Running a children's activity business as a busy parent is no small feat, and one of the biggest ways you can make life easier for yourself, and for the parents booking with you, is having the right booking system in place. I've used a range of different platforms myself over the years, and I work with clients across all sorts of systems too, so in this episode I'm sharing my honest take on what actually works.

In this episode, I cover:

•My top picks for events and one-off sessions (like holiday clubs, workshops or pop-up activities), including why DigiTickets is my favourite for its pay-as-you-go model

•My top 3 picks for weekly classes and recurring sessions: ClassForKids, Pebble and Book That In, with Book That In as my personal favourite for its affordability, customer service and built-in advertising perks through Toddle About

Have a listen for my full breakdown and honest recommendations.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

Running a children's activity business is rewarding, but juggling sessions, families, bookings and social media all at once can feel relentless. The good news is you don't need a brand new idea every single day. With the right strategy, one piece of content can fill your whole week.

In this episode, I walk you through:

•Starting with one core piece of content, like a blog post, a class video clip, or a parent testimonial

•Breaking it down into bite-sized posts, including quote posts, quick tip reels and photo posts

•Adding behind-the-scenes content to build personality and trust

•Creating engagement posts that invite parents into the conversation, rather than just talking at them

•Repurposing the same idea across different formats and platforms, since not everyone sees everything you post

•A simple example of how to map out your week, Monday to weekend, from just one idea

•Why you still need to actually ask people to book, even with great content

Key takeaway: you only need one good idea to fill your week. It's not about creating more, it's about using what you've already got more strategically.

Have a listen for the full breakdown and steal Kelly's weekly content flow for yourself.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

Following on from last week’s episode on funnels and freebies, this episode goes a bit deeper… how to actually create one that attracts your ideal customer and builds trust, rather than pushing people away.

You’ve probably come across it yourself online… “take this free quiz” or “download this free checklist,” only to find the actual results or resource are locked behind a paywall. It feels frustrating, and for children’s activity providers, where trust is everything, it can do real damage.

In this episode, I cover:

•What makes a freebie genuinely ethical (you promise something, and you deliver exactly that, for free)

•Why the “promise free, then paywall” approach backfires, including unsubscribes and lost trust

•Side-by-side examples of manipulative vs ethical freebies, including quiz results and meal plans

•5 simple steps to creating a freebie with integrity: being clear in your promise, giving a quick win, connecting naturally to your paid offer, respecting people’s inboxes, and thinking long term

•Why this matters especially for children’s activity providers, whose audience is often already cautious online

Key takeaway: a good freebie should attract the right people to you, not push them away. Ask yourself, will they walk away with value even if they never buy from you? If yes, you’ve got it right.

Have a listen for the full breakdown, and some practical examples you can apply straight away.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

Funnels and lead magnets… you’ve probably heard everyone talking about them, but if you’ve got no idea what they actually mean, you’re not alone. The good news is they’re much simpler than they sound, and once you get your head round them, they can save you time, grow your audience and bring in customers without you ever feeling pushy.

In this episode, Kelly breaks down:

•What a lead magnet actually is (hint: it’s just a little gift in exchange for someone’s email address)

•What a funnel is, explained simply as the journey from someone finding you to trusting you to buying from you

•Why this matters for children’s activity providers specifically, so you’re not relying on the algorithm to be seen

•A simple way to get started: picking your lead magnet, setting up delivery, writing a short welcome sequence and sharing your link

•A everyday example you’ve probably experienced yourself (that discount code at the checkout)

Key takeaway: a funnel isn’t some big complicated system, it’s just a friendly pathway that takes someone from “I like what she’s saying” to “I want to work with her.”

Have a listen and let this be the episode that finally makes funnels and lead magnets click.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

Ever wondered how influencers and big brands get that slick “link in bio” page that sends people exactly where they need to go? You don’t need a website (or any tech skills) to do the same thing for your activity business.

