Play It Forward, A Wearthy Podcast

Play It Forward, S5, Ep2 | Nurturing Brilliance Through Play with Sally Haughey In this episode of Play It Forward, Lukas Ritson sits down with Sally Haughey, founder of Wunderled Teaching (formerly Fairy Dust Teaching), author of Nurturing Brilliance, and passionate advocate for play-based learning, to explore how curiosity, creativity, and strong relationships can transform early childhood educa...

In this episode of Play It Forward, Lukas Ritson sits down with Jennifer McCarville, educator, founder of Marvelously Made, and advocate behind the Save Childhood Movement, to explore what it really means to protect childhood in today’s world. Whether you’re an educator, parent, or simply someone who believes in the magic of childhood, this conversation will challenge your thinking, inspire new pe...

Lukas interviews author of Tweens, Michelle Mitchell.

Lukas and Vanessa Ritson talk to Sarah R Moore from Dandelion Seeds Positive Parenting about how we can nurture and respond to the needs of our children. We also chat about play and it's role in child-related therapies. Learn more about Sarah and her book, Peaceful Discipline: Story Teaching, Brain Science, and Better Behaviour. www. Dandelion-Seeds.com

Welcome back to Season 4 of Play it Forward. We're starting the season with special guest, the co-founder of Bounce Inc., Ant Morell. Bounce Inc. is a fast-growing play movement taking the world by storm. Their indoor play experiences are enjoyed by toddlers through to adults, making a claim for not just healthier living, but more fun-filled enjoyment too. On today's podcast we discover how the cr...

To borrow Richard Louv’s words in describing our guest today “David Sobel is one of the pioneering voices in the children and nature movement.” And you can easily see why, by simply looking at his contribution. David has made it his mission to educate and advocate for the preservation of children’s nature connection by sharing his experience as a father of two, his countless keynotes, articles and...

Dr Sandra Duncan wants children to experience the miracle and magic of childhood through intentionally designed indoor and outdoor play space environments. She is an international consultant, author of six books, and designer of two educational furniture collections. She has designed and taught university courses on early learning environments, collaborating with architects, interior designers and...

Dr Stuart Brown is the founder of the National Institute for Play, with an interesting background in researching homicidal, violent, and antisocial behaviours that link to play deprivation in childhood. He is a published author who speaks, consults, and educates organisations, corporations, universities, and public policymakers about the importance of play in our lives and the unexpected, serious...

Our next guest is one of Australia’s most personable and loveable personalities. Andrew Daddo is an actor,TV/radio and podcast host, celebrity speaker and maybe best of all, he is an accomplished author. One of 5 siblings, a father of 3, a fisherman and a golfer…Lukas and Andrew have an entertaining chat about unstructured play, the art of storytelling, parenting challenges and a whole bunch more....

Our next guest is the Assistant Director at Play Australia and loves helping people rediscover the value and power of play. Kieran Brophy has spent most of his career in the health promotion and sport industries, is a children’s book author and illustrator, and his favourite past time is playing at home with his three kids.   Lukas and Kieran catch up in a delightful and passionate play-makers con...

Our next guest is award-winning animator and Queensland local Joe Brumm. His popular cartoon Bluey has done an extraordinary job in capturing the day-to-day challenges and joys of parenting through a playful, validating, and accessible animation for the entire family. In this awesome chat between two dads, Lukas and Joe talk about playful parenting, our own childhood versus the modern childhood ex...

In Episode 4, Season 3 of Play it Forward, Lukas welcomes Neurodivergent Consultant Christina Keeble into the Wearthy studio. With a strong interest in Autism, Christina has multiple degrees, is a published researcher and the co-founder of diagnostic and therapeutic services, National PEKE Centres. Christina’s mission is to empower and educate others to understand neuro-differences. In this insigh...

Our next guest on Play it Forward is the eclectic and magnetic Dr Arne Rubinstein. Arne is an expert on Rites of Passage and adolescent development with 30 years’ experience as a medical doctor, counsellor, mentor, speaker and workshop facilitator. His programs and seminars are designed to support boys and girls in successfully making a safe, healthy transition to adulthood. In this episode that c...

Play it Forward Trailer by Poly Studios

In Episode 2, Season 3 of Play it Forward, Lukas reconnects with Professor of Psychology Emerita at Notre Dame University, Darcia Narvaez. In 2020, Darcia was identified as one of the top 2% of scientists worldwide. She is an award-winning author and the founder of educational outreach project, The Evolved Nest Initiative. Lukas and Darcia chat about the wellness-informed pathway versus the trauma...

We are back for Season 3 of Play it Forward and our next guest is a popular household name, especially with parents of boys - the wicked and wonderful Maggie Dent. Maggie has written a bunch of books, graced the stage worldwide and changed the lives of so many parents and children. In this beautiful chat between old friends, Lukas and Maggie talk about valuing children for where they are at, suppo...

Ellen Sandseter has influenced Wearthy playgrounds since the very beginning. She defined the 6 categories of risky play and her commitment to the research of children’s right to free play has changed the lives of countless children. A Professor at the Department of Physical Education and Health at QMUC, she has a master degree in sport sciences from the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences and a PhD...

Our next guest is someone I had the honour of standing alongside on the TEDx stage in Brisbane earlier this year. Maggie James is a music therapist with 18 years’ experience in paediatric healthcare and has worked extensively in intensive and palliative care. She believes that music provides a meaningful connection with the dying child, and the death of a child should be with dignity and love. Her...

In Episode 16 of Season 2, Lukas has a philosophical chat to big-thinker Dr Greg Mews. Greg is currently teaching and researching in Landscape Architecture at Queensland University of Technology. He also lectures at Technical University of Berlin, Yale University, University of Canberra, University of Kassel, and University of NSW. Greg has received several high-profile research scholarships, elev...

In Season 2, Episode 15 of Play it Forward, Lukas welcomes the amazing Michelle Mitchell into the studio. Michelle is an award-winning speaker, bestselling parenting author and has been termed