This app lets you check out library books on your phone. Free. From home. Yes!
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...
The new Rebel Girls app puts kids’ favorite inspiring women right in their earbuds
I’ve been a huge Rebel Girls fan since their very first book came out, so naturally I’m so excited to hear about their brand new Rebel Girls app. The app features the stories of some of our favorite women — Malala, Lady Gaga, Maya Angelou, and many...
What does Indigenous mean? This video is the perfect explainer for kids.
On Indigenous People’s Day, a lot of kids may be asking us to explain what Indigenous means. It’s not the kind of word that’s in a lot of kids’ day-to-day vocabularies — or at least not yet. And parents may have trouble explaining what it...
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 and teens whatever their grade level. I used to say that I was okay teaching math until around 3rd or 4th grade, and then I needed some help explaining certain...
10 terrific reading apps for kids in middle school and high school | Back to School Tech
Sometimes we think of reading apps as for little kids, but reading apps for kids in middle school and high school can be extremely helpful. Whether your kids are voracious readers or a bit more reluctant to get lost in a book when there are video games to be played...
This app actually scans your kids’ LEGOs, then lets them know what they can build with them. Whoa.
My son is all about LEGO these days, which is why I was intrigued when I heard about Brikit, a new iPhone app that takes stock of the LEGOs you have and makes suggestions — complete with instructions — on what to build. Turns out, it’s a gamechanger!...
Free download: 30 creative activities for kids that blend off-screen summer fun with just enough tech.
I know, I know, the last thing parents want our kids to do this summer is spend all day watching YouTube videos or playing more Minecraft. I just hope my kids can find a little more balance with screen time this summer, and that whatever screen time they do have can...
A cool new trick to help kids practice their reading this summer
Do you have a kid who needs some extra reading practice this summer? Then you’ll definitely want to check out Sidekick, a new offering that’s part of the Amazon Kids+ subscription (previously FreeTime) that’s designed to help kids practice their...
7 of the best news podcasts and programs for kids, from preschool to high school
In our Out Tech Your Kids group on Facebook, a parent recently asked for recommendations for great news podcasts for kids. Our readers replied with some really good suggestions, so we wanted to round them up for you…and add a few more we discovered too. These...Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz
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.)
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