Tech Toys

We're always drawn to interesting tech toys here, and right now we're a bit fascinated by the new Moff band . Designed by a Japanese firm (thus, the various spellings of guitar ), the band promises to turn any object, real or imaginary, …

Well of course we're obsessed with the LEGOLAND Model Builder Challenge . Our kids are all big fans of LEGO, and so are we, especially the blocks aren't underfoot or getting sucked up by the vacuum. The LEGO Movie was a huge hit, and LEG…

Even if you're not a Doctor Who fan, you've got to love this Doctor Who Mr. Potato Head (Dr. Potato Head?) with a fez. And if you are a Doctor Who fan, did you see the perfect little sonic screwdriver? Let me tell you: with that many eye…

With the explosion of monthly subscription boxes , we've gotten uber picky about the ones we recommend. Especially subscription boxes for kids, since no one wants to give a lame birthday gift. Worth a look: the brand new Appleseed Lane m…

As much as we joke about permanent Lego block indents in the soles our feet, we're all big Lego fans around here. And with the success of The Lego Movie , here comes the merchandising! Not that I'm complaining. I would totally love a Wyl…

We've been fans of littleBits , the creative, magnetic, electronic maker toy, for quite a while. Though now that it's turning our kids into rock stars with their littleBits Synth Kit , we're total groupies. This is one very satisfying to…

Way back when, we discovered the VIOlife toothbrush sanitizers , which are the cutest tool for killing toothbrush germs ever. While there are some designs suitable for adults, we kind of like the fun ones made for kids--or adults who act…

Mamas of my generation will immediately recognize the phrase: Mom always said, don't play ball in the house. Funny how decades after those Brady Bunch days, I am still reminded of that phrase every time I see my kids--yeah. Playing ball …

I realize that chocolate for a Valentine's Day gift might sound a little predictable at first, but when it's a chocolate camera for your special photographer or Instagram addict, I think it's pretty brilliant. This vintage camera valenti…

You can't eat your Apple, but you can totally devour some iPhones with this sweet stainless iPhone cookie cutter . Do they make an app for that? I keep pressing the buttons to search, but all I get is a finger covered in frosting. Totall…

I don't know too many women, or men for that matter, who would say no to a box of Valentine's Day chocolate. But if you find the big assortments a little ordinary for your taste, you have to check out this giant d20 Chocolate Die at Thin…

Can you teach kids about the foundations of programming through a storybook about one little girl, a friendly Snow Leopard, a wise penguin, and a green robot? After learning about Linda Liukas' Kickstarter campaign to bring her entertain…

Thirty years ago, a sledgehammer flew across our television screens during the Super Bowl, heralding the birth of the Apple Macintosh personal computer on January 24, 1984. Today, many of us will celebrate the Macintosh anniversary by sh…

If your kids are no longer enchanted by SIRI, there's a new robot in town that is ready to enter their iPhone and make things fun again. Known as ROMO , this programmable robotic pet is part educational, part adorable, and part little fu…

Really young kids aren't ready for their own cell phones yet, but we love the idea of being able to communicate remotely with our elementary age kids while they're with a babysitter or just send them a funny message while they're playing…

By far, the toys that my kids have gotten the most mileage out of are the ones they use for pretend play. Their active imaginations are ageless, and as you start thinking holiday gifts, consider that it doesn't necessarily take a real te…

We all know STEM is a big deal in schools these days. The combination of science, technology, engineering and math is what kids are living on a daily basis, so a 10-year-old entrepreneur named Ethan Saadia wants to encourage even more ki…

So as it turns out, it's not a good idea to give a small child your old tech to play with. Once we learned how many toxic components and metals were in those remote controls, cell phones and cameras, we've retrieved the outdated gadgets …

Whether your kids say the darnedest things or your inspiration always strikes while you're driving the car, this cool new device makes it easy to record and file the moments of your life, seconds after they happen. Would you wear this hi…

As much as we love LEGO, and have even made a case for the benefit of LEGO Friends , the company has still got a fairly wide gender gap. Fortunately, it's clear they're still working to close it. So we are pretty happy to see that LEGO h…

We love covering cool monthly subscription boxes over on Cool Mom Picks. Whether you're a foodie, a crafter, or a beauty maven, there's someone willing to deliver carefully curated goodies to your door. My geek sisters, time to kneel bef…

When your kids are old enough to head back to school with a laptop or tablet in that backpack, a dandy new flash drive to go with it is a must. Especially when the coolest ones happen to be on sale. At Mimobot , their popular character f…

I still remember spending hours on end playing Simon, that awesomely fun hand-held eletronic game which had you imitating the light patterns as they got increasingly hard. Get it: Simon Says? I cannot even believe it's back. I still cred…

I love that geekery is spreading far and wide, out of the game room and into the rest of the house. Including the bathroom, with these unbelievable handmade soaps. Geeksoap is a combination of two very important things in a parent's life…