Traditional Toys – The Best Educational Toys for Kids

For many today the idea of traditional toys seems obsolete – something from the “good old days” but this simply isn’t true. There are still plenty of traditional toys out there – old-fashioned wooden blocks, wooden pull toys, rag dolls, and the like. You just have to know where to find them – or how to make them if you are feeling adventurous! Making homemade toys can be a lot of fun, if you’re up for it! A homemade wooden toy will last a lifetime and can be passed on by your own children. Such items will be cherished far more than throw away plastic alternatives.Traditional toy making refers to hand-made wooden toys, sewn and soft toys, and even a few recycled items. Remember, babies and toddlers in particular don’t need fancy or expensive toys with flashing lights and lots of sounds to have fun. (As you will know if you have ever seen your two-year-old most of the morning playing in and around a cardboard box or the laundry basket!If you go down the route of making toys yourself it will open you up to the world of crafts, which you can eventually share with your children as they get older. Soon, you won’t be making toys for them, but with them! How exciting is that? Sewing projects and woodworking are the two leaders when it comes to traditional toy making. No matter what your skill or talent, there’s something you can make. Look online. There is a wealth of free tutorials, patterns, and instructions. So, go on have a go at it, you’ll be surprised how satisfying it is!When you make old-fashioned toys with a traditional feel for your kids, you’re not just taking a walk down memory lane. Some of these items can actually benefit your kids. Traditional toys, much more so than modern variants, actually help your kids expand their minds and imagination. Plain old sturdy toys are the best educational toys for kids in the long run. They inspire creativity and exploration. With modern toys, there’s often nothing to really think about and most of the time kids are just emulating what they’ve seen on TV.A toy box filled with traditional toys – ones that you’ve made or purchased – invoke your child’s ability to create, innovate, and invent. Traditional toys are passively educational – your child’s imagination will grow and expand without them even realising it! Old-fashioned wooden toys like building blocks, puzzles, and pull-toys encourage lateral thinking, problem-solving skills, and even fine motor skills. Ironically traditional toys are actually often a lot safer than modern ones. There are less choking hazards, less worry about lead-based paints, no leaking batteries or electrical parts, and are less likely to break when chewed on.Ultimately, these types of toys endure the test of time. Though many parents went through a stage of eliminating them from their children’s lives, traditional toys are definitely back for 2012! Sales are rising and the interest in parents making their own toys has soared too.Traditional wooden toys can last generations and stay when modern toy trends come and go. So, if you haven’t already, set aside some time to try and make something, or find a quality shop that specialises in wooden and educational toys, like we do at Little Sardines.

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Job Seekers – Networking and the Value of Connections

The facts of networking and the value of connectionsWhen you receive networking invites, do you respond? You do not necessarily need to accept every invite, but evaluate the invites to see how they may build and expand your network. Eventually if your goal is to build your network, which it should be; you must accept invitations.An effective network requires contacts, connections, friends, followers, or whatever; regardless of what the nomenclature is: you must build your network. There is no such thing as too large a network; it is just that as your network grows you may need to categorize your contacts to ensure that you are allocating your time appropriately. If you are familiar with the Pareto Rule, also known as the 80/20 Rule; it is an appropriate theory to apply to your network. If you are unfamiliar; in short this rule states that 80% of your opportunities come from 20% of your contacts. To be effective in applying this rule you must know your network.The value of your network is in your connections and that is something you cannot forget.Do not let your invitations just sit and languish!One part of networking that never ceases to amaze me is the comment that I have heard countless times – about having a “bunch of invites” and not knowing what to do with them. I think that is shameful. There is no excuse for not responding. If you know the person and you have no “good” reason for not accepting the invite; accept it.Additionally, sending a note of appreciation is in order and adds value from your side of the relationship. I am guessing that these same people, that let invites languish, will expect their network to work for them when they are in need. My response would be to tell them to go fly a kite.Not accepting or even responding to a networking invite is an insult; additionally it could be a deterrent to the person extending additional invites and their networking future. Networking is a stretch for some people and when their attempts appear to be rebuffed; they can become discouraged in their networking.When you ignore invites you are not taking care of your network and you obviously do not appreciate your network. You never know which connection will be “the” connection that leads to your next opportunity.Your network is a priceless assetAs you give value to your network; the value of your network increases. Your network is potentially one of your most valuable career and business assets. Regardless of your reason for networking; your network can hold the keys to your success. Your network potentially will lead you to new and exciting opportunities for career and business growth; if you treat it properly.The connections in your network are of value not only to you, but to your connections and their connections. Just as your second and third level connections offer you the best opportunities; your connections are the second and third level connections for those connected to you. I cannot emphasize enough that one of the primary values you can offer to others is growing your network. As Malcolm Gladwell says in “The Tipping Point” being a connector provides value to your network.Sharing information or participating in and starting discussions is another key way to provide value to your network. It is surprising how many people feel that they compromise their opportunities when they give away valuable information. In fact, instead of compromising their value they are establishing themselves as an expert in their field and demonstrating what they have to offer.I have been in situations where people that were attempting to establish themselves as the expert actually gave out disinformation or misleading information because they believed that giving valuable or correct information cut into their potential billings. If you want to be an expert networker and demonstrate value to your network; you must give to receive.You can be an awesome expert but if you do not have a network or you are too afraid to share; no one will know just how great you are. You must be constantly working to build your network and extend your value.To learn more about growing your network read my other articles and check out my website below.

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Increase Your List With 3 a Step Blog Promotion Upgrade

You’ve got an amazing blog, with viral content, and high traffic, but your list is empty… What’s the deal?

A few weeks ago, I started working with an amazing client whose blog posts were bringing in more and more readers with each post, new readers. Readers who had not been to her blog previously, and each one became more popular than the last. But still, she had no marketing list.

After a few days I asked her how she was connecting with her new audience…

She didn’t know how to connect, so I offered a few suggestions.

Include links in the content to other relevant articles. By adding internal links on every blog post, she’s bringing every reader deeper into her site. Each time they click deeper she’s more likely to capture their name and email – because they’re finding value. Every time they find additional value, they look deeper. More links? Of course, but some of those links should lead to sign-in pages where they can download “White Papers” or blog posts rearranged into.PDF printable documents they can save to their own computers for reading later. To get those, they’ll need to leave you a name and email – join your list.

Send them to a lead page, where the only option is to sign in, subscribe, or add their name and email to your list. Of course, you’ll want to include something for their effort to sign in, but that’s easy enough with all those valuable blog posts. Tag three or five together, and work them into an eBook, they can download. What could be easier than that, to get a few more people on your list. Be sure those blog posts offer particular value, and link to the original post in your eBook.

Upgrade your about me page to include a subscriber box, for access to some of your personal favorite “White Papers” or “Reports”. In case you haven’t noticed I need to share this little secret. About 85% of your spam comments will be on the about page, if there is access to add a comment. Why? Because people want to know about you, so they read your page. That page is more popular than any other single page on your website, so utilize that little fact to your benefit. Tell your readers what your favorite content is, and offer to send it over in one little compact file if they subscribe to your list.

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