Before the ball drops and the bubbly pops, don't forget those last-minute charitable contributions that help your year-end tax bill and a worthy cause. Here, one of our favorite annual traditions: a list of our own staff's favorite chari…
Especially with so many services that help facilitate toy donations, there is nothing more sad to me than seeing a perfectly good plastic toy sitting by the curb on garbage day. And yet, if you're like me, you're not quite sure who to ca…
After the total madness of Black Friday , Small Business Saturday , and Cyber Monday (phew) one of the things we love best is #GivingTuesda y. The point being that after taking advantage of so many great shopping deals for yourself and y…
With the recent devastation in the Philippines and today being Veteran's Day, we couldn't think of a better way to honor those who have so bravely served our country and send help to those who need to most than sharing our friends from T…
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is officially ending tomorrow, and this year at Cool Mom Picks we decided to stay away from the "pinkwashing" products, the Facebook memes that don't really help anyone, and the plethora of pink ribbon produ…
As it turns out, the hottest gift this holiday season might actually be a goat. And her name is Stella. Don't worry--she's not coming to live with you. But she can do a world of good for a family in need. We're already excited about Fash…
Three years ago, a small company was founded that would forever change the lives of so many women and mothers in Ethiopia. You may already know how much we love FashionABLE, their beautiful handmade scarves and leather goods, and everyth…
For some reason, finding cool eyewear at decent prices is one of the great impossibilities of our time. Sure, you can clip coupons for the discount optometrist in the mall, but you'll never find affordable, straight-from-Paris frames or …
We always love websites with gifts that give back, and now there's another one that's not just all about do-gooding, but selling truly fabulous products. Let's just say you're not going to have to click all that much to find something yo…
Our family moved to Colorado in 2005, and as cheesy as it may sound, I fell in love with the natural beauty of this state . We've camped in Glenwood Springs, hiked in Rocky Mountain National Park, and zip-lined at YMCA of the Rockies. I …
It has been 12 years, though the memory of how that perfectly ordinary September morning turned into a day of horror will forever make our hearts ache and hug our children a little closer. Along with the tears (still), we also feel an in…
As huge supporters of the handmade movement, we've been fans of Etsy since about day one. And now that they've teamed up with the amazing charity Kiva , well, let's just say if you share our passion, this is an effort worth getting invol…
I'm a big fan of the FEED mission, which sells products to directly feed schoolchildren both at home through Feeding America and abroad via the UN's World Food Program. Whenever I carry my FEED bag, I'm reminded of the good it did. So I'…
Oh, hello there, Summer! Long time no see. The weather is warmer, the kids are sweatier, and it's time to pull out the summertime linens. Or, um, it might be that time if I were the kind of person who's organized enough to have summer li…
In the south, your kids may already already be out of school (and you parents scampering for activities to keep them occupied), but up where I live we still have an entire month left. That also means, a whole month left to think of thoug…
With a husband in the military, our troops are always on my mind, even beyond Memorial Day. Even though today is a great day just to celebrate family and the beginning of summer, if you're so inclined, here are a few very simple ways to …
Our hearts are so heavy with the news of the devastation caused by yesterday's tornadoes in Oklahoma. Along with keeping those affected in our thoughts, we have pulled together a list of resources that will bring much-needed help, both n…
When I first discovered Baby Buggy, the remarkable organization that helps new mothers most in need, I was instantly captivated. As a new mom myself, I wanted to know what I could do to help . And now, several years later, I'm so excited…
This cool website has one goal: to help teach kids valuable lessons in helping other kids in need. The really cute shirts just happen to be a bonus. Each month, Mightee Kids works with one special charity to craft a gorgeous, soft, kids'…
As a former music professor, I'm well aware of the transformative power of music in the lives of children. But this unbelievable Kickstarter campaign is unlike anything I've ever seen. Or heard. Landfill Harmonic is the story of a garbag…
Though I've always been a cloth-diaperer at heart, I use my share of disposables, too. So when CMP fave The Honest Company launched last year, I was so very jealous of the gorgeous diaper prints available because I can't get them up in C…
Today is World Autism Awareness Day. Although most people are probably pretty aware of autism, more needs to be done to raise both money for research and family aid, and to foster better understanding of kids (and adults) who are tired o…
We admit, like a lot of parents, we were pretty shocked (to say the least) about the new Victoria's Secret line of sexy panties with provocative phrases being marketed towards young teens. Do our ninth-graders really need DARE YOU writte…
The state of education in the US has been top of mind ever since having children, as I'm sure it is for so many of us parents. And now there's a really important documentary I sincerely hope you'll take a look at if you care about oh, th…