I am what you'd call a camp evangelist, especially after seeing all the ways summer camp has helped my kids grow. And I've had a long time to be able to see that growth -- our youngest is about to finish her ninth (!) year at the same ca…
Hi Cool Mom Picks, I know you've tested so many lunch boxes every year and I was hoping you could tell me what you think really are the best lunch boxes . I want something I don't have to get rid of at the end of every year! And it shoul…
When looking to send the last of the summer camp care package gifts to my kids this season, I stumbled across these natural bug bite patches that get great reviews. I bought the single pack of 27 Quitch Bug Bite Itch Relief Patches and m…
Trying to keep the kids hydrated this broiling hot summer? Here's one option that may help: The world's cutest new animal water bottles for kids , just released from Uncommon Goods. (You know how much we love Uncommon Goods .) While they…
It's that time of year: Camp clothes shopping! Or more accurately, the time of year I look at the kids' camp clothing checklist and realize we have outgrown everything and gah, where am I going to get those non-itchy navy shorts again at…
There is a certain joy in putting together summer camp care packages for my tweens and teens each year. It's not just loading them up with stuff so I can make sure they remember me (ha), it's that a summer camp care package can provide t…
If your kid is headed to sleepaway camp this summer, we've got some sleepaway camp packing tips compiled by a bunch of BTDT parents on our team. Especially if it's the first time you're sending your kid to sleepaway camp, you're probably…
I just got a peek at the new Mandalorian Grogu Crocs and whew! Get ready for kids everywhere to be begging for them. It's easily going to be among the hottest kidswear of the summer . Some sales may generate a small commission to help su…
With Earth Month here and Earth Day coming up, we wanted to share a fantastic deal from Planet Box , the company making the incredible bento-style lunch boxes and earth-friendly reusable lunch accessories that we've been recommending for…
When I send care packages to my boys at summer camp, I generally include snacks and silly toys for them to goof around with. And in Liz's post packed with the best ideas for summer camp care packages , she talks a lot about sending fun b…
With back to school coming up, I'm sharing some of my favorite personalized label ideas to help keep you organized, keep you sane, save you money (whoo!) and even keep the peace if you have more than one kid. (Parents of two or more, you…
Lanyards are a summer camp mainstay -- remember making them back in the day? But like so many things from our own childhoods, these knotted summer crafts have only gotten way cooler. Lanyards (also called scoubidous, scoobies, boondoggle…
When my daughter needed a new water bottle for school two years ago -- or 20 years ago in pandemic time -- she had mentioned something about a Hydroflask. So I looked and...holy sticker shock. 50 bucks for a 32-oz bottle with a straw lid…
This is a sponsored message from Coding with Kids With all the gaming kids are doing this summer, it's pretty cool that there's a way parents can help turn their love for say, Roblox or Minecraft, into an educational STEM opportunity -- …
This post was written in partnership with Summer Discovery This past summer, my 12-year old son mentioned to me that he was finally ready for sleepaway camp , but knowing him, I wasn't sure the traditional sleep-in-a-cabin type experienc…
This is a sponsored message from Coding With Kids If you're trying to balance fun and educational activities for your kids this summer, Coding With Kids is a fabulous solution offering both! Coding With Kids offers live, week-long online…
Hi, I'm the mom who's always racing to find swimsuits for my kids in oh...mid-June when they're all sold-out. Don't be like me. Especially because one of our favorite mom-run kids' labels, Primary , is now offering their colorful, durabl…
Last year, our friend Anna Fader of Mommy Poppins fame posted about her positive experience with Tentrr on Facebook. The service functions like Airbnb, except for campsites, and if that sounds like a brilliant idea, you're right. Particu…
Anyone else searching for free things to do with your kids this summer? As the mom of a toddler who hasn't stopped moving since 2017, I know I am. And since I want to keep the whine at bay and still budget for our vacation, I've set out …
I love black swimsuits -- for me. But it never crossed my mind that one day my own daughter would refuse to wear much else (sigh). So, black swimsuits for my teen it is! Despite how many adorable bright stripes, fun florals, and poppy ti…
Wanna talk Crocs alternatives for kids? I am here for you! As someone who wore Crocs once upon a time, I know that despite some of the benefits, they're not the most durable or supportive kids' shoes, let alone safe -- plenty of camps an…
Brought to you by our amazing sponsor, Play-Well TEKnologies , which has offered LEGO-inspired STEM camps for kids for the past twenty years. Wow. More than 100,000 kids each year have benefited from their terrific summer program -- mayb…
Since old fashioned pen to paper is usually the required form of communication at camps, cool sleepaway camp postcards make it easy! They keep writing short and sweet, don't require envelopes, and if you give your kid a set all stamped a…
If your kids are headed to sleepaway camp -- or already there -- you're probably already planning out a great summer care package, filled with items your kids will love, to help ease the anxiety, keep them busy during quiet hours, help t…