Learn Play Thrive Early Education Podcast

This week, we're bringing back one of our favourite episodes just in time for the summer season. Simone Brand chats with Louise Lambeth, an experienced surf lifesaver and children's book author. With warmer weather encouraging more time near the water, this episode is a vital listen for every educator and parent. Louise’s mission is to teach children and families how to stay safe in and...

Join host Linda Harrison and First Nations author, Melissa-Jane Fogarty, as we explore the picture book T ubowgule: A Sydney Opera House History . This story traces the site's story from the Gadi people gathering at Tubowgule over 60,000 years ago, through colonisation, and up to the construction of the Sydney Opera House. We discuss the story's key themes of Aboriginal culture and langu...

Join us for an inspiring discussion with two leading voices in early childhood education, Debi Keyte-Hartland and Catherine Lee. We dive into an inquiry-project, which began with a discovery made by children digging in the sandpit. This unexpected find unfolded into a rich, extended inquiry that nurtured children's ecological identity, amplified the arts as a language of learning. Discover ho...

Welcome to the Little Dreamers mini-series! These monthly episodes feature specially written mindfulness stories designed to ignite young imaginations and gently guide preschoolers toward relaxation and body awareness. This month, our theme is flowers! Join host Kathryn as she leads children through gentle imagery of falling rain and growing roots. As the story unfolds, children can follow along w...

Are you ready to transform your intentional teaching and learning practices?  Join us for an essential discussion with Kate Hodgekiss, owner of Engaging Curriculum Solutions and a powerful advocate in the early childhood sector for over 25 years! This episode is your deep dive into the theory and practice of scaffolding, starting with breaking down Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and...

In this episode of Play Provocations, hosts Linda Harrison and Lindsay Laing unpack the power of pretend play. Learn how inventing roles and narratives is the highest form of symbolic thought in early childhood, directly activating the prefrontal cortex to boost executive function, creativity, and problem-solving.  We share ideas for creating an inviting Outer Space Play Provocation, using a pictu...

How do we unlock the joy of meaningful mark-making for every child? This week, we host Dr. Gai Lindsay, Senior Lecturer and long-time early childhood expert, whose research is dedicated to empowering visual arts learning. Drawing inspiration from John Dewey and the constructivist Reggio Emilia approach, Dr. Lindsay explains how mark-making is far more than just art—it's a powerful visual lang...

This exciting monthly mini-series, Navigating the NQS, continues with host Simone Brand who draws on 15 years of exceeding-rated leadership experience. In this episode, we explore Standard 1.2 – Practice, focusing on how educators facilitate and extend children's learning. Simone breaks down the three crucial elements:  1. Intentional Teaching  2. Responsive Teaching and Scaffolding  3. Child...

We're hitting the floor at the Early Childhood Australia (ECA) National Conference 2025 in Perth! Host Simone Brand dives into the bustling Exhibition Hall to chat with the innovators, creators, and resource providers who are driving change in early learning. This episode is your quick-fire round of the biggest ideas and must-have resources for your service! We're bringing you exclusive...

Welcome back to Little Dreamers, the enchanting mini-series designed to bring calm and creativity to a young child's world! This month, get ready for an adventure as we climb aboard for a mindful journey about transport. Your preschooler will be gently guided to imagine themselves travelling in a shiny red car, a rhythmic train, a breezy bicycle, and a floating hot air balloon. This mindfulne...

We're taking you live to Perth for the Early Childhood Australia (ECA) National Conference 2025! Learn Play Thrive host Simone Brand grabs the mic and dives into the heart of the sector, capturing the vibrant energy and vital conversations from educators, researchers, and leaders across the country. The theme that sparked all the dialogue? ‘ Universal not Uniform: Leading change, strengthenin...

Ready to bring the magic of picture books into your early learning practice this festive season? Join Linda Harrison on Learn Play Thrive's Little Library as she talks with award-winning author Emma Bowd about her joyful new picture book, The Christmas Tree Catastrophe. This episode is packed with inspiration for educators, diving deep into how this funny, rhythmic story can be used to promot...

Get ready for an eye-opening chat with Dr. Sharleen Keleher about disaster preparedness. Drawing from her extensive research and hands-on work with communities recovering from floods, fires, and cyclones, she shows us that disaster resilience education is an essential, play-centred pillar of early learning. We're diving deep into how this work naturally builds a child’s sense of agency, emoti...

