It's not a secret that we're big Kids Place Live fans here at Cool Mom Picks. In fact, I'm pretty sure there would be a mutiny in my care if I tried to change the channel, especially during the Absolutely Mindy show, our afterschool stap…
Summer break starts in two weeks down here in Atlanta (yes, two weeks!), so I'm already stocking up on cool kids' games and activities to keep my kids occupied. My go-to stop on the web: mom-owned Cattiwampus, where I always find a few k…
We've been having what feels like a particularly cold and wet spring in my neck of the woods. Which means we've been spending a lot of afternoons rushing home from school in the rain and then pulling our hair coming up with fun new indoo…
Monkeys are fun, no doubt about it. I will even go out on a limb (see what I just did?) and say that watching monkeys leap from branch to branch is one of my favorite stops at the zoo. Which is why the kid inside me--along with my actual…
One of my favorite pastimes with my kids has always been puzzles. I love the combination of relaxing and challenging. My son usually only lasts a quarter of the way through, but my daughter patiently works until the very last piece is pl…
If your kids are anything like mine, they're dogging your heels and sneaking under the Christmas tree to peek at presents any chance that they can get. So I'm desperate to find anything to keep them occupied for the next 24 hours until S…
This is the time of year that my kids become obsessed with games, puzzles and any activity that can keep their attention without them having to be outside in our freezing cold weather. Usually for Christmas I stock up on a little new inv…
Board games have a lot to compete with these days. Ever tried to get your older kid to put down Angry Birds in favor of Monopoly? That's why I'm thrilled to find this interactive (albeit battery-free) board game that's not boring in the …
If you're a Yahtzee fan, but your kids aren't quite old enough to keep track of it all--or you just have trouble keeping track of those darn pads--you'll probably love this awesome new dice game, Tenzi. Plus, it's from a cool little comp…
If you'll be doing some packing before you hit the road this summer, chances are you don't want the kids to help too much, lest you end up with six pairs of socks and no pants in their suitcases. So try channeling their I can help! persi…
For those of you like me who spent far too many hours playing Tetris on your Gameboy (RIP), you'll know instantly why I thought these blocks for kids were a fantastic idea. The Tetris Blocks by Kubix come with 50 colorful, geometric bloc…
Before the hamburgers are done, before the sparklers come out, and before it's dark enough for fireworks, you can take a few minutes to put the United States back together with this easy printable from my favorite new DIY craft site. At …
Here five of our favorite tech picks from Cool Mom Tech this week, just in case you missed them. 1. Our Facebook fans went gaga for this snappy handmade onesie. Is your favorite photographer's assistant a point-and-cute? 2. This addictiv…
We joined Wednesday's blackout to protest SOPA and PIPA, but we're glad to be back online, sharing some of the coolest tech finds from the last week, many of which we found through the very web sites we're hoping to protect. 1. If you li…
For an awesome kids' room design quick change, I head straight for removable wall decals , which are such a smart choice for parents like me who have large wall spaces, fickle kids, and no desire to add more holes in my walls. My latest …
One of the biggest resolutions we're seeing this year is a commitment to spend more quality time with family. The reality is that even for a homeschooling mom like me, our lives are so busy and interests so varied, we have just as much d…
While bananas are not normally something you find associated with Hanukkah, this year we have good reason for you to reconsider- Bananagrams have gone Hebrew. This awesome modern word game already exists in English and in Spanish so we'r…
I have this one person on my list that I can't stand holiday shopping for. Why? Because she already has everything . Really. If it's something she likes, she buys it before anyone else has the chance. It's the worst. But, for the first t…
Let's face it people, good Hanukkah items are hard to come by. Fortunately Emily Sper, creator of those clever Hanukkah activity books is back and I'm especially pleased to find a fresh pick from her for 5772. Emily' new collection of Ha…
If you're looking for a cool little holiday gift for a cool old school friend, I'm thinking this old school jigsaw puzzle might fit the bill. As in, 33 1/2 RPM old school. The Vinyl Collection Puzzle by Bob's Your Uncle is so cool for th…
If you're not familiar with TableTopics , it's such a fabulous little secret weapon to have around the house for those holiday weekends in which the throngs of relatives descend upon you. I mean, uh, honor you with their presence. Each b…
We played lots of board games in my house growing up, and with a 4 year age difference, there were few my sister and I could both make it through without quitting. (We in fact have never completed a game of Monopoly to this day.) One of …
If you're stuck in Irene's path this weekend, most of all, we hope you're safe! After that, here are a few of our favorite ways to spend your electricity-free time hunkered down in close quarters with the family. Got game? Apps and onlin…
Aside from that time I won Scrabble by placing VULVA on a triple word score, I don't generally get excited over board games. But the other night, I laughed until I was wiping tears off on my husband's t-shirt, all because of the Awkward …