In this episode, Kelly shares two completely free ways to set up a simple, professional link in bio page in under 30 minutes, so you can stop losing bookings to a website people can’t quickly navigate, and start directing people straight to your current offer, class, or waitlist.

In this episode you’ll discover:

•Why a link in bio page can outperform your website, even if you already have one
•A free way to build a branded one using Canva
•The best free tools if you want something even quicker (plus which one to pick if you want analytics)
•The 3 things every link in bio page needs to actually convert

If you’ve ever sent someone a DM link or told them to “check your bio” and hoped for the best, this one’s for you.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

If the thought of building your website has you drowning in Google searches about funnels, SEO and lead magnets, this episode is here to simplify it.

You don’t need a 10-page site or fancy design to get started. You just need one simple page that gives people the confidence to book or get in touch, and in this episode I break down exactly what that page should include in 5 easy steps:

1. A clear statement of what you do and who you help

2. A simple about you section, so people can get to know the person behind the business

3. What you offer and why it’s great

4. How to book or buy, made as easy as possible

5. Your contact details, even if you already have a booking system

I also shares a quick tip on the one extra thing worth adding if you have time, and why it makes such a difference to trust.

Have a listen and let this be the episode that finally gets that website off your to-do list.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

Feeling overwhelmed by content creation? 

In this episode I share a repeatable, time-saving workflow for busy small-business owners, especially parents running children’s activities that lets you plan a month of content in roughly one hour. 

Follow five practical steps: choose 3–5 content pillars, set a timer for a brain dump of ideas, place posts on a calendar with daily themes, repurpose each idea into reels/carousels/graphics, and batch-create visuals in Canva and scheduling tools. 

Tune in for real examples, batching tips, and a straightforward plan to stay consistent without sacrificing your time off.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

Feeling overwhelmed running a children’s activity business alongside family life? 

In this episode I explain why outsourcing tech, admin, and content first frees your time and energy, how VAs and simple AI can help without losing your voice, and gives quick action steps to start delegating today.

Key points
•  Outsource tasks you dread: tech (automations, booking), admin (inbox, invoices), and content (templates, repurposing).
•  Use VAs or AI as assistants - keep oversight to protect your brand voice.
•  Small delegations = more time with family and sustainable business growth.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

In this episode I outline five simple automations to save time and reduce overwhelm so you can enjoy more family time this summer.

Key takeaways
•  Auto-replies (social & email): answer FAQs, share hours and booking links.
•  Welcome email sequence: 2–3 automated emails to introduce you and your services.
•  Booking confirmations: automatic details and welcome PDFs to avoid back-and-forth.
•  Content scheduling: batch posts with Meta Business Suite, Metricool, or Buffer.
•  DM automations: use ManyChat to send links, boost engagement, and keep conversations on-platform.

Quick tip Start with one automation this week - small changes add up.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

In this episode I walk you  through a simple, practical four-step system for creating Canva templates that save time, reduce stress, and keep your content consistently on-brand. 

I explain why templates matter, how to choose content pillars, and how to design and organise reusable templates so you never start from scratch. 

I also covers batching strategies to stay consistent without burnout and gives tips for using Canva’s AI features to speed up design updates and idea generation while preserving your creativity.

Key points:
•  Why templates help: faster creation, consistent branding, less decision fatigue.
•  Step 1: Pick 3–5 content pillars (e.g., tips, behind-the-scenes, testimonials, promos, relatable mom content).
•  Step 2: Design 1–2 templates per pillar; use a simple brand system (one brand font, one accent font, 2–3 colors).
•  Step 3: Create a master template file in Canva (make copies for edits; use Brand Kit/brand templates if on Pro).
•  Step 4: Batch-create weekly or monthly — copy the master file, plug in captions/images, download and schedule.
•  AI tips: use AI to break copy into slides, update dates or text across designs, and generate quote ideas—use as a time-saver, not a creativity replacer.
•  Franchise note: check brand guidelines or head office permissions before customising franchise-branded templates.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.