Get ready to get playful with our brand-new monthly mini-series, Play Provocations, dropping once a month on Tuesdays! Join your hosts, Linda Harrison and Lindsay Laing, two experienced Early Childhood Education teachers and consultants, as they take a deep dive into the fascinating world of children's play. Each episode will explore a different aspect of play, offering fresh insights and cre...

Join us as we talk to Amanda Bacon, a highly experienced Paediatric Physiotherapist and designer of the Targeted Motor Control (TMC) Screening Tool. Amanda shows us that small, early interventions in motor and sensory development create exponential future outcomes for children. In this episode, we explore the typical developmental timelines for preschoolers, highlighting common motor skill immatur...

This exciting new monthly mini-series, Navigating the NQS, is hosted by host Simone Brand! Drawing on her 15 years of experience as an educator, leader, and Approved Provider, Simone shares valuable insights into operating two exceeding-rated Long Day Care centres. This series is your go-to place for inspiration, practical tips and tools to help you grow your professional practice and move beyond...

We're excited to welcome back a very special international USA guest to the Learn Play Thrive podcast, early childhood educator and social-emotional learning expert, Cara Zelas! Cara, the founder of the educational platform Big World of Little Dude, brings a unique perspective shaped by her intensive study of Montessori education in New York. This week, we'll dive deep into the core prin...

The Assessment and Rating (A&R) process doesn't have to be a source of stress! This episode of Learn Play Thrive is here to transform your perspective. We're joined by the brilliant and innovative minds behind The National Quality Framework: The Musical, Dr. Red Ruby Scarlet and Louise Dorrat. With over 30 years of combined experience, these two thought leaders are masters at demysti...

In this inspiring episode, we welcome back the conversation from last week and dive into the newly released book, Redefining Planning and Assessment: Seeing Children Through Pedagogical Documentation . We're sitting down with David Gilkes (B.Ed, MECE), a highly respected early childhood educator and Consultant with 30 years of experience across the sector; and the author of Chapter 2 – Mini-S...

We’re thrilled to bring you an incredibly insightful episode of Learn Play Thrive, recorded at the REAIE conference in Adelaide! This week, we're joined by three of the early childhood sector’s most respected experts and authors - Dr. Alma Fleet, an Honorary Associate Professor at Macquarie University; Adam Christie, an early childhood teacher and consultant; and Anthony Semann, founding dire...

Get ready for some calm and quiet time with a brand new episode of Little Dreamers, our monthly mini-series of mindful stories from Learn Play Thrive! This month's theme is "Bubbles," a gentle tale designed to help preschoolers relax, connect with their bodies, and ignite their imagination. We've crafted this story to be the perfect companion for rest time, offering a peaceful...

Step into the inspiring world of early childhood education on this episode of Learn Play Thrive, where we're joined by the incredible Ashleigh Waugh. With nearly 25 years of experience spanning teaching, management, and leadership across Australia and the UK, Ashleigh is a true veteran of the sector. Now, as the approved provider of Bright Start Preschool on the NSW Central Coast, she’s built...

Dive into a buzzing new episode of Learn Play Thrive's Little Library! This week, we're joined by award-winning author Tania Ingram to chat about her wonderful new picture book, The Bug Book. This rhyming, vibrant story is an ideal introduction to the world of insects for infants and toddlers. But it’s more than just a fun read-aloud story—it’s a powerful tool for early literacy. Tune in...

In this episode of Learn Play Thrive , we’re  joined by Caterina Pennestri, an atelierista at St Peter’s Girls Early Learning Centre. Caterina brings a wealth of experience from Italy, having studied Contemporary Arts and Art Education before completing her postgraduate training in Reggio Emilia. Her unique perspective as an atelierista highlights the transformative role of the arts in early child...

Welcome to The Be You buzz! In this episode, we're joined by Paola Mercado, a consultant from Be You at Early Childhood Australia. Paola shares her expertise on why educator wellbeing is so crucial, exploring how to create a genuinely supportive and resilient culture. We discuss: Collegial relationships and the impact of team connections on wellbeing. The window of tolerance and why understan...