Today I am chatting with Ana Valle Rivera, a proud mother of three, a public speaker, a consultant, and the founder of Early Years Thriving. In this episode, we explore the significance of pedagogical documentation in early childhood education, emphasizing its role in understanding and supporting authentic play-based learning experiences while offering insights into fostering effective educator-parent communication. Key Takeaways:  Role in Play-Based Learning Environments: Ana and Kristen...

Today I am chatting with Melysa Mei who is a preschool teacher that practices an open-ended child-led philosophy through play and is also the founder and CEO of Pre-K Spot. We discuss how to meet the requirements for using boxed curriculum in a play-based setting.    Key Takeaways:  Flexibility Within Structure: Melysa emphasizes the importance of understanding and leveraging the flexibility within structured curriculums. While there are requirements to meet, finding ways to infuse play and...

Today I am chatting with Lindsey Nickoles who has been in the Early Childhood Development field for almost a decade and just started a new journey of being a Newborn Care Specialist and Parent Educator! We will be talking about the importance of personalized care, collaboration, and understanding the impact of sleep on a child's well-being and development. Key Takeaways: Individualized Approach: Kristen and Lindsey talk about how to recognize that each child is unique, and there is no...

Today I’m chatting with Finn Menzies, former early childhood educator turned family coach. We discuss how vital it is to shift from traditional teacher performance to authentic and real connections with caregivers. Discover the pivotal roles that play, trust, and open communication play in creating a more authentic educational experience for children and families.  Key Takeaways: Balancing Playfulness and Boundaries: Kristen and Finn share about the challenge of balancing playfulness and...

Today I’m chatting with Jerica and Jules from The Connected Child, two former early childhood educators with over 25 years of expertise working with children & families. Their mission is to equip families with strategies designed specifically for their needs to strengthen relationships and form a deeper bond with their children. We discuss how to nurture connection and the fine line between control and healthy boundaries.  Key Takeaways: Shifting from Traditional Control to Child-Centered...

Today I’m chatting with Jean-Mari Dagarin, an advocate for play-based learning and developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). We define and explore the essence of DAP and its crucial role in childhood and how it fosters optimal learning environments for young children. Key Takeaways: Protecting Childhood: DAP, according to Jean Marie, revolves around honoring and safeguarding childhood. It prioritizes play, exploration, and child-led learning, creating an environment that respects and...

Today I’m chatting with Beverly Beck, the mastermind behind Happy Little Humans, and we’re talking about one of my favorite things: creativity. We chat about creative expression and its profound impact on the social-emotional development of young children. Key Takeaways: Creative Expression as Learning: Beverly elaborates on how creative expression isn't merely an activity but a way of existing in the world. It serves as a powerful tool for children to explore, learn, and understand the world...

Today, I’m chatting with Kristy DeGraaf, a family child care provider, trainer and childcare coach.  Kristy started her career in social work and moved to Family Childcare 15 years ago after finding it hard to locate good care for her own children. We are talking about advocacy in Early Childhood Education and how you can get involved! Kristy sheds light on the importance of this despite the overwhelming challenges in the field. Some key takeaways: Understanding Advocacy:Kristen and Kristy to...

Today I’m chatting with Jessica Borowets of The Artful Child, which began as an outside the box preschool run by her mother in the late 60’s. Jessica strongly believes that children learn through play, and with all their senses, and that every child deserves the freedom to explore art materials and sensory activities without interruption.   In this episode, we discuss process art and creativity in early childhood education. We define creativity and process art, discussing the differences...

Today, I’m chatting with Lynne Mulligan, a passionate advocate for nature-based learning that founded a pre-K and kindergarten nature-based program. We discuss nature-based literacy in preschool settings, exploring practical strategies and creative approaches. Lynne shares a wealth of experience and ways to weave outdoor play seamlessly into literacy instruction. Some key takeaways: Integrating Nature and Literacy: Lynne emphasizes the importance of seamlessly blending nature and literacy....

Today, I'm chatting with Ade Hofmann, a dedicated early childhood educator passionate about outdoor play and founder of Nature Play All Day Early Childhood Program in Maine. On this episode, we discuss the significance of outdoor gear for children's play and share inclusive strategies and recommended brands. Ade also gives us an overview of her vision for a rental program that makes outdoor play accessible to all.   Some key takeaways: The Importance of Outdoor Play and Clothing: Kristen and...

