family entertainment Archives

7 of the best video games to play together as a family

by Caroline Siegrist | Entertainment, Games + Gaming

Who else is looking for the best video games to play as a family this holiday? To me, these family-friendly games make the best gifts for the holidays, since they provide some safe indoor fun at a time we all really need it. Plus, they pack a lot more play longevity...

Is this the end of the movie theater? 6 gift ideas for families setting up a home movie theater this year.

by Kate Etue | Entertainment

Did you all see the huge announcement from Warner Bros. yesterday? For 2021, they’ll be streaming all their new release movies directly to HBO Max the same day they hit theaters. That means Wonder Woman, Dune, The Matrix 4 and every other movie from the studio...

12 must-have gadgets to get you through a winter of quarantining

by Kate Etue | Gear, Holiday Tech Gifts

Colder weather is starting to settle in for many of us, and we’re kind of staring bleakly into a winter quarantining. I’m not thrilled about the idea, but I’m trying to prepare myself and my family so that we’ll get through this season...

Here’s what you need to know about Twitch Watch Parties (Think Netflix Party, but… on Twitch)

by Kristen Chase | Tips and Tricks

Just last week, Twitch launched Watch Parties, a feature that allows Twitch creators to watch Prime Video TV shows and movies with their communities. Whether you’ve got a kid on Twitch, or maybe you’re looking for a way to watch your Amazon faves with...

4 awesome home projectors for a fab backyard movie night

by Caroline Siegrist | Entertainment, Smart Appliances

Anyone else missing trips to your local movie theater? I know I am, which is why I’ve been researching the best home projectors for backyard movie nights, which seem to be the closest we’re going to get to sitting in a theater anytime soon. Keep in mind...

6 unexpected rom-coms on Netflix that you can watch with the family on Valentine’s Day

by Liz Gumbinner | Entertainment

What you do after the kids are in bed on Valentine’s Day — that’s your business. What you do while the kids are still up and wanting to hang out with you though? Well, we can help with that. As the resident cinephile, I’ve put together some...

14 Netflix fake ball drop shows to trick your kids into an early bedtime this New Year’s Eve

by Kate Etue | Entertainment

The Netflix fake ball drop has been a total parents’ New Year’s Eve lifesaver for us. If you haven’t heard of this magic yet, you’ve got to check it out. If your kids are too young (or you’re too tired, ha!) to stay up till the new year,...

Where to find A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving streaming for free this year. Because, tradition.

by Kate Etue | Entertainment

We have a few Thanksgiving traditions in our family: mom’s pumpkin pie, a turkey that’s never quite ready when we expect it to be, and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on TV. Because Lucy, Linus and the rest of the gang are just a sentimental tradition...

Web Coolness: Turning off an annoying Instagram feature, a new Snapchat feature you should know about, and more

by Cool Mom Staff | Link Roundups

Here are some of our favorite links from this past week. We hope you find them interesting and useful! Here’s how to turn off the Instagram activity status feature. Did you know about this new Google Maps feature? (Plus, more Google Maps features you should...

Science Activities for Teens and Older Kids: The Cool Mom Tech Science Guide for Kids

by Cool Mom Staff | Science Guide for Kids

While kids are born to love science, every kid at every age has different abilities, inclinations, passions and skills. We started Cool Mom Tech in part to help parents foster that love of STEM in their kids, which is why we couldn’t be more thrilled to bring...

NEW: The podcast that helps you be a savvier digital parent in under 15 minutes a week

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.