19 cool Rey Star Wars toys and gifts: She might not be in Monopoly, but she sure is here. | Spawned episode 28

by Liz Gumbinner | Spawned Podcast, Toys + Playthings

We’ve been super frustrated with the lack of Star Wars toys for kids featuring Rey. Not just because she’s a woman, and all of our kids — male and female — love her, but uh…she’s the hero. How the heck do you make a Star Wars...

The 22 best kids’ toys of the year (and other playful gifts) : Editors’ Best of 2015

by Cool Mom Team | Editors Best of the Year, Toys + Playthings

When you think back to the best toys of the year (and other playful gifts for kids) you probably think about tech, tablets, and things that require cords and batteries. And yet there’s so much more, from wonderful board games, to handmade dolls, to decidedly...

Unique gifts for creative kids that I haven’t seen before? Reader Q&A

by Liz Gumbinner | Toys + Playthings

Hi Cool Mom Picks! Can you put together some unique holiday gift ideas for creative kids that go beyond the same craft kits I see everywhere? Thanks so much!   Ooh, I love this question. We know that all kids have creativity in them, so Cool Mom Picks is always...

The best of the Cyber Monday Deals: More than 80 amazing deals from our favorite shops, big and small

by Cool Mom Team | Kids

Okay, let’s be honest. Cyber Monday deals are kind of like Black Friday deals, since now all the great shopping deals are available online anyway, and even last more than a day or two. Not that we’re complaining. So we’ve put together the best of the...

14 of our favorite small shops and online children’s boutiques to help you #shopsmall for the holidays.

by Cool Mom Team | Baby, Kid Style, Toys + Playthings

Since the first November it launched several years ago, even long before American Express started sponsoring and championing the campaign, we’ve been staunch advocates for Small Business Saturday. And we’re still thrilled to mark on our calendars each...

40 really really cool gifts for kids under $15 that don’t feel like stocking stuffers. Promise.

by Cool Mom Team

Every year, we look for the most amazing affordable gifts for kids we can find, and this year, along with lots of others you’ll see throughout our guide, we’ve put together an entire list of 40 cool kids’ holiday gifts under $15. We’re talking...

10 scary Halloween decorations that you can DIY… if you dare

by Christina Refford | DIY

Now that my kids are a little older—and a little braver—we can finally bump up the fear factor when it comes to decorating our home for Halloween. That means that the smiling cartoon ghosts and friendly pumpkin faces are about to be replaced with decorations that are...

9 really creative but still easy last-minute Halloween costumes for kids. Hey, we’re busy too.

by PJ Feinstein | DIY

I like to think of Halloween as an equal opportunity holiday; you don’t actually need to be a crafting maven to come up with the best costume. Even procrastinators can throw together last-minute Halloween costumes using (mostly) everyday items around your house,...

12 creative ideas for the world’s best Peanuts themed party. (Good grief, these are fun!)

by Cool Mom Team | Party Ideas

With the new 3-D Peanuts Movie coming out soon, we know there’s been a lot more buzz about Charlie Brown, Snoopy and his friends among our kids — and we’re so happy! We’re all big fans of the Peanut gang going way back, and if you’re...

10 creative Zombie party ideas that are more creepy-fun than outright disgusting.

by Christina Refford | DIY, Party Ideas

If cackling witches and spiders that drop from doorways aren’t quite creepy enough for you for Halloween, perhaps a zombie-themed party is more your speed. I started looking for some fun zombie party ideas now that my kids are getting older, but I realized so...