HelllllloooooOOOOooooo and welcome back as I revive my podcast with a host of new interviews! Today, I'm chatting with Mariah Burley, the founder and owner of a play based child care center. We discuss intentional teaching practices and creating a welcoming environment for children and families. Tune in to find out about the importance of building relationships, being flexible, and adapting to the needs and interests of the children.   Some key takeaways Intentional Teaching: Mariah defines...

Kyla and Kristen compare and contrast hot and cold climate, outdoor play! We do some troubleshooting and Kyla offers lots of tips for playing in hot and cold climates!     You can find more info on Kyla's website naturecreatedplay.com  Or you can find her on IG at: @naturecreatedplay

Kristen and Rae celebrate the release of her newest book, "Spark a Revolution in Early Education: Speaking Up for Ourselves and the Children!" In the play based, early childhood world, we can often feel like we are fighting an uphill battle.  Rae's book and this podcast will help you gain confidence when it comes to advocating for play and childhood! You can check out Rae's website here! And you can buy Rae's book here!

Author and blogger Linda McGurk joins Kristen to chat about her new book, The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day, nature play and her experience with early childhood education in the USA as compared to Sweden. You can purchase her books here:   There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather The Open-Air Life Linda wanted to ensure listeners that when she is outdoors in extreme cold that she is indeed being safe about the temperatures... Here are some...

Kisa Marx from @kidcrewadventures (on Instagram) joins Kristen to talk about how early chilhdood educators put on a teacher disguise, why we need to remove that disguise and how she implemented play into her program slowly!    

Mollie VonKampen joins Kristen to share five of her favorite read-a-louds in the early childhood classroom!  You can find more out about Mollie on her Instagram @read.by.the.window And, you will get a few bonus read-a-loud ideas (we just couldn't stop at 5!)   Find more from Kristen here: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kristen.rb.peterson/ Website - kristenrbpeterson.com  

Join Kristen, Samuel Broaden and Willy Villalpando for part two!  We chat about how to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community inside and outside of the classroom! You can find more Samuel here: https://www.honoringchildhood.org Instagram Venmo: @honoringchildhood   You can find more Willy Here: https://mrwillyprek.com Instagram Venmo: @wvill002  

Join Kristen, Samuel Broaden and Willy Villalpando as we give a primer on terminology associated with gender and sexuality and the LGBTQ+ community.   This is part one of two! You can find more Samuel here: https://www.honoringchildhood.org Instagram Venmo: @honoringchildhood   You can find more Willy Here: https://mrwillyprek.com Instagram Venmo: @wvill002    

Kayla Souza, M.Ed. joins Kristen for a conversation about the benefits of play for all types of learners.  Noting that we are both still learning and not experts on the topics of play for nuerodivergent learners and children with learning disabilities, we talk candidly about Kayla's own experiences with play based learning and her daughter.   You can find Kayla's website here: https://www.littlelilacpreschool.com and you can find her IG here:...

Laura Shea from @little.stories.that.stick joins Kristen to talk about the power of storytelling and storyacting with young children in an early childhood environment. You can find Laura on IG: https://www.instagram.com/little.stories.that.stick/ or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/little.stories.that.stick and you can grab some free story starter prompts from Laura HERE!   If you are looking for more about Kristen, you can find it all on her website!  

Samuel Broaden from honoringchildhood.org  and Kristen have a conversation about the events taking place in Ukraine after Kristen received a message via IG from a woman asking for resources to help children and families through war induced trauma.   Kristen and Samuel also chat about how to have conversations about war and other big events in other parts of the world that are confusing for children.    

What does success look like in terms of a play based program.  Success is a relative term and Kristen encourages you to really take some time to unpack what you think success is to better serve the children in your care!   Website - http://www.learning-wild.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kristen.rb.peterson/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/learningwildblog/   Free Resources (Documentation Guide Free Download) -...

Kristen happened upon a thought the other day and thought is was too important not to share.  In this episode she will talk about the last, greatest risk we allow children to take.  You will also learn 3 actionable ways to support risk taking in early childhood. For some great, free, letters to adults of the children in your care, Kristen has created a series of 5 letters that explain some of the hot topics in play based learning - including one on RISK!  You can download them...

One of the most asked questions:  What does you daily schedule look like in a play based program?  Kristen answers that in this episode!  It is a lot more simplistic than you would imagine! Check out Kristen's website learning-wild.com to find out how you can learn more!!  Or, find her on IG!