How to stop fighting with the kids about screen time: Tips that work | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 6
Okay, so plenty of us gave up on the same screen time limits we had pre-Covid. But that's not to say we don't still have screen time fights with the kids. Or uh...arguments? Debates? Gentle disagreements? If you're looking to cut back on the fights, we've got some...
11 awesome reading apps for preschoolers and little kids. We’ve got this, parents!
With back to school right around the corner, or as we're calling it "back to schooling," we're trying to help you feel as empowered as you can when it comes to figuring out your child's educational plans this year during this difficult time. Trust us, we're right...
5 ways smart kids circumvent parental controls | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 5
Kids are pretty darn smart, but we can be smarter, parents! On this week's Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, we're talking about the ways kids can circumvent parental controls so you can be prepared, thanks to the members of our Out-Tech Your Kids Facebook group who bravely...
Can HEPA air purifiers help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your home? Here’s what you need to know.
Let's talk HEPA air purifiers and the coronavirus. I've started to hear some noise about how these appliances might help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, so I've been reading up to see if buying one is worth the money. The TL;DR version? There's a little good...
5 benefits of kids and social media. Yes, benefits! | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 4
We've always said that all screen time is not created equal! And on this week's Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, we're talking about the benefits of social media for kids. Social media tends to get a bad rap -- let alone specific channels like TikTok or Snapchat -- but it...
Small but powerful: Baby Yoda face masks for the win!
By now we've covered Baby Yoda speakers, pajamas, and Funk POP! figurines, and now I've really hit the jackpot with these Baby Yoda face masks from Etsy shop Nerdy Bird Co. I've been on the hunt for cheerful face masks to counter all the heaviness of what a face mask...
Baby Yoda pajamas! Don’t worry, parents, they come in adult sizes too.
I've been obsessed with Baby Yoda -- like most of the internet -- since he exploded onto the scene with The Mandalorian's release in 2019, so you can imagine how psyched I was when I discovered these Baby Yoda pajamas from Hanna Andersson. Seeing him in memes on my...
How do I quickly search my iPhone photos? | Episode 3 Out-Tech Your Kids
Anyone else have thousands of photos on their phone like us? If you do, then you know how much of a pain it can be trying to find a photo in your albums. That's why on today's episode of Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, we're answering this question: How do I quickly...
11 cool features we’re looking forward to in the new iOS 14
Apple's all set to release the new iOS 14 sometime this fall. And since an operating system update is the only way I'm marking time these quarantine days (Kidding! Mostly.) I was pretty stoked to explore the new features in their preview. And wow, there's so much! I...
How do we teach our kids to make good commenting choices? | Episode 2 Out-Tech Your Kids
"Don't read the comments" isn't going to fly when your kids are old enough to watch YouTube videos without you around, let alone managing their own TikTok accounts. But learning how to be a responsible commenter is a skill that comes in handy with texts, emails, or...
10 awesome online STEM camps for kids
Let's talk about online STEM camps for kids! The closure of so many summer camps has been -- let's face it -- a huge bummer. But the good news is that the virtualization of camp means families aren't limited by geography; you have your choice of a huge range of...
Over 14 super cool virtual summer camps to keep kids busy this summer
I know that a socially distanced summer -- with all the closures and cancellations it entails -- is pretty daunting to parents. Like, ahem, myself. But I've been encouraged to find that there are so many wonderful online resources available right now, including these...
Tech Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way) Easier
Parents, what if you just stopped managing screen time?
Over the last month, we've been getting bombarded with all sorts of posts about kids and screen time, from articles telling us that we've got a big problem on our hands to ways to feel okay about all the screen time. If you're like me, it feels like you're watching a...
How to “untab” your Gmail so you never miss an important email again
Chances are good that you're clicking through to this article because you don't know what "tabbed gmails" even are. Right? Well, here's the deal: Gmail has a "handy" organization tool that categorizes all your emails automatically. To see your emails, you have to...
