How to Get More Traffic to Website: Traffic Secrets

Traffic at a Standstill?

This is a sponsored post. #ad Are you stuck in the eternal flow of social media? Do you have a blog, website, or other social media pages to sell a product or service? After you've exhausted all ideas, is your traffic still at a standstill? If so, you've probably searched for how to get more traffic to your website. It seems like an uphill battle. Okay, it is an uphill battle, but persistence and perseverance pay off.

I've been working the 30 day challenge in this book by Russell Brunson, Traffic Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Filling Your Websites and Funnels with Your Dream Customers. Let me just say, it may feel overwhelming, but that's what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the crowd. The past few years, I've slowed down on my personal endeavors. They've taken a backseat to the digital marketing that I do for other brands and businesses. I've got a keen eye for what needs to get done, but when it comes to doing it for myself, I don't always accomplish those goals. Reading this book has been the kick in the pants I needed to get motivated. 

The first thing I noted was it felt like work. It felt like stuff I don't really want to do. Ugh. If that's you and you can't find the motivation, this method isn't for you. However, you should kick yourself in the pants and just get it done. Even if you do only a portion of what's been explained in the book, it will motivate you to set new goals. I hadn't posted every day on any social media platform, for years. YEARS! It was clearly time to make a change. For me, this 30 day challenge helped me overcome some fears. I posted several times a day nothing bad happened. In fact, my social media pages, particularly Facebook, started getting more engagement. More. Not less. More! Social media sites like it when we're active. Even if you're just talking to yourself everyday, post something valuable to help build that engagement score.

Russell Brunson is doing all the things I dreamed of doing! Book signings, podcasts, videos, and most importantly, selling books! For me, the goal of more traffic is to reach my target audience and sell more books! I love to write and create content for kids, but it can be difficult to attract the right audience to your website and even more difficult to attract them to make a purchase. That's where your dream 100 comes into play. In Traffic Secrets, Russell Brunson details what it takes to work with your dream 100. The first step is to identify who they are so you need to make a list. Once you've got that list, you need to work it. Find ways to connect with your dream 100. Make sure your dream 100 knows who you are! You can read all about it in his book, Traffic Secrets.

By completing the Traffic Secrets 30-day challenge, you'll learn the strategies you need to increase your site traffic. You've probably already got a great product or service ready to go, you just those customers! If you've yet to create a product to sell, you need to get on that. 

Here are some of my products:

Summer Camp Handbook

Circle Time Handbook

Allegedly Mystic Novel

I sell my products anywhere I can! In his book, Brunson mentions how important it is to have an affiliate army. Get other people (your dream 100) to mention your books and sell them on their websites. Set them up as affiliates so that they earn a little for each book sale. After reading his book, I discovered that I really need to focus more on building my tribe. First thing I plan to do is set up an affiliate marketing program for other book bloggers. In this latest book Traffic Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Filling Your Websites and Funnels with Your Dream Customers, entrepreneur Russell Brunson reveals the classic and foundational direct marketing techniques that will allow you to be at the front of new trends and see opportunities that are invisible to everyone else. Having an affiliate army is a huge piece of the puzzle.

Russell Brunson is a Best-Selling Author & CEO of the $100M software company ClickFunnels. If you've started any digital marketing, you've probably heard of funnels. Everyone needs a funnel! He has built a following of over a million entrepreneurs, sold hundreds of thousands of copies of his books and popularized the concept of sales funnels. Basically, you need a funnel where you have all sorts of marketing efforts pointing to your landing page or the page where you sell your product or service. You drop links to this page preferably through other great online and personalities, and they all funnel in one direction, which drives sales of your product or service. There's an online adage, "work smarter not harder." However, if you can work smarter and harder, you'll find success in your entrepreneurial endeavors. 

There's no time like the present, be sure to pick up your copy of Traffic Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Filling Your Websites and Funnels with Your Dream Customers and start your 30 day challenge today!

#TrafficSecrets 
#RussellBrunson 

 

My call to action:  Your kids have been cooped up for too long! Be sure to get your copy of my Summer Camp Handbook! 5 theme weeks of science experiments, recipes, exercises, games, and activities to enrich your lives!

