STEM education: 3 of the best online engineering resources for kids

by Julie | Websites We Love

I was once a struggling engineering student, so I have a special appreciation for the courage and creativity of kids who really want to know how stuff works and aren’t afraid to jump in and figure it out. Now that one of my own kids is convinced she wants to be...

Minecraft books for kids to scratch their itch when screen time ends

by Christina Refford | Games + Gaming

Not even the biggest die-hard Minecraft fans can live on screen time alone, so when it’s time for them to step away from their favorite game, you could try some of our screen-free Minecraft games, or offer up one of the cool little Minecraft Handbooks by...

Classic game controllers you can eat

by Kristen Chase | Tech Toys

I’ve seen these game controller chocolates at all the fancy chocolate shops in my ‘hood, so how cool is it that you can save yourself a fortune and make your own thanks to our pals at Think Geek. This game controller chocolate mold features three different...

The new Skater app game will have you totally stoked

by Julie | Best Apps

Confession: I’m a skate betty from way back, and I’ve never outgrown my fascination with skateboarding. (Okay, and with skaters too.) So I was totally stoked to check out the new Skater app, which launched this week on iOS. This brand new game from Frosch...

When the phone case is more fun than the games on the screen

by Nicole Blades | Uncategorized

I do not play Candy Crush. Hear that, Facebook friends who keep sending me invites? Not going to happen. But that doesn’t mean I’m against playing games on smartphones. In fact, just last week I was playing something fun on my husband’s iPhone 5....

Geography fans will love playing SmartyPins with Google Maps. That is, if you can handle it…

by Julie | Best Apps

The increasing essentialness that is Google Maps is fairly well known by now, so it’s no surprise that as parents, we’re loving their latest project — a geography trivia game called SmartyPins that will take you around the world. Each game starts you...

Here’s one safe way to curb a Candy Crush addiction.

by Nicole Blades | Tips and Tricks

Just this week my 5-year-old son busted me for using my iPhone at the breakfast table. It’s a no-no in our house, but I was reading something important. (It was a post ranking the Hot Guys of World Cup. See? Important.) Turns out, this whole incident would have...

The Monument Valley app is a stunner. And a stumper.

by Liz Gumbinner | Best Apps

The new Monument Valley app may be the  most gorgeous, mindblowingly cool app I’ve seen in a while. And that’s saying something. It’s a puzzle game that’s like Figaro Pho meets MC Escher. Your job is to get the silent little princess Ida...

A brilliant way to manage screen time for your kids over the summer: The marble jar

by Kristen Chase | Tips and Tricks

With my kids officially out of school, I, along with lots other parents I’m sure, am gearing up for loads of free time. And that means trying to figure out how to manage screen time for the kids. Over the last few months, I’ve put together a very simple...

What are the best typing websites for kids to learn to type online? Reader Q+A

by Liz Gumbinner | Best Apps, Educational Apps

Hi Cool Mom Tech, any suggestions for fun kid-friendly typing apps or websites? – Tiffiny via Twitter How perfect — I’ve just been looking for typing websites myself, to get my own kids to learn how to type online. Especially after the pain of...