writing Archives | Cool Mom Tech

5 free journal apps to harness your thoughts in 2018.

Keep track of your thoughts, and maybe tackle a New Years’ resolution, with these 5 free journal apps. They’ve made it so, so easy to track your daily highs (and lows), even add photos and video like a virtual baby book, which is smart for your bigger kids...

A website that could put an end to I’m Bored Syndrome.

by Liz Gumbinner | Tech Toys and Random Fun

My kids love writing and they love doing art, but sometimes they don’t know what to do with that blank sheet of paper or the empty Procreate screen. (That’s my manga-obsessed daughter’s digital illustration iPad app of choice, by the way.) Since...

Digitize your notes and sketches with new Moleskine Smart Writing Set. No photos or scans required.

by Kristen Chase | Home Office, Productivity Apps

I never leave home without my Moleskine notebook, but I tend to snap a photo or type from it into my email or a document to transfer things over. Well, not anymore thanks to their new Smart Writing Set that lets you digitize all your notes and drawings with a very...

Two fun, creative, and (mostly) free apps for kids to keep them engaged when they’re stuck indoors.

by Christina Refford | Fun Apps

If you’re tearing through the list of snow day activities to keep the kids occupied when you’re stuck indoors, allow us help you with two beautifully designed, really fun new apps we’ve discovered from Seedling. As in, the same company whose...

12 of the best educational apps for preschoolers: Back to School Tech Guide 2014

by Nicole Blades | Back to School Tech

We’re so happy to kick off our 2014 back to school tech guide with one of our favorite, and most requested categories: The best educational apps for preschoolers. Now just because your little one isn’t in official Big Kid school yet doesn’t mean they...

7 of the best podcasts for parents. And other people who like listening to smart, fun things.

by Liz Gumbinner | Entertainment

As I woke up New Year’s day and made pancakes to the sweet sounds of NPR, I realized how much I really like radio. But with radio dying, I’ve started making my way over to podcasts which let you filter exactly what you want, when you want it, often for...

5 of the best storytelling apps for kids. Only the kids do the storytelling.

by Shari | Educational Apps For Kids

This mom is a writer, so obviously it makes my heart soar when I see my children reading a good, old-fashioned book (you know, one with pages) or writing their own. But since we live in a time when there are more often tablets in their hands than a pencil, I’m...

StartDot: A handwriting app for children

by Julie | Educational Apps For Kids

My daughter is quite the artist, and her attention to detail is impressive. I only wish she’d apply the same care when writing her letters and numbers. So I was curious to check out a handwriting app that might help her clean up her act. StartDot Handwriting for...

The lettrs app means letter-sending 2.0. We’re in love.

by Jeana | Websites Worth a Bookmark

While I consider myself to be tech-savvy, thank you notes are just one of those things that I always hand-write and make my kids do the same. And on the receiving end, there is something special nowadays when I receive a hand-written anything in the mail, which is why...

Old-school pen pals for 21st century digital girls

by Delilah S. Dawson | Websites Worth a Bookmark

Long ago, the only way to communicate with geeks in a galaxy far, far away was to write a letter, stick a stamp on it, decorate the envelope with unicorns and fairies, and mail it. Then we got email. And Twitter. And Facebook. And tumblr. But here’s a way for...

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.