apps for parents

There are three things you need to know about the productivity app IFTTT : 1) It's an acronym that stands for If This, Then That. 2) It's pronounced like the 'ift' in the word gift. 3) It's out here saving lives. Okay, that's a bit drama…

When it comes to all the photos and videos on my iPhone camera roll (uh, all 5,373 of them), my usual tagline is I should do something with those. That's the party line year after year, and in the meantime, that camera roll just keeps ge…

With back to school officially here, I cannot tell you how much I love the benefits of organization and communication apps for parents and teachers. They really do make life so much easier. Well, I've just discovered another tech tool th…

Whether your kids are figuring out how to sound out words for the first time, or you have older grade-schoolers who just might choose an educational app over a game from time to time if it's fun enough, educational apps can certainly be …

Scientific curiosity is what's lurking behind all those questions our kids start asking as toddlers. While we parents don't always have all the answers, fortunately there's a ton of cool science apps out there to help indulge that curios…

There's excitement and anxiousness in the air at back to school time, but for many parents, this time of year can also bring about a little dread. As in: Ugh. Here comes the deluge of To-Do lists and classroom paperwork and lunch-packing…

Math: The word alone strikes fear into the hearts of too many kids -- and frankly, too many parents. That's why we think it's so important to find the very best math apps for kids to share with our readers, so we can help our kids get a …

As fans of the planet--and yeah, humanity in general--we're always looking for ways to live more sustainably and to help our kids be more aware of it too. And as we've all discovered over the years, it doesn't have to be about massive li…

When it comes to apps, we're all about finding the newest and coolest ones that help the busy family machine run a little smoother. And as we ramp up to back-to-school season, life is probably about to get even more hectic. Oh forget pro…

Even with all the great lifestyle and organizational apps available to us today, there are times that nothing really replaces writing with pen and paper, whether I'm writing down funny things my kids have said or just making my grocery l…

Even though it's easy to snap and share plenty of great vacation photos these days, I do miss those fun postcards we used to collect and send during my family trips as a kid. But now with the ScenePast app for iOS, you can actually send …

With products like Jawbone and Fitbit and dozens more that are ushering us into a new era of wearable tech, it seems only natural that wearable tech for babies is next, right? But a wearable baby monitor that can sense, learn and predict…

There's a lime green folder in a top drawer in our kitchen that is spilling over with paper: artwork, drawings, little wobbly letters that are getting less wobbly day by day. I've learned to let go and throw some things away, but the res…

I have mentioned my penchant for frugality and the rush I get when I snag a good deal. (Yes, I said rush). Which is why a neat money-saving shopping app called Flipp will most definitely be on my phone come back-to-school shopping season…

With the addition of baby #3 in the past year, you can bet I won't be heading to a mall anytime soon for back-to-school clothes shopping. Online shopping has been my savior the past few years, but getting the right size is always a big q…

I had forgotten how much I love to read glossy magazines until I started using a Texture digital magazine subscription (formerly NextIssue) which gives me access to more than 140 monthly and weekly magazines all on my favorite device--iP…

If you want to add a fun twist to your next short iPhone video, you've got to try the Silent Film Studio video app , which lets you turn it into a black-and-white silent movie clip, complete with old-timey crackle 'n' pop organ music, bl…

When it comes to new motherhood and the number of helpful apps popping up, it seems the odds are ever in our favor. Whether it's tracking the size of your growing belly from bump to beach ball or keeping tabs on nursing or milestones, we…

We have covered many ways to recycle your tech devices in the past, but if you want to create an amazing new use from an older device, like turning it into a baby monitor, home security system or having a way to see what exactly those ki…

Ever since my mom got an iPad, she has taken on the texting habits of a teenager. We go back and forth several times a day on iMessage about random questions and updates, but mostly use it to share photos. My sister is also in the mix an…

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that it took me about 9 months to print out pictures of my third baby and put them up around the house. When I think back to how diligent I was with baby #1 and (a little less diligent with) baby #2, I h…

As a mom to three kids, I've often thought that a warehouse club membership would be a good idea. I mean, my kids can put away some snacks. Not to mention the diapers and formula, when we were in that phase of life. But going to the groc…

Long before we had kids, I knew my husband was going to be a fun dad. (I also knew I was going to be the uptight mom who shook her head and sighed a lot.) So when I checked out the Kid Dad Fun app , I started cracking up immediately. Thi…

H i Cool Mom Tech, I just got a NOOK for my five-year-old. Any suggestions for inexpensive learning apps? - reader, via Facebook Ooh, lucky kid you've got. Having a fun device like the NOOK is certainly a great way to encourage reading a…