for parents who are used to doing so much...
Sex after pregnancy: 5 tips from Rosie Pope to help you get back in the saddle again
Sex after pregnancy isn't exactly the hottest topic ever, because when you've just had a baby, well, it's probably the last thing on your mind. But, it's definitely important for a relationship, and one that a lot of parents have a lot of questions about. So, on this...
More coolness from recent weeks…
3 fantastic children’s books to get the kids to read before they become hit movies.
There are three fantastic children's books being made into movies for release this fall and early 2018. The way I see it, that gives us plenty of time to read them before scheduling a family movie night to see them! I'm a big believer in reading the book first before...
9 OMG emoji photo booth props you can totally make yourself.
We've embraced the emoji world takeover with clapping hands, champagne bottles mid-pop, and dancing twins in bunny leotards. Resistance is futile we've learned. And with The Emoji Movie coming out this week, we imagine even more will be psyched to discover our...
This Women’s March coloring book is what democracy looks like.
There's no denying that the massive success of The Woman's March on January 21, 2017, marked it as an historic day in our country, the world and the continuation of a long history of boss ladies making our voices heard. So I was so excited to discover this We March...
A dad created this awesome makeup brand to empower his daughter. And all of us too.
It's not often that you'll find a makeup brand that celebrates who women already are instead of making promises as to what women should be. But when Bill Xaing's daughter was born, he realized that he could do something to change that. So he created RealHer Makeup, a...
Mifold vs. BubbleBum: Travel booster seat smackdown
My kids have all used traditional booster seats in the car, but recently my son has had a chance to test out two cool booster seat alternatives so we could really give you the scoop on the pros, cons, and differences between the Mifold and the BubbleBum travel booster...
Don’t toss it yet! 7 brilliant hacks that give second life to your baby gear.
I've racked up quite a bit of baby gear as a mom of four. From diaper bags to bottles to wipe warmers, I could fully stock my own Babies R Us resale outlet! But now that my kids are beyond the baby years, it's time to purge. Because no parent needs leftover diapers...
5 pool rules for kids that everyone should commit to memory.
Sometimes, I think kids have a button in their heads --like in the movie Inside Out -- and it gets pressed whenever they see water. When activated, it's like this button overrides all rational thought with POOOOOOOL! the second they see one. That's why it's important...
Hamiltones crayons: We don’t know how to say no to this!
My daughter has been completely obsessed with Hamilton because she is a normal 2017 kid. And as an artist, she's just as obsessed with these Hamiltones Hamilton crayons by Thespian Swag. Enough that she's been forwarding me pictures of them for days. Now that I've...
We can’t believe the reason a kids’ softball umpire asked a deaf 10-year-old player to remove her hearing devices.
Parents of kids with special needs are used to having to fight for their kids' rights. It's part of the parenting territory. But when my friend told me what happened to her deaf child at her softball tournament this week, I was shocked. (Please note an editorial...
Cool hard-side kids’ luggage: 9 options that might get them to carry their own bags
There are few better moments for traveling families than the day your child is ready to carry their own luggage through the airport! (Can I get a woot?!) I've put together some fantastic hard-side luggage for kids that makes for fantastic first-time luggage, whether...
A mermaid pillow so mesmerizing, your kids just might choose it over an iPad.
Mermaid fever is at fever pitch for my kids and probably yours too. So when we heard about mermaid pillows, well. Turns out, they're truly magical in the most unexpected of ways. Mermaid Pillow Co. calls its puffy creations (which, by the way, are not all...
The Star Wars: A Force Awakens Monopoly set was missing Rey. Then one little girl changed that.
When Hasbro's new Star Wars: A Force Awakens Monopoly set came out in late 2015, fans discovered something was missing. Well, someone was missing: Rey. And one 8-year-old wasn't okay with that. (And honestly, neither were we.) So Annie Rose Goldman wrote Hasbro a...
We’ve got 8 cool summer coloring pages for teens and tweens that they won’t roll their eyes at. (Maybe.)
We're all about awesome printable coloring pages, especially if they're free, and the designs are cool enough that even our most cynical teen and tween artists can appreciate them. These 8 summer coloring pages are just perfect because they celebrate the magical...
So many cool shark shoes for kids! Because…shark shoes!
It's that time of year again: Shark Week! Which is a favorite of ours around here. And it's become a bit of a tradition for us to round up our favorite shark picks for kids. This year, we couldn't help but notice how many awesome kids' shark shoes there are....
An animated film celebrating Black dads, daughters, and a whole lot of hair love.
When I discovered a Kickstarter project for an animated children's short film that will celebrate Black dads, their daughters, and the beauty of natural hair, my heart swelled with love. As a mom to two curly-haired biracial daughters, I personally know how important...
Say Zoop! is the perfect follow-up to Press Here
Fans of the interactive children's books from Hervé Tulle, Press Here and Mix it Up, now have another wonderfully charming, engaging book to add to their kids' bookshelves in Say Zoop! Once again, children are asked to perform a series of tasks related to the...
Exquisite gifts that give back from a shop you need to bookmark, stat.
I mean wow! One bowl is made of woven grass. One bracelet is crafted from a parachute cord. And there’s so much more! These gifts are truly unique.
If you’re going to believe in unicorns, pick this one.
There's a lot of chatter going around that things just haven't been right with the world since Prince and David Bowie left it. I'm kind of in agreement. So I'm all for bringing them back in any way possible -- like this totally rad "Carry Me Home" Bowie and Prince...
Eliminating food dyes from your kids snacks? Start with these 3.
When it comes to treats and candy for our kids, we've always take a pretty common sense "everything in moderation" approach around here. Hey, we love candy! What's a trip to the movie theater, a birthday party, or a special occasion lunchbox treat without some sweet...
New play kits for kids make playing doctor a respectable endeavor
These are medical pretend-play kits designed by professionals… for kids!
Summer ice activities. They’re so hot right now.
During these dog days of summer, when there's really no other word to describe the heat but "blergh," we parents have to think way beyond the sprinklers and water balloons that we've been relying on to keep our kids cool (and occupied). It's time to seriously up the...