Go fish
Maybe toddlers shouldn't fish. I remember thinking this as I watched my 3-year-old niece clutch a big fishing pole while my husband tried to keep her from falling into the deep dark water or skewer him with the sharp fishing hook that wa…
Topic
wooden toys
Happy Fourth of July cool moms!
Whether you stay up late enough for fireworks this year or you're lying in bed in the dark, fingers crossed that the loud noise does not wake the baby (PLEASE GOD DO NOT WAKE THE BABY), all of us at Cool Mom Picks wish you a Happy Fourth…
Baby books for busy beavers
Those board books start out so cute and shiny, don't they? And then Baby Bookivore gets very interested in gnawing the corners, splitting the pages, and seeing what a slice of banana will look like sandwiched between B is for Broccoli an…
Three cheers for the Handmade Toy Alliance!
We've been fans of the Handmade Toy Alliance since this organization formed in 2008 in response to Congress's [expletive deleted] Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act. This ill-conceived (and ironically named) law is the impetus for …
Pegs are not just for legs
If bobblehead dolls have taught us anything, it's that adults can now play with toys in public. Hence my complete lack of shame in adoring the simple yet amazing hand-painted peg dolls from mooshoopork on Etsy. Especially the sassy pirat…
Tegu blocks build way more than imaginations
You know, you think a block is a block is a block. Then something like Tegu comes around and suddenly those regular blocks your kids play with just seem you know...like regular blocks. If you haven't heard of Tegu, they're the eco-friend…
Breakfast in bed, minus the crumbs
In theory, I love getting breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, but nothing sends my nerves into overdrive like seeing a toddler wobble into my carpeted bedroom with a tray full of orange juice, sticky syrup and things with crumbs. Instead, …
Car games. Remember those?
Long ago when my parents would drag us on a 10 hour family road trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina, my brother and I would occupy ourselves with all sorts of fun travel-friendly activities, none of which included a DVD player. Imagine t…
Smite those locusts!
Passover isn't exactly the giftiest of holidays, although if you were invited to join us in devouring my mother's matzoh ball soup, you'd think that was gift enough. Still, I'm intrigued with this adorable little 10 Plagues Bowling Set w…
The best nest for your toy chest
I spent so long reading the instructions on a card game yesterday that I finally gave up and took my kids to the playground, where they invented a game that involved dumping sand on each others' heads. This morning's bath was grittier th…
Another hour of daylight? Tell them to MOOV it.
I really hate losing an hour of sleep to Daylight Savings Time, but I'm also thrilled beyond belief that the season of Throwing the Children Outside to Play is nigh. And I'm pretty sure they will stay out even longer if they have somethi…
Eco-friendly play gym? Reader Q&A
I am in the market for a cool, eco-friendly baby play gym for my 5-month-old boy. Let me know if you have any suggestions. I am willing to spend around $100. Thanks much. -Jennifer C. Finding what we would call a cool play gym takes a li…
Blockhead! And I mean that totally in the best possible way
I'm not very good at math, so I can't tell you precisely how many different forms and figures your child can create out of 25 wooden blocks, but I'm going to say it's approximately a gazillionthousand. The ShapeMaker wooden block set by …
Goodbye Quiet Hours Toys, hello 40% discount
It breaks our heart when our favorite shops go out of business, for whatever reason, as with Quiet Hours Toys which is shutting its doors this spring. We've featured them so often over the years, always a fan of this mom-run shop's exqui…
Taking a bite out of love
Our love for the creative handmade wooden teethers from Little Sapling Toys runs deep, and this adorable American Sign Language "I love you" teether is no exception. And just in time for Valentine's Day to boot. Using reclaimed or FSC ce…
Plush explorer friends, beyond Dora
We love wooden toys, but let's face it, there's often more room in our kids' hearts (and hands) for those that are cuddly, plush and less likely to leave a mark when you fall asleep on top of one. Evidently the eco-minded designers of No…
Editors Best of 2009: The coolest toys, dolls and baby toys
You don't need us to tell you about the latest Elmo toy or Hannah Montana guitar, so we work hard to point you towards toys and other playthings from small companies or independent artists that you might not know about yet. After a year …
For a child's first bike, skip the training wheels, and go right to Tyke Rider
I've long been a fan of the wooden, pedal-less early rider bikes which get kids more confident and more able to ride a real bicycle than anything I ever had back in the Stone Age. But the prices? Holy heck. And by heck, you know - I don'…
The little red wagon gets a makeover
When we made the move to suburbia, one of the first purchases we made was a wagon. But like most people, we were limited to what we could find at our local chain store, which was definitely about functionality and not at all about sleek …
Automoblox Minis deliver big fun
Automoblox have taken over more than a few toy chests in the last few years, and it's not surprising - these modular, creativity-inspiring toys cars and trucks inspire imaginations, while still delivering the joy of vrooming a car around…
Children's games still made with wooden pieces and great design? It's true.
Next week is Thanksgiving, and if you're like my family, that means lots of little kids around. The cousins are all getting to the age where they can entertain themselves (hallelujah!) which means we're stocking up on craft supplies and …
The Ringley teether family just got bigger and better
Considering my youngest is getting all her molars and eye teeth in at the same time (no kidding), the super smart Ringley teether, a mom-invented natural wood and organic terry cloth teething toy , is in regular rotation around my place.…
Hey, cupcake: The Melissa and Doug cupcake kit is an awesome birthday gift for your preschooler.
My kids can play "birthday" pretty much every day. We have a ridiculous number of play cake sets, and if they're not around, my girls are happy to crumple up a piece of paper, stick a Q-tip in it and belt out Happy Birthday anyway. So wh…
Nativity set for children? Reader Q&A
My mom would like to get my 14 month old daughter a wooden nativity set for Christmas--something she can actually play with but something sturdy, cute, and made to last. - Cara It's funny you should ask this Cara, because I was just look…