My son turned 10 this month, and I have to admit, it was a bit of a bummer birthday. He had a great attitude and enjoyed some chocolate cake, but with the current quarantine and social distancing guidelines, his party was cancelled and h…
We've all been seeing our social feeds fill up with amazing "OMG THIS IS FREE RIGHT NOW!" posts from friends, and it's hard to keep track of it all! Between the online story time for kids, the Club Quarantine virtual dance parties , the …
With all the school closures right now, we know so many of you are looking for the best homeschooling resources. (Like, a lot of you!) We hear you! So first, I suggest you read my post on a homeschooling mom's tips for teaching your kids…
Those of you who are also fans of Maria Popova's Brain Pickings may know that it's one of our own favorite sites too. We include their list of favorite children's books on our own annual lists of the best children's books lists of the ye…
It's hard out there for an independent publisher. But here we are, like we have been for the past 13 (whoa!) years, putting out out stories, offering tips, and uncovering cool finds that we really hope our readers enjoy -- all while maki…
We all know that buying a prom dress can be an exhausting and expensive process, but after learning about these prom dress rental sites, I'm convinced it really doesn't have to be. These rental sites all let you browse online, select a d…
I believe if Women's History Month gives you an opportunity to learn even even one single new story about important women in history who you didn't know before -- and then share that story with your kids -- then that would be fantastic. …
One New Year's resolution my family all agreed on was to read more books in 2019. (A resolution that seems to be going around amongst our staff!) So, in my favorite annual Cool Mom Picks post , I'm sharing all the best children's books o…
This year, I've been on a mission to track down more culturally and historically accurate Thanksgiving coloring pages for my own kids and for our readers. Because most of us know by now that, however uncomfortable it may be, the story of…
Online safety and cyberbullying have surpassed the list of parents' concerns over even drugs and alcohol. And we get it -- we have kids who are online too and it can be a little scary to let them loose on the Internet. In fact, 28% of st…
There is so confusion about the difference between Latino and Hispanic, whether you can use the terms interchangeable, and whether they're two different things. So with this week kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October …
We talk a lot about reading diverse women authors , supporting women artists , and shopping women-owned shops . But one thing we don't discuss nearly enough is women musicians -- at least outside of the kids' music category . Which is wh…
Over the years, we have had quite a few military spouses and even vets here at CMP, and we know how challenging it can be for military spouses to grow their careers. In fact, the 650,000 spouses of active duty service members are four ti…
Those full-time parents that couldn’t previously run for a federal office because they’re, well you know, being full-time parents, now have the chance to utilize campaign funds to cover childcare so they can actually campaign for a federal office.
If you’ve got spring cleaning fever like we do, then you know that there’s just something about the change of weather that makes us want to get things clean and organized so we can enjoy our homes and families. Turns out, there are a bun…
Who here has wanted to consign or resale clothes but just didn't know which service was the best, who would make it easiest, or even where to start? The Real Real? Vestiaire? Poshmark? Tradesy? threadUp? I don't know either! But it's tim…
Let's be honest, the Olympics coverage is a mess. (And you know I'm a total Olympics-watching geek if you have been following our Instagram Stories on Cool Mom Picks !) Live events aren't live -- unless they are. The medal ceremonies see…
Ever since my sister mentioned that she found an Austrian princess in our family tree, I've become a bit of a genealogy buff. I've spent some time building out our family tree on Ancestry.com and it turns out, my daughter can apply for a…
Today is World Read Aloud Day (or for those of us on social media, #WorldReadAloudDay) and there are so many great ways to celebrate with your kids. And not just today, either! When you consider how essential a love of reading is to a ch…
As avid advocates of diverse books of all kinds, but especially diverse children's books, we work hard to share carefully curated lists of children's books. Our amazing writers have shared impressive lists of wonderful books about divers…
After my daughter, now 13, was identified as qualifying for gifted education prior to heading to middle school, I decided I wanted to provide her with some extra learning opportunities in the summer and throughout the school year. And qu…
When I came across Broadway Bricks , a site for which 15-year-old Jack Abrams geniusly recreates the great Broadway Musicals using LEGO minifigs, I simply can't believe I hadn't seen it before. I immediately sent the link to my daughter,…
If you're like me, you're currently scrambling to find ways to keep your kids occupied -- and better, still learning -- during summer when school's out. That's where our newest sponsor The Great Courses Plus comes in. They turn screen ti…
I still remember when my son's then first-grade teacher asked if they could test him for the gifted program in our school district. I looked at her and asked, "Are you sure?" I just thought my sweet, curious boy asked a lot of questions.…