Moon Magic Chapter Four: YA Novel Online

Chapter Four Moon Magic Young Adult Fiction Novel Online

Here's chapter four of my online Young Adult Fiction Novel, Moon Magic. If you haven't read the other chapters, start here: Moon Magic starts here. In Chapter Three, Aurora began to write in her diary. We also got a little taste of how she and her mother get along. It's time for her outing with Lucas, find out how it went in Chapter Four of Moon Magic. Enjoy!

This posts contains Amazon affiliate links.

Get the full novel.

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.

Tips for Working with a Child with Autism

Tips for Playing and Working with an Autistic Child

Tips for Working with a child with Autism.

We are sharing some tips for working with a child with autism. I know, I know, you  don't want to use the words Autistic child, but these words help those who aren't as in the know find this information when searching the web. After several years working with children of all ages, races, and denominations, I have tips for playing and interacting with an autistic child, and all types of childhood disorders, diseases, or states of mind. Let's face it, there is no such thing as normal!

Social Interaction is a key concern for parents with a child who has Autism. Remember, play is the work of children. Does your child engage with you or with other children while playing? If your child has been diagnosed with Autism, the answer is more than likely no. 

As parents or caregivers you can adjust your style of play to make playing with a child with a sensory processing disorder more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Making small adaptations to the environment will help parents to observe and begin to understand how their child’s mind works. Forget how you remember playing as a child; be open to a new way of playing and a different kind of interaction.

All children like to make their own decisions and choices. If you set up several stations with various types of play opportunities, your child may be drawn to one or more of them. Don’t jump in or show too much excitement. Sit back and become a silent observer doing research while your child explores his new environment. At first, it may be interesting but intimidating for the child. Let them explore or simply observe the invitations you have provided for play.

Perhaps, you have ordinary cardboard boxes in varying sizes. Leave some empty to let your child explore his imagination.  Fill others with different types of toys. Depending on the age of the child, make appropriate “toy” choices. A box filled with pots, pans, and wooden spoons is a scientific experiment. Contain your desire to show your child how to bang on the pots or wear one as a hat. 

Let your child teach you how they want to play. A simple thump on the pot could frighten the child and ruin the experience for everyone. The idea of wearing the pan as a hat could also discourage the child. 

In the coming days or weeks, as your child becomes more comfortable observing or playing with the toys, you can slowly introduce your style of play. Sit across from the child; don’t worry if they are not watching you. Just play.Gently, put the pan on your head. Pretend to stir soup in a pot. What happens if you scrape the bowl? Observe how your child reacts, but don’t force or ask them to play yet. 

Be patient; if your child isn’t interested today, move on to a new toy. By playing by yourself, you are demonstrating how to play, how you play, and letting your child know it is okay to play alone. 

Remember, it is okay to play alone! All children learn through play, so never discourage them.

In time, your child may begin to feel less threatened.They may do what you do, or they may choose a toy and hand it to you to see what you will do with it. If they don’t, keep trying with quiet encouragement. Keep experimenting with new ideas, but always watch your child’s facial expression and body language. If they don’t like what you are doing, change it.  

Hopefully, one day your child will accept your invitation to play. 

Need some more ideas? Here are ten sensory play activities for kids.



Recommended:


Circle Time Activities


Autism Breakthrough: The Groundbreaking Method That Has Helped Families All Over the World*

Professional Development for Preschool Teachers

Where do you find ECE Professional Development Courses?

Are you looking for professional development courses for your early childhood education professionals? ChildCare Education Institute offers a wide variety of courses to keep your staff up to date and knowledgeable in all things preschool. If you are a director or administrator of an early learning childcare center, you may want to share some of the knowledge you gain with your staff. Teaching adults differs from teaching children. If you need ideas on how to do training for your childcare staff, CCEI offers this course, PROF101: Adult Learning: Theories and Strategies for Trainers and Directors. Read on for my review of the course.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I get a small commission.

The PROF101: Adult Learning: Theories and Strategies for Trainers and Directors course is designed for directors and other early childhood professionals who train adults or facilitate professional development programs. It reminds you that teaching adults can be challenging. Adults may actually pay less attention to the instructor than children do because they already have a knowledge base and personal bias.