The most helpful new iOS 14 feature you might have missed.
If you're like us, you were so busy rearranging your home screen that you missed one of the most helpful new iOS14 features. Of course, "helpful" is relative, especially these days when even the smallest little thing that gives us a taste of normalcy is helpful....
Even More Coolness. Enjoy!
Presenting Out-Tech Your Kids, our new tech-positive podcast for the age of digital parenting
We've had a tech-positive approach to digital parenting since we started Cool Mom Tech, though we didn't exactly have a name for it back then. Since our launch in 2010, we've been sharing our tech expertise not necessarily as techies, but as parents who use a myriad...
4 awesome home projectors for a fab backyard movie night
Anyone else missing trips to your local movie theater? I know I am, which is why I've been researching the best home projectors for backyard movie nights, which seem to be the closest we're going to get to sitting in a theater anytime soon. Keep in mind that home...
Coding with Kids camps will keep your kids busy, happy, and learning, all summer long | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message for Coding with Kids If you're looking for ways to keep your kids busy this summer, without missing out on any of that camp fun, you'll want to check out the virtual tech camps for kids 5-18 from Coding with Kids, which start June 15th and...
5 ways to use tech to document your family’s stories from the pandemic
When our state was put under a stay-at-home order back in the middle of March, 2020, I told my 11-year old that she should start writing in her journal every day because this was going to be a time in history that her kids and their kids after them would be hearing...
4K Video Downloader lets you safely download YouTube videos, online recipes, and so much more, with just one click | Sponsored Message
This is a sponsored message for 4K Video Downloader Want to watch your favorite YouTube or TikTok videos without WIFI or cellular, save that favorite recipe to you computer, or catch a Twitch stream later on? You and your family can do all of that and so much more...
The OurStory app: Highlighting books with diverse content and by content creators from marginalized communities. YES!
Over the years, we here at Cool Mom Tech (and Cool Mom Picks) have believed in the importance of supporting diverse companies, products, and books, as well as sharing content from creators from marginalized communities. From POC-owned beauty brands to Black food...
10 father’s day gifts for gamer dads that will impress the heck out of him
It's not just kids who are gaming more courtesy of the quarantine. We know lots of grown-ups are doing it a lot more too, which is why we decided to put together a Father's Day gift guide just for the gamer dads. We scoured the web for the coolest gifts for gamers,...
Here’s how to make that Facebook Avatar that looks nothing like you.
If you're like me, then your Facebook feed has been filled with everyone's new Facebook avatar. It's also been filled with people saying how they look nothing like them. And I have to be honest, I totally agree. So of course, I had to give it a try myself. But it's...
This Baby Yoda speaker is giving us the little spark of joy we needed today.
Did we mention that we have the coolest readers? Eric (aka EricSketch on Twitter) has been reading our site for quite some time now, so when we spotted this Baby Yoda Bluetooth speaker in his Twitter feed we were like "HOLY MANDALORIAN!" Let's just say we will...
Are my kids spending too much time on video games during quarantine? We asked a video gaming expert.
With lots of extra time on their hands, my kids are spending a lot of that playing video games. And based on some of the discussions in our Out Tech Your Kids Facebook Group, I'm not the only parent who's experiencing the same thing. But how do you know if your kids...
Picture Home: A fun communal photo project to inspire everyday life at home
If you're in need of a fun little project to help focus your energy in a positive, inspiring way, we're happy to recommend our dear friend Tracey Clark's Picture Home. It's a family-friendly, all-ages communal photo project with 31 days full of easy prompts that...
Mother’s Day Tech Guide: 10 tech gifts that will make sheltering at home a little easier
Ah yes, Mother's Day in quarantine, which we think means making it extra special. The mom in your life doesn't necessarily have to be a techie to appreciate a tech gift. We're pretty sure all of these would make any mom we know - tech savvy or not - very happy this...