When a friend of mine emailed to tell me about her new endeavor, BeautyCamp NYC , I have to admit I was like...what? Why would a girl spend an entire week in the summer at a beauty camp learning about makeup tips, when she could be playi…
I'm currently trying to stage a ban on plastic (probably not ideal for our health) and paper (definitely not ideal for the environment) cups from our household. So when I saw the newest launch from Lifefactory -- durable drinking glasses…
With summer officially here and schools pretty much out almost everywhere, many families (like ours) are getting ready for summer travel and trying to figure out how to eat healthy on the road. With a fair share of road and plane trips u…
If your kids are headed to camp this summer, sending them a cool summer camp care package will make their day. Or week. Even if they didn't even look back to wave when you dropped them off. We've got a whole bunch of fun ideas for care p…
Happy summer solstice everyone. Whether you're celebrating or just enjoying having your kids wake up at 5:15 AM with the sun, we thought we'd share a few cool free summer coloring pages we've seen around the web, just to get the kids int…
Popsicles and icies are good, but when you want something great you need to grab some ice cream, milk, and your favorite mix-ins to make a killer milkshake. This summer, if you want to make a frozen treat that will bring all the kids (an…
New parents, we know you couldn't be more proud. You've waited months--years, maybe--for your new baby to be here and you are so ready to share him or her (or him and her) with the world. We get it. So, in honor of the sunniest months, w…
CMP favorite Kiwi Crate has been keeping kids I know engaged in fun, educational, and creative projects for the past few years since they launched., and now they offer a trio of crates specifically for summer , to help banish the dreaded…
In an effort to tame my locks sans chemicals, I rounded up the best anti-frizz hair products for the summer for you all. Because I know that I'm not alone here! At the first sign of humidity in the air, my thick and wavy hair goes crazy.…
It's our new June tradition for the last several years: Warm weather hits, we're here with recommendations for very cute, decidedly non-hoochie two-piece swimsuits for girls . In other words, no high cut leopard bikinis (oy), no padded b…
I don't have a beach trip planned this summer, but I really wish I did. There's something about the smell of the salt water that makes me feel so relaxed--or maybe it's the margaritas on the sand. I recently discovered Love + Salt hair a…
Summertime means pool time for my family, and while I'm so so glad we're finally all out of diapers this summer, I'm a little bit jealous that we missed the boat on so many adorable reusable swim diapers that are now out there. Not that …
We've featured some really great micro-gardening tools here over the years, like the cool Click & Grow smart herb garden , which helps to create gardening projects for those of you with kids -- but not a lot of space for traditional sowi…
We love balance bikes here at Cool Mom Picks because they do such a great job of teaching young kids how to get around safely on two wheels. I was sold on them after learning the hard way how challenging it is to wean a fearful child off…
I'm not one for dieting, but sweet summer cocktails can be surprisingly high in sugar and calories. It's hard to resist the idea of skinny cocktails that are just as delicious as the original versions, only with a fraction of the calorie…
As much as I love my sleek, fast road bike, I can't help coveting a cute beach cruiser (especially now that summer is unofficially here) -- preferably one with a basket and one of these cool bicycle seat covers from the fun shop May 28th…
It's officially the season for travel (whoo!) and whether you're planing it, driving, or taking the subway uptown for a picnic in the park, we're all for getting out with the kids. A top question from our readers is always "but what do I…
I love a good glass of wine any time of the year, but especially during the summer months. There's something about sipping a good rosé on a picnic or starting dinner with an effervescent, chilled dry Lambrusco that brings out the wine lo…
Letter writing isn't a hobby I would have imagined my almost-seven-year-old daughter would become obsessed with, especially with our love for Rainbow Loom still strong. The Tiny Mail Activity Kit from Leafcutter Designs has caught on fas…
Travel journals for kids are such a brilliant idea. I mean, what kid doesn't want to remember every detail of a family vacation in his or her own way? A little drawing of the world's largest yoyo you saw in California, a ticket from the …
Last summer, after my kids saw some little beach bums flinging skimboards into the surf, they couldn't wait to try the sport themselves. Uh, I'm not sure their tailbones will ever be the same. Let's just say that skimboarding is not easy…
I don't know what it's like in your neck of the woods, but here it's got to be the hottest summer on record. But how many hours can you realistically keep the kids locked in the AC or cooling down in the pool? So we are mighty big fans o…
One of my favorite things about summer is dining al fresco. Backyard meals, beachside bakes, picnics in the park: you name it, I'm in. If you're grilling your eats, try one of these delectable 8 summer BBQ recipes. But if you're planning…
Sometimes kids with summer birthdays (ahem--mine) feel a little ripped off because their friends are out of town. I love the idea of a summer camp themed party right in your own local park or backyard. It's a great way to make the party …