tech for kids

I know firsthand how hard it is to decide when is the best age for kids to have their own cell phone . On one hand, we want them to be able to reach us if soccer practice gets out early or they want to leave a sleepover at 1am, but expos…

If you need help for kids with anxiety, I am so grateful for these terrific mindfulness podcasts for kids. We all know that unfortunately, anxiety is on the rise for lots of children, including my own . Maybe you're trying to help a chil…

I'm absolutely fascinated by the way my own kids and step kids use tech to make ongoing gift wish lists -- the iOS Notes app has become the method of choice for them and so far, that's working pretty well for us. Then I saw Jessica Bradl…

We recently had a mom reach out on our Out Tech Your Kids group on Facebook, asking for the best tech to help turn handwriting into text. Like so many kids today, her daughter is using her finger to write on a school issued iPad, and the…

Gearing up for Halloween is looking a little different this year, but at my house we've been getting into the spooky spirit with these awesome scary podcasts for kids. They come at every level of fright, from pumpkin-caper to prepare-to-…

We've been busy rounding up everything from helpful homeschooling resources to online learning apps and websites for the quarantine, but we realize kids can't live on educational materials alone. So we asked our Out Tech Your Kids Facebo…

I was so honored to return as a judge for the second annual Seriously STEM awards, honoring the best educational STEM toys. In collaboration with STEM.org, and with judges including educators, journalists, science museum directors, and i…

My sixth-grader has been asking me to splurge on an Apple Watch for her lately, but I don't see that in her future at the moment. The thing is: she doesn't have a phone yet. So I see little value in spending that kind of money on a watch…

For lots of middle school kids, back to school means back to tech. Specifically: school-issued laptops. Of course, when we're thinking about our kids and tech that they don't own themselves, but they're responsible for day-in and day-out…

I have been a hard core fan of the quip electric toothbrush , long before you probably heard their ads on podcasts (though not on Spawned just yet!) or could find them at your local Target . I have even bought them for my kids, though th…

Podcasts can promote your child's creativity and imagination without spending more time in front of a screen.

The launch of Fitbit's new Ace , an activity tracker for kids, is probably a surprise to no one. With the popularity of fitness trackers with adults, there are plenty of kids, including my own, who want their own. And, in most cases, kid…

Our Cool Mom Picks' editor, Liz, had the awesome opportunity to check out the latest Crayola creations at the 2018 Toy Fair, and we are pleased as tropical punch (aka magenta) to sneak peek their brand new and upcoming releases with you!

Wow was I excited to discover Jooki at CES 2018. I mean, I saw a whole lot of new tech for kids, but not a whole lot beyond STEM and coding toys that really made me go wow. So I'll be sharing a few top favorites for kids over the coming …

My tweens know that I have a pretty strict policy about social media in our house. We won't even have the conversation about setting up accounts for them on Facebook or Instagram until they're the minimum age required by the app. And eve…

Maybe you’re still using a sweet and simple night light that, well… lights up. Let me tell you: you’re missing out.

With STEM (and STEAM, because yay art!) a major focus in education these days, you'll find toys, books, and apps for kids of all ages that highlight science, technology, engineering, and math. Being big fans of STEM at Cool Mom Tech , we…

As parents, we want to do the best for our kids, but screen time is always a thorn in our sides, especially when the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has always said "no screens under 2." Well, that's not the case anymore, as the AAP…

With three kids ranging from preschooler to tween, time management is always an issue for us. Especially when it comes to trying to cajole my youngest to adhere to the demands of the older siblings' hectic schedules. (Sadly, trying to te…

I'm convinced the reason my kids keep going back to play Osmo , one of our favorite educational tools for kids, is its brilliant mashup of digital elements and tangible controls they can actually touch and move around on the table. If yo…

Over the past couple years, it has been incredible to witness all the awesome new ways we have to introduce our kids to STEM. And now we've come across another really cool product called Mover Kit , the first wearable for kids that they …

If your kids have a need for speed, and you have a need for keeping them safe, you have check out Actev Motors' new Arrow Smart-Kart , one of the coolest ride-on toys I had the joy of seeing at NYC's Toy Fair earlier this year. This high…

Even though my kids don't have cell phones yet, they love texting their grandparents and especially love sending them audio messages (which iOS 8 made very easy to do). Sure, grabbing my phone and sending a sweet I scored a goal at my so…

We went crazy for the incredibly cool 3Doodler 3D-printing pen when we first saw it back in 2013, but it wasn't really a toy that our younger kids could safely use on their own. Until now. With the upcoming launch of 3Doodler Start , our…