Kids Archives | Cool Mom Tech

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...

Over 14 super cool virtual summer camps to keep kids busy this summer

by Caroline Siegrist | Kids

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,...

Are my kids spending too much time on video games during quarantine? We asked a video gaming expert.

by Kristen Chase | Games + Gaming

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...

Zoom alternatives for schools: 7 video conferencing options until Zoom fixes…some stuff

by Liz Gumbinner | Best Apps, Internet Safety, Kids

With the news last week that Zoom had some big security concerns to patch up, educators of all kinds started seeking out Zoom alternatives for schools and other kinds of remote learning. Especially after the NYC DOE took the big step of forbidding NYC public schools...

Play Cards Against Humanity online with your friends, thanks to Playingcards.io

by Kristen Chase | Games + Gaming

We’re all doing our best practicing social distancing and stay connected during this Coronavirus lockdown, and we’ve seen lots of creative ideas, from Facebook Live dance parties, to Zoom cocktail parties, even online singalongs like the one Kristen is...

Outschool: Real-time, teacher-led courses for kids…from home.

by Kate Etue | Educational Apps For Kids, Websites Worth a Bookmark

As a homeschool mom, there’s something I’ve realized about myself over the past couple years: I’m not great at everything. There are some subjects I definitely teach better than others (hello, writing!), and some that I have no business attempting to...

5 of our favorite, fun educational apps to get elementary students excited about learning this year.

by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Tech, Best Apps, Educational Apps For Kids

Last week, my daughter Sage and I had a great time talking with the crew from News12 (NYC, Long Island, Westchester) about our favorite fun, educational apps for grade schoolers that help your kids make the most out of screen time. I’m glad I had the opportunity...

3 free audiobook apps you need for back to school

by Kate Etue | Educational Apps For Kids

School will be starting up soon, and that means my kids’ tech will be focused more on education than Fortnite in a few weeks. Sorry, kids. I’m going to start by downloading these free audiobook apps that let you borrow them (along with books, movies, and...

Smart diapers are here to help tell you if your baby’s diaper is wet. File this under: AYFKM?

by Kristen Chase | Baby Tech, Geeky Baby Gifts

We’re all for cool, innovative uses of technology to help make our lives easier as parents. And then there are the gadgets and inventions that make us go “Really?” which is pretty much the reaction we had when we saw the news about the new Pampers...

We found an animated storybook app that’s a great YouTube alternative

by Caroline Siegrist | Educational Apps For Kids

I’m always on the hunt for YouTube alternatives for my son, and I’ve just discovered a good one in Vooks, the app that streams animated children’s books. If you’re wanting your kids to be entertained by something other than toy cars being...

Here’s how to get a free year of Nintendo Switch Online

by Kristen Chase | Games + Gaming

If you’re an Amazon Prime member like me who also happens to have a Nintendo Switch, you’ll definitely want to check out this awesome offer from Twitch Prime (which, if you didn’t know, is owned by Amazon). All you need to do is connect your...

4 awesome YouTube alternatives for kids of all ages

by Kate Etue | Fun Apps for Kids

With all the not-so-great news coming out around YouTube recently — from their pedophilia problem to the horrific content spliced into kids’ videos to the infamous Momo challenge — I’ve been looking for some YouTube alternatives. From now on,...

NEW: The podcast that helps you be a savvier digital parent in under 15 minutes a week

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Tech in 2010 to help make our increasingly digital lives easier, more organized, more meaningful, and more fun, however old your kids may be.

We love that it's grown to become the go-to source for millions of parents who want commonsense info about tech delivered with a smile.

We even have the privilege of sharing our tips + tricks with The TODAY Show, CNN, HLN, GMA, Nightline, newspapers and magazines around the country, and our favorite -- regular parents who stop us at PTA meetings and ask us how old kids need to be to get a smartphone, and whether they really need to panic about Snapchat.

(Answer: It's complicated.)

We're so glad you're here! And we hope we can help you too.