Curated picks for modern family life

Christina Refford

Christina Refford is a longtime CMP contributor turned Senior Associate Editor. She’s based in MA, and a cool mom of 3 (including two college students!) who all eat entirely different foods, so yay. She loves running, social media, cooking, decluttering, family travel, animals, avoiding scary movies, and coffee. Not at all in that order.

Back to School Tech, Best Apps, Educational Apps

11 of the best reading apps for kids in high school and middle school. Including test prep! | Back to School Tech

Sometimes we think of reading apps as being for little kids, but reading apps for kids in high school and…
Games + Gaming, Internet Safety

This emotional support hotline for gamers is delivering mental health support one text at a time.

We know many so many families who love online gaming for its temporary escape into cool unique realms and the connection…
Entertainment, Life and Home

Audio books under $5 that support independent bookstores: Get in on this sale from Libro.fm!

Our longtime readers will understand why we’re so excited about Libro.fm’s sale of audio books for under $5 each, in…
Causes and Giving Back, Entertainment

How to download 3 free audio books this week in honor of Black History Month.

Black History Month lasts through the end of February, but you’ll need to act by Friday if you want to…
Gear + Hardware, Kids

Kids asking for a phone? Here are 5 reasons you should consider the new Teracube Thrive phone for kids.

I know firsthand how hard it is to decide when is the best age for kids to have their own…
Holiday Picks, Holiday Tech Gifts

We’re spreading love to our Jewish friends and family with these Hanukkah ecards

Though I send out inclusive Happy Holidays cards to a lot of people, I think this is an especially good…
Holiday Tech Gifts

12 cool tech gifts under $25 | Tech Holiday Gifts

Still looking for cool tech gifts this holiday? The closer we get to Christmas and Hanukkah, the easier it is…
Holiday Picks, Holiday Tech Gifts

21 cool tech stocking stuffers: Creative ideas that aren’t “AAA batteries” | Tech Holiday Gifts

We always have the best time looking for cool tech stocking stuffers that go beyond the usual. And by usual,…
Best Apps, Internet Safety, Social Media

Should your kids be using BeReal, the hot new social media app? What parents should know.

You may have seen this hilarious sketch on SNL that has a bunch of adults using the app BeReal during…
Back to School Tech, Best Apps, Tips and Tricks

Student discounts on these meditation apps can help college students find zen for a lot less.

For those of us with college students (already!), we know how stressful it can be for our kids to get…
Educational Apps, Fitness + Health

Headspace and Star Wars team up to teach mindfulness to kids.

It’s no secret that we are huge fans of Star Wars here at Cool Mom Tech, so when we heard…
Games + Gaming, Internet Safety, Social Media, Tips and Tricks

Will Meta’s new parental controls keep teens safer on Instagram and Quest? We have thoughts.

Recently, Meta announced it would be launching new parental safety controls for teens in the form of tools and resources for…
Father’s Day Gifts

16 very cool Father’s Day tech gifts all under $100 | Father’s Day Gift Guide 2022

For our annual Father’s Day gift guide, we’ve found 16 of the coolest Father’s Day tech gifts under $100 (if…
Fitness + Health, Tips and Tricks

What’s the best Fitbit for you? Here are some questions to help you figure it out.

Lately, a lot of readers have been asking us to recommend the best Fitbit for their needs — for themselves as…
Best Apps, Father’s Day Gifts, Mother’s Day Gifts, Tips and Tricks

The best group video makers for birthdays, graduation, teacher appreciation and more.

After creating a group video for my teen’s birthday during the height of the pandemic, I realized how many other…
Fitness + Health

If you walk, run, or cycle, these open ear headphones let you hear your music without tuning out the world.

I love listening to music, audiobooks or podcasts (like Spawned of course!) when I’m outside. But there are so many times…
Tips and Tricks

Recycle, donate, sell, return: What to do with your old tech gadgets.

I’m excited to kick off the year by finding some easy, effective ways to recycle or donate those old tech…
Fitness + Health

Telemedicine gets even more accurate with the the TytoCare Medical Exam Kit. Whoa.

Even in pre-Covid days, I always hated sitting in a doctor’s waiting room just thinking about the “bonus” rotovirus we…
Best Apps, Fitness + Health, Games + Gaming

Active Arcade is a fun free app that gets the whole family up off the couch.

Before the holidays kick into full gear, I recommend you download one super-fun, get-off-the-couch app that also happens to be…
$10 of the best math apps for middle school that make learning fun.$

Back to School Tech, Best Apps, Educational Apps

10 of the best math apps for middle school that make learning fun.

As a former homeschooling parent, I am a huge fan of math apps for middle school — and for tweens…