Professional Development for Preschool Teachers: Adult Learning Class

Above is a sample slide from the class. The class shares methods and ideas from various scholars. The biggest take away for me was to (after teaching ECE for many years) be careful not to talk down to your class. Understand that they must want to learn and to do so, they must respect you, but also believe that you respect them.

This class was a little more difficult for me than the previous classes. To be honest, I don't review the study guides and handouts. I know, I know. I achieved a certificate on the first attempt (you're allowed 10 attempts.) However, I scored an 80% and had to guess on a few questions. All of that scholarly info is valuable but difficult to remember, especially when you're tired. Be sure you have plenty of time for the test and that you are well rested!

I truly love learning from the comfort of my own home. In the past, I've done Professional Development for Preschool Teachers through NAEYC. While it's nice to do hands on and meet other people in the field, nothing beats learning at your own pace in your pajamas with ChildCare Education Institute.

Recommended:

Where do you go for ECE training online?

CCEI Class: Active Learning in Early Childhood Education

Preschool Activities for Circle Time

10 Fall Play Date Ideas

Keep Busy with Fun, Fall Play Date Ideas

It is fall, y'all. Fall is our favorite season of the year. No matter the season, we make time to get outside and play every day. Are you stuck inside? Bored? Get out and try some of these Fall Play Date Ideas. Enjoy!

Fall play date ideas don't have to be fancy... Just play!

The Voice of Play is an education and advocacy initiative of the non-profit membership association, IPEMA, formed to educate and promote the benefits of children’s free outdoor play and playgrounds. They encourage the scientifically proven physical, social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of play.

Outdoor play is free! Once a week, we visit a different local park and have unstructured play dates with a local homeschool group.

We are fortunate in that we have been able to live our dream life on a beautifully wooded, five-acre property. Everyday, we go for a walk, visit the fish and ducks on our pond, take a paddle boat ride, check out the creatures of the creek, and just play in the yard.

The best part about fall, of course, is the changing leaves. What fun to scoop some up and let them flow through the air! Rake up a pile and jump. It is simple. It is sensory. And, it couldn't be more fun if it cost money.

We wanted to share some pictures of how we play at home. For more fall play date ideas, keep scrolling down.

Little ones enjoy the sensory aspect of leaves. They crunch, they crumble, and crack.

She made the leaves disappear!

What happens when you put a leaf on a slide? Play = Preschool Science.

Go on a hike to collect leaves for a science project.

Hide and seek is always a hit.

Climbing trees is cool too.

Monkey see. Monkey do.

I dub the Sir Fall.

Raking leaves is good exercise.

Leaves = Happy Kid.

We need to build a tree house.

• Play Disc Golf with your Trees
• Play Date Ideas for Preschoolers
• Ideas for Nature Based Circle Time
• Pirate Pretend Play
• Outdoor Play Date Ideas
• Visit an Apple Orchard with Friends
• Cold Weather Play Date Ideas for Toddlers
• Play with Shaving Cream Outdoors
• Outdoor Play Ideas
• Go for a Hike and Pretend you are Secret Investigators

*This post is sponsored by the Voice of Play. All words and opinions are my own.  #YearRoundPlay 

Recommended:

Outdoor Geometric Dome Climber*

The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons*

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products. *We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Chitika, Google Adsense, Sverve, Izea, and Social Spark ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Active Learning in Early Childhood Education

What is Active Learning?

If you're an early childhood education director, teacher, or a homeschooler of a preschooler, you will benefit ChildCare Education Institute's CCEI122: Active Learning in Early Childhood course. This course is a great way to get continuing ed course credit for any ECE program, but it is also a wonderful tool for parents of toddlers and preschoolers to educate themselves for homeschool learning. So, what is the definition of active learning in early childhood education?

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links, if you make a purchase,I get a small commission.

Wikipedia describes active learning as:

Active learning is a form of learning in which teaching strives to involve students in the learning process more directly than in other methods. Bonwell states that in active learning, "students participate in the process and students participate when they are doing something besides passively listening."

