Free, educational online games for elementary school kids? Reader Q&A
Hi Cool Mom Tech! Any suggestions for websites that have a good selection of free online games for kids (3rd grade/elementary school level) that are educational, but also FUN for them…so they won’t realize that they’re actually learning? I’d...
Keep those preschool brains fresh this summer
We keep hearing about summer brain drain for kids who are on summer vacation. But for those ambitious parents out there who are already eying the Ivy Leagues for their toddlers (oh not you, of course), it’s never too early to start making pathways between those...
Nerdy babies know that B is for binary code
Our first child was born perfect. Ten fingers, ten toes. Still, we had to wait a couple of years to see if she had inherited one very important trait. When she picked up her first lightsaber at age nineteen months, we knew. We had a nerdy baby. And there was much...
Teaching the US presidents with the help of aliens
Most of us know that George Washington was the first president and Al Gore was never one, but there are a whole lot of years in the middle there that are not my strong suit. That’s why I love a new app that helps my kids and me brush up on our U.S. history in an...
3 ways to use your iPad with young children
iPad serves different functions for every member of my family. My traveling husband takes it with him to read books or watch movies, I use it to catch up on my blog reading and magazines, and my older kids use it for some of their homeschool lessons and to blow off...
The new PBS website drives the Earth Day message home
If I want my kids to celebrate Earth Day every day, it helps if they understand the little issues that all add up to make big changes. In other words:Â Why I screech when they forget to recycle a piece of paper. (I admit it. I screech.) That’s why I applaud PBS...
Leapfrog Tag Maps help kids make sense of a great big world
There’s a lot going on in the world these days. Kids are hearing rumblings about so many countries, many of which are new to them. Depending on their ages, there are some good tools to help initiate conversations about friends and foes overseas, like the clever...
I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow on your iPad
When my children discovered the Three Little Pigs storybook app on a friend’s iPad, I had absolutely zero doubt in my mind that we’d be running home to purchase it that very night. In a word, this app is masterful. Or to use more words, it’s...
The Eric Carle app: Your children’s very first books become their Very First app.
My gadgets overflow with cool apps for my older kids, but when it comes to my toddler, it’s tough to find ones that are engaging and educational, but not overstimulating. So leave it to the talented folks at Night & Day Studios (makers of the...NEW: The podcast that helps you be a savvier digital parent in under 15 minutes a week
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.)
We're so glad you're here! And we hope we can help you too.
The Spawned Podcast. (It’s won awards and everything!)
At-Home Learning Help
* 14 very cool virtual summer camps for kids
* 8 of our favorite online educational resources
* 10 awesome online STEM camps for kids this summer
* Homeschooling 101: Tips for newbies
* 8 ideas for homeschool schedules that may work for you
* Creative ways to socialize online
* 5 audiobook apps keep us entertained and learning
* The best ways to clean and disinfect your phones and gadgets
* 15 awesome podcasts to keep kids engaged
“Are you guys okay with Facebook Messenger for your kids to stay in touch with friends?”
Parents have questions, we have answers
So they want to get a smartphone…
Work with us!
