Props in a Box: The gift box that turns dress-up time into an exercise in filmmaking.

by Kate Etue | Toys + Playthings

Even though Halloween is long over, my kids are still running around in costumes most days, as they’ll continue to do. It’s fun to see the stories they come up with when they dig through our dress-up box — like when Cruella deVille and an astronaut...

6 fun, easy ideas for making a custom photo memory game a more memorable gift.

by Kate Etue | DIY, Toys + Playthings

Our kids are usually pretty clear about what they want for their big gifts for Christmas, so I often have the most fun thinking about those smaller gifts that are total surprises for our kids. So, we wanted to share one of our favorite affordable gifts our kids...

Our ultimate last-minute Halloween help guide: Hundreds of fun costumes, delicious treats, free printables and crafts, pumpkin ideas and more!

by Lexi Petronis | DIY

We truly love Halloween, which is one of the reasons we start looking for the coolest costumes, spookiest decorations, and most delicious recipes around, oh…July. But we’re all busy parents! So if, like us, you still need some last minute Halloween help...

5 smart, simple, pediatrician-recommended winter skin care tips for babies and kids.

by Kristen Chase | Beauty + Cosmetics, Tips + Tricks

With cold weather pretty much here for lots of us, and on the way for the rest of us (wah!), this is the time of year we start getting more reader questions about baby and kids’ skincare. I know it’s hard to weed through all the info; I’m sure...

9 super easy DIY Halloween treat bags for kids that beat carrying a boring pillow case

by PJ Feinstein | DIY

The house is decorated, there’s candy in the pantry for trick-or-treaters, and your children’s Halloween costumes have been planned for a month. Think you’re set for October 31? Well, have you considered what your kids will use for Halloween treat...

Book cover tees that promote smarts over sass

by Liz Gumbinner | Books for Kids, Fashion, Kid Style

RJ Palacio’s Wonder is one of those rare books that simply stays with you for a long time. At least for me and for my daughters, who often bring up this phenomenal YA novel in the course of everyday conversation, and refer back to it  when we have those hard...

13 fabulously easy no-carve pumpkin ideas for the kids. (Yes, they really are easy.)

by Liz Gumbinner | DIY

Last year we found 6 impressive no-carve pumpkin ideas for the seriously crafty and I still look at them longingly, knowing I will probably never make them. As awesome as they are. So this year I’m looking for something a little more easy. A little more...

Sponsored Message from Hulu: 4 hot series to catch up on after the kids are in bed

by Cool Mom Team | Entertainment + Media

This post is brought to you by Hulu Welcome back to fall, parents! If you’re like us, this is the time of year you start diving back into the series you missed over the summer — and realize just how many you’ve always meant to start watching but...

21 of the coolest free Halloween printables for kids. Because we’re all for fun that costs zero dollars.

by Liz Gumbinner | DIY

As we start to get excited for Halloween around here — as in, endless costume discussions considering my girls have a new idea every 17 minutes or so — I’ve been distracting them with Halloween crafts projects, front door decor request, and coloring...

Tips for building an emergency fund, and why it’s so important for parents.

by Cool Mom Team | Tips + Tricks

We’ve been really pleased to get so much great feedback from you all when we post about financial matters, from budget tips to college savings.  As parents, it’s one of our (many, many) jobs to be as financially prepared as possible– not just for all the awesome...