This review almost didn't happen, because my daughter "lost" this writer's notebook; she'd written so many hopes, dreams, and ideas in it that she didn't want anyone, to see it. Ever. It's that kind of book. It inspires trust and sparks …
If we ask my four-year-old to help out with something, he's taken to tipping an imaginary hat and saying, "Happy to sublige." As in, happy to oblige. How Downton Abbey of him. He's always cracked us up, but when I try to think of specifi…
While yes, you can--and I have--let the kids go to town on that plain canvas pencil case with Sharpies, I've been on the lookout for cool back to school crafts that might be more fun and interesting. And I do mean cool ones; I spent ages…
Sometimes it's the little things that make the biggest impression, and when it comes to back to school shopping , it may be the backpack we spend all our time stressing about, when it turns out to be the $1 hamster eraser or the personal…
I used to be a journal junkie, until time and obligations got in the way of collecting my deep thoughts and poetry on paper. So I can see why our Cool Mom Tech team is going nuts for the new ecojot Connect journals which let you turn you…
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…
They aren't as sly as a fox, as wise as an owl, or as puffy as a hedgehog, but the unassuming sloth is poised to be the next big thing for kids, as Liz and I noticed as we toured Toy Fair earlier this year. These slow-moving, surprisingl…
I love when vintage books are given new life, and I found that very thing in these gorgeous handmade recycled book journals from Renovated Books on Etsy. They're made by carefully pulling apart old and rare books and recombining them wit…
Raven + lily has been one of my favorite go-to gift sources ever since we first featured them a long time ago here on Cool Mom Picks and discovered their wonderful selection of gifts that give back. So it's not surprise they've got a lov…
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 …
-Don't miss an amazing $350 giveaway for our readers!- We love being able to knock as many people off our holiday gift list as we can at a single online shop, don't you? That's why we're always featuring shops that have more than a coupl…
This post is part of our monthly series with our Baby Shower Gift Guide sponsor, babyGap , celebrating motherhood firsts. And there are lots! No milestone may be more exciting than hearing a baby's first word. Whether it's "ba" for ball …
With so much talk about summer brain drain, I'm always looking for activities to keep my kids learning without realizing it. That's why I love this DIY that helps kids answer the perennial question: What did you do over your summer vacat…
I am a planner: to-do lists, calendars, and Post-Its rule my universe and make me feel complete. You would think that I would have been all over the baby book record keeping, right? Looking back, I think it was a commitment issue, the sa…
We're all about getting organized digitally, but there's a certain appeal to writing down your plans in a gorgeous paper book that you can stick on your desk, or drop in your tote, then refer back to forever. These three customized day p…
Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have a father who traveled for work and could take us with him on many of his trips. The sad part: I don't have much of a written record of all our flying adventures. Now that I'm married to a pilot,…
Do you have a recommendation for a good "Books I've Read" journal or notebook for kids? -Suzanne, via Facebook Book logs or journals are a great way to give kids tangible pride in all the reading they've done, as well as a place to look …
As a mom of three, I had the best intentions of chronicling my children's milestones--and the worst follow-through. I know I'm not alone here. If you're expecting Baby #2 or #3 now, you're in luck. I found a new approach to documenting a…
Looking for a shower gift for a baby girl ? Something that is original, meaningful, and will never, ever go out of style? I've got just the thing. And I'm calling dibs on gifting it at every baby-girl shower I ever attend. Jaime Morrison…
I do a whole lot of roleplaying with my daughter. Whether we're reading books or playing dolls, my daughter assigns us our roles: "That's you mommy, and that's me !" She loves to picture herself in whatever imaginary world we visit. So i…
While spring may be best known for cleaning, for me, September is my big organization solution month. As the kids get back to school and we start falling into routines , I feel like if I don't get organized now, I'll never catch up. I we…
From retro to oh-so-new, we've got the tech for you. Here are a few of our favorite picks from the last week, just in case you missed them. 1.Even little babies can get in on Instagram, thanks to this adorable handmade toy. 2. Store your…
A few years ago we fell in love with the MomAgenda School Year Journals, so much so that I raved about them everywhere, from my own kids' classes to the TODAY show (where I also confessed my inability to maintain even a baby book). So I …
We've been fans of Minted going way back to when we first discovered their gorgeous stationery and support of the indie designers who create them. We can't tell you the number of notes we get from readers (okay, a lot) thanking us for in…