Sensory Play = Active Learning

As a childcare professional, I am well versed in sensory play and its connection to cognitive learning. Here on the blog, you'll find many sensory play activities and other movement games for early childhood educators. However, I wasn't aware of much of the proven science behind these preschool activities until I took CCEI's online professional development course CCEI122: Active Learning in Early Childhood.

This course presents practical methods for integrating movement and active involvement across all curriculum areas, including art, language arts, mathematics, music, science, and social studies.

The course only takes about an hour of your time. Be sure to print out the handouts or save them as pdfs so that you'll have access to note taking and a record of some of the valuable ideas and knowledge base taught in the class. At course completion, you’re issued a certificate showing that you've successfully completed the 1 hr. course. Here's mine:

Through the years, I've taken many continuing education courses. The courses offered by ChildCare Education Institute are by far the most convenient. The courses are also very informative. They not only include valuable information and recent studies in the childcare industry, but they also include sample activities that you can try with your own students.

ChildCare Education Institute® provides high-quality, online training courses and programs, applicable to those who work in an array of child care settings, including center-based care, Head Start, family child care, prekindergarten classrooms, after school environments and more. Over 150 English and Spanish training courses are available to meet licensing, recognition program, and Head Start Requirements. CCEI also has online certification programs that provide the coursework requirement for national credentials including the CDA, Director and Early Childhood Credentials. CCEI, a Council for Professional Recognition CDA Gold Standard℠ Comprehensive training provider, is nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) and is accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

● 99 percent of students say they would recommend CCEI to others

● Over 4.4 million online course hours completed  

● Graduated over 12,000 early childhood professionals from CDA and other certificate programs

● Web-based coursework, available 24/7/365

● 30 hours of new content added each year

● IACET CEUs awarded for completed coursework at no additional cost

During the CCEI122: Active Learning in Early Childhood course, I had many aha moments. There were so many things that I've done in my early childhood programs where I missed valuable opportunities to incorporate movement and music in daily lesson plans for language arts, science, social studies, math, and art. The course lists out many different ideas and further explains how these activities aid in cognitive development and increase brain synapses.

After taking the course, you’ll want to add more movement activities to your daily active learning activities. Here's a list of our most popular posts on early childhood games and sensory play ideas for preschoolers.

● Circle Time Games for Active Learning in Early Childhood

● Physical Activity Movement Games for Early Childhood

● Marshmallow Movement Game

● Sensory Tactile Alphabet Activity

● Group Cooperation Games for Preschool and Early Childhood

If you're in need of continuing education for your career in early childhood, start here with our review of ChildCare Education Institute. CCEI offers many amazing continuing education courses for professional development in early childhood education. The extensive course list is sure to please even the most hard to please daycare providers and program directors. I encourage everyone involved with childcare and early childhood education to sign up for a course or two. It’s such a convenient way to expand your knowledge in early childhood education. Be sure to check it out!

Recommended:

Featured Preschool Crafts and Activities 

All Preschool Activities

Active Learning Tools

8 Autumn Outdoor Play Ideas

8 Fall Play Ideas

As the weather cools and we move toward winter, it is tempting to stay inside on the warm, comfy couch. It is important to stay active in the cooler months. Sure, you can go to an indoor facility like a bounce park, bowling alley, or indoor swimming, but fresh air and sunshine are just as important in autumn and winter months. There are plenty of ways to play outdoors. We're sharing a few ways that we get out and play with these 8 Autumn Outdoor Play Ideas for families. Enjoy!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin  “This post is sponsored by the Voice of Play.”

Jake's Jokes for Kid: Waiter Joke? Ba Dump Dump

In this addition of Jake's Jokes, Jake is confused by the waiter and says the funniest thing. 

Jokes, jokes, jokes! Kids are full of funny things to say. Make sure you write them down. In this issue of Jake's Jokes: The perfect waiter joke. Ba Dump Dump. Click the tab above for more Jokes for Kids!

Jake's Jokes for Kids: Excuse me Waiter?

A family walked into a restaurant...

Waiter:  I'll be your server tonight.  Jimmy over there is helping out.

The Daddy was being difficult.  He didn't want to order until after he ate his appetizers.  Appetizers might be enough he just didn't know.  The waiter came back several times before and after the appetizers were served.  Everyone else ordered food.   Daddy waited.  The waiter didn't understand.

Waiter:  Are you ready to get some real food now?

Jake's jokes for kids. Waiter...

Daddy:  Nope.  I told you I'd let you know when or if I'm ready.

Waiter:  Can I take your menus.

Daddy:  Nope.

Mommy:  Are you sure you don't want to trade places with Jimmy now?

Waiter:  What? No way, I can take it.  Jimmy's a lightweight compared to me.

Jake looked at the stocky man behind the bar and then back at our waiter.

Jake:  Really?  How much do you weigh? (Insert Ba Dump Dump here)


Recommended Reading:

Circle Time Activities for Children


Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids


Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss - Daisy-Head Mayzie Activities and Craft

Daisy Head Mayzie Crafts and Activities

Today's Companion Craft and Story is themed on Dr. Seuss' book, Daisy-Head Mayzie not Maisy. We have lots of Dr. Seuss activities. You might Also like Dr. Seuss's Sue Snue and a fake cake messy play craft to celebrate his birthday! This is a fun project to do with Daisy Girl Scouts. Enjoy!

April Showers? Color an Umbrella Craft for Kids

April showers! Spring Umbrella Craft for Kids

Finally, after all the April snows, Mayhem was able to color her
ALEX® Toys - Craft Color A Yumbrella. It took Spring forever to... er sprung- and patient she ain't. Anywho...

Coloring an umbrella with permanent markers.

This cute umbrella craft comes with permanent markers. We used some of our own Sharpies too. She colored one triangle, got tired, and took a break for a week. Now, she can color whenever she gets bored. The craft that keeps on giving! 

You know, she'll be modeling this with her latest rubber galoshes. What am I saying? It's Mayhem, she'll probably wear ballet flats when she goes skipping in the rain.

Mayhem colors a lollipop on her Yumbrella.

The Umbrella is decorated with cute, yummy sweets.

Recommended Reading:


Let It Rain*

Monster Paper Bag Puppets

Activities for Circle Time

Art Activities for Preschoolers

Easy Preschool Art Activities

Preschool art activities don't have to be all finger painting and paper plate crafts. We've collected some art activities for preschoolers that include sensory fun. Read on for easy preschool art activities that are destined to become mini masterpieces.

This post contains affiliate links.

Art activities for preschoolers.

Bubble Painting is a fun, sensory way to introduce your preschooler to art. They can experiment with color mixing, layering, and layout. Scoot on over to Kelly Noel's Living the Dream blog for more details.

Bubble Painting Preschool Art Activity from Living the Dream.

Another fun way for preschoolers to experience sensory art activities is to let them play with food coloring and shaving cream. Skip over to our post on how to paint with shaving cream. 

Coffee Filter Mobiles. All preschool teachers adore coffee filter crafts. Remember the days of the milk carton crafts? Wonder what we'll all switch to when coffee filters become a thing of the past? These coffee filter and cardboard paper towel tube painted mobiles are self-explanatory. We found them posted here but are sure they originated somewhere else. Please leave a comment if you know the original source.

Coffee Filter Mobile Preschool Art Activity.

Art, like sensory play, develops critical thinking skills and hand eye coordination. Click here to learn about how art can aid in brain development.

Handprint and footprint art is a staple in the world of preschool. Introduce your preschoolers to Pointillism with these beautiful fall handprint trees from Arty Crafty Kids.

Handprint Tree Preschool Activity from Arty Crafty Kids.

The Jammy Jigsaw offers up an art activity for preschoolers that serves double duty as a science project. This salt dough bone necklace is the perfect companion art project for a lesson on dinosaurs.

Salt Dough Bone Necklace Art Activity for Preschoolers from The Jammy Jigsaw.

Looking for more art activities for preschoolers? Visit our Pinterest Board, Preschool Scavenger Hunt.

Recommended:

Homeschool and Preschool Companion Book Activities

For activities and games to play with preschoolers check out our Circle Time Handbook on Amazon.