apps for parents Archives

This baby monitor has features that make you go, “whoa…how do they do that?”

by Cool Mom Staff | Babies, Gear + Hardware, Kids

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)...

Tech tip: How to open your Shazam in Apple Music instead of Spotify.

by Liz Gumbinner | Best Apps, Tips and Tricks

Recently, as you may have heard (ahem) a bunch of influential musical artists have been leaving Spotify, podcasters are rethinking the platform, and plenty of listeners are canceling their Spotify Premium subscriptions. (Which is evidently not all that easy to do, but...

The best family organization apps for sharing calendars, keeping up with chores, planning meals and more

by Caroline Siegrist | Best Apps, Life and Home

Family organization apps are such a lifesaver, at least once you accept that life admin is part and parcel of modern family life. Still, we all wish there could be a bit more life and a bit less admin sometimes. So I was thrilled to take some time to research some of...

This new bedtime podcast for kids is a parents’ life saver

by Caroline Siegrist | Best Apps

I’m grateful for any tech that makes bedtime easier, so I was excited to discover Netflix Jr.’s brand new Bedtime Stories podcast — and I figured a whole lot of parents might be too. The podcast features some of my kids’ favorite characters...

This app lets you check out library books on your phone. Free. From home. Yes!

by Kate Etue | Best Apps

Lately, a lot of readers have been asking us about apps that let you check out free library books. Or, free e-books to be technical. So here’s the info on a favorite of ours, the hoopla digital app. While I love the feeling of being surrounded by stacks and...

Tackle these 10 simple tech to-dos to start the year safer, cleaner, and more organized

by Liz Gumbinner | Life and Home, Social Media, Tips and Tricks

For so many of us, the new year is about fresh starts. That’s why around here, so many of us use January as time to cross off what we can from all of those never-ending tech to-do lists. These are the kinds of tech to-dos we often put off, not necessarily...

For last-minute online holiday invitations, Paperless Post Flyers are the best!

by Liz Gumbinner | Best Apps, Holiday Picks

If you’re a fan of Paperless Post like we are, don’t miss out on Paperless Flyers as a genius way to send out all your last-minute holiday invitations, school fundraisers, or to invite out-of-town family to the kids’ end-of-year-recitals over Zoom....

All the ways kids are using tech to make their holiday gift wishlists: 11 ideas

by Liz Gumbinner | Best Apps, Kids, Tips and Tricks, Websites We Love

I’m absolutely fascinated by the way my own kids and step kids use tech to make ongoing gift wish lists — the iOS Notes app has become the method of choice for them and so far, that’s working pretty well for us. Then I saw Jessica Bradley...

The best Black Friday tips to save you money online: Read this before you buy a thing!

by Liz Gumbinner | Holiday Picks, Tips and Tricks

For over a decade now (whoa) we’ve been sharing the best Black Friday tips to help you find the best deals with the least hassle. Now that Black Friday has turned into “Black Friday through Cyber Monday,” which turned into an entire month of Black...

The best apps for road trips with kids: Map apps, entertainment apps, even restroom finder apps!

by Caroline Siegrist | Best Apps

I’m grateful for this list of the best apps for road trips with kids, because it turns out, I’m not allowed to put my kids in a hilarious sidecar by themselves during long drives. So I’ve been prepping my phone and the kids’ iPad for the long...

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.