I'm a woman without singing ability. Also, my sense of rhythm is limited to 4/4 time. But when my daughter developed an interest in scat after hearing about it on a kids' television show, it was time for some musical research. No need fo…
Ever been tempted to rip the pages out of your kids' books and hang them on the wall? Is that only me? Oops. I'm tempted by every single framable children's book illustration by illustrator Adam Record of Fall Down Tree , a man so cool a…
I picked out Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson from the library after my daughter started complaining she didn't want to go to school again. She missed us during the day. She wasn't sure about the bigger kids. Her teacher was on vacation…
I grew up with a redheaded mother and sister, so I was already accustomed to the bizarre reactions of the general public to a redheaded child by the time my own coppertop daughter came along in 2004. Not so much for author Nicole Giladi,…
As you're looking for an inexpensive one-size-fits-all baby gift for all those friends of yours having kids this year, consider The Year of the Ox , the fourth children's book in the wonderful Tales from the Chinese Zodiac series by Oliv…
We hosted 16 relatives (seven in our house) over the long Thanksgiving weekend. My job, besides cooking some stuff, was to read to the four little children in my daughter's room each night before bed. And each night we read The Sign of t…
If you're a sleek-lines-and-minimal-fluff sort of a mom, you'll want to check out Nashville artist Michalle Sessions' gorgeously simplistic prints for your progeny's room via her shop, LJ Ink . From the red-sock-wearing giraffe and monke…
If you're like me, your baby will be sitting up quite nicely by the time the birth announcements go out. In fact, you might think to yourself, I have to do holiday cards anyway, why not just wait? Why not, indeed? You can do it all this …
It's always nice cracking open some children's books to get your kids into the spirit of the holidays, but not every parent is looking to do it through biblical tales or the Santa story. A cool alternative: Positive Spin Press offers thr…
As I read my own childhood picture books to my daughter, I also read the handwritten dedication penned on the first page of most of them. To Rita, on her third birthday, from Mommy and Daddy. To Rita, from Grandma and Grandpa. But of cou…
With certain types of decor, your standard glittery, tinsel-y holiday trimmings just don't fit. They're festive, sure, but sometimes you just need something simple, something sophisticated. Something cool. For those occasions, think we'v…
I tote hand sanitizer--referred to in our house as "goo"--pretty much everywhere. I'm not a germaphobe, but we do seem to have recurring interactions with petting zoos and gross gas station restrooms. I'm not picky about my hand sanitize…
When I was pregnant, I painted three pieces of furniture out in the cold because I was so freaked out about what the paint fumes could do to the bébé. But when you're pregnant is precisely when you decide you must paint right now . Fear …
I haven't had a keychain since college, when we attached our keys to ID holders and waved them around at football games. Since I've (hopefully) evolved since then, I've decided to add a little personality and style to my keys. At least u…
The first day of kindergarten is tough enough, but imagine little Yoon's horror when a bunch of kids try to get her to stand in line with the boys because of her short hair. So starts the tale of Something for School , by Hyun Young Lee,…
Want to add an air of permanence to your child's library? And want to call that stack of chewed books in the corner of her room a library? Here's how: Bookplates. If you're a Cool Mom Picks newsletter subscriber, you were just introduced…
In further developments regarding the quest to free my daughter's room from licensed characters, I've discovered custom name wall art from City Art Photography . Each letter is a unique original photograph taken of individual letters for…
