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 that Headspace just launched new mindfulness and meditation content for kids 5-10 called Find Your Force with Star Wars, I rocketed over to watch the first of four videos on...
How to limit weight loss ads (or other types of advertising topics) on Instagram
I'm not sure about you, but I'm getting bombarded with ads on Instagram, whether it's in the feed or in the middle of my stories. Argh! Most of the stuff I don't really mind (well, maybe my wallet does), but there are things, like weight loss ads, that I do have an...
Is email overwhelming you? SaneBox to the rescue.
This is a sponsored message from SaneBox Whether that little red email badge is showing you 20 unread messages or 20,000, it can be overwhelming to feel like you'll never get to the bottom of it. Enter SaneBox. Trusted by TechCrunch, The New York Times, Forbes and...
Our guide to the best headphones for students, from kids to teens | Back to School Guide
We've spent the past several years evaluating the best headphones for students for remote learning, and while kids are back in school, one of the residual effects has been more online learning (and social!) opportunities. Whether kids are doing virtual live tutoring,...
The Games for Change Challenge highlights the brightest change makers of the next generation
With all the social and humanitarian crises we are facing as a nation, it's more important than ever that the next generation is activated toward making a difference. The children are our future, right? Well, here's one way that's happening. Meet Games for Change,...
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 both the Instagram social media app and their Meta Quest VR gaming headsets. The goal is to help parents better manage what our teens are...
10 photo tips for fireworks: How to keep from coming home with 127 blurry blips in the sky
Fireworks are at the top of nearly everybody's list of favorite Fourth of July memories, but capturing the magic in fireworks photos can be extremely tricky. So we scoured our favorite photography and tech resources for great photo tips for fireworks, so that the...
Dell’s Black Friday in July: Take advantage of Dell’s education discount for students and parents
This is a sponsored message from Dell If you're looking for a new laptop, computer, or tech accessories, this is a great time, thanks to Dell's Black Friday in July sale. Starting June 30, visit Dell.com/CoolMomTech for big savings off all kinds of computers and...
Not into audiobooks? Here’s the one thing that finally changed my mind.
It took me longer than most people to get into audiobooks. Even while friends raved about flying through so many books on their commutes or while sitting in carpool lines, I had tried a few novels on Audible -- good ones! -- and just couldn't get through them. I...
This baby monitor has features that make you go, “whoa…how do they do that?”
This is a sponsored message from the pixsee Baby Monitor If you have been looking for the high-tech baby monitor that "does it all" -- and more -- you'll be amazed by the pixsee baby monitor. It's not just an incredible (and adorable) camera, it's controlled by a...
5 phenomenal tech deals for dads: The stuff he really wants
Father's Day is coming up and while we always have loads of last-minute Father's Day gift ideas for you over on Cool Mom Picks, I was poking around to find some deals for you late shoppers. Turns out, there are some fantastic tech gifts for dads on sale right now --...
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 we do say so ourselves) -- several of them even under $50! Because June 19th is coming up fast. We always have a great time tracking down the best Father's Day...
Tech Tips & Tricks to Make Life (Way) Easier
Do you qualify for a payout from the $725 million Facebook class action settlement?
Wow, I sound like a TV law firm ad saying, "you may qualify for a payout from the multi-million dollar Facebook settlement!" But honestly, that's the fact. I've popped my name into a couple of class action settlements recently -- generally around data breaches -- and...
How to download your Twitter data archive…and what you’ll find in there.
Thinking about leaving Twitter? (Are we calling it Twexit yet?) With the big changeover in management this week, some Twitter users are leaving, some users are staying, and your choice is up to you. Either way, it's good idea to download your Twitter data archive. In...
How to avoid tech neck: Tips for a healthier, more ergonomic laptop experience for your teens and tweens
If your kids are using a laptop or Chromebook for their schoolwork (or gaming), there are a few simple things you can do to help them avoid tech neck. Yes, it's totally a thing (says the person who's on her computer most hours of the day). Here are our tips, tricks,...
Even More Coolness. Enjoy!
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 a form of self-care, for gifts for others (ahem Mother's Day and Father's Day are coming up), or just an upgrade to an older model they already have. They've...
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 occasions it would be perfect for: end-of-year teacher appreciation gifts, Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduation, special anniversaries or days you want...
Cool gift idea under $5: Printable photo frames that look like vintage objects.
Digging through our archives for some creative Mother's Day gift ideas, I came across this one that was so excited, I wanted to share it again -- printable papercraft camera frames. As in, picture frames that you print, cut and fold, and when you're through, they...
Please consider these 5 things before deleting your twitter account.
With the big breaking news this week about the controversial purchase and privatization of Twitter by Elon Musk, a lot of users are talking about whether they'll consider deleting their Twitter account, for a variety of reasons. Some users are uncomfortable with so...
Standing up to book bans, The Brooklyn Public Library is letting all teens access their online catalogue, free
I'm among millions of parents all over the country concerned about widespread efforts to ban "controversial" books in our public libraries. Especially when the lists include some of our favorite books, and plenty of them are not "controversial" by any stretch of the...
Cell phone etiquette for kids: 10 things they need to know
After a little texting debacle between my 11-year old and her friends, I realized that maybe I wasn't the only parent dealing with cell phone etiquette issues. And, after asking our Out Tech Your Kids group about the annoying cell phone habits their kids have, my...
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 it's not really safe for us to completely tune out our surroundings, like when I'm running alone at 6 AM, or should I be pushing a stroller down a...
7 of the best multiplayer VR games for kids: Our favorites for all ages
If your kid likes multiplayer VR games, clear some space in your living room, parents! Because I have 7 multiplayer games to keep them moving and collaborating -- or from our perspective, randomly grasping around the room while talking to themselves. VR games have...
PepToc: The encouragement hotline taking the world by storm right now
With all of the heavy news right now, sometimes we really need someone in our corner telling us "You can do it! Keep trying! Don't give up!". This is the actual pep talk I got this morning from a chorus of joyful Kindergartners when I dialed the encouragement hotline...
How to back up your computer data: 3 steps to make sure those photos, files and documents are safe!
I've been hearing more and more people asking how to back up computer data, as they express concerns about cyberattacks lately. Which has reminded me to make sure that my own data is properly backed up too. Even if cyberattack fears are unwarranted (oof, let's hope...
A parents guide to Apple’s affordable new iPhone SE 2022: Why it could be perfect for kids
We've officially hit the point of full Apple product saturation in our household -- and as so many parents in our Out Tech Your Kids community tell us, they have too. So what do you do when you're all basically on Apple devices, your kid needs a new phone, and you...
The best portable car jump starter battery kit for road trip safety: We found one under $100!
My parents were in the market for a portable car jump starter, (also known as a portable car battery charger), because as city folk, they keep an older model car in the city but don't drive it much. That means they need to have some kind of reliable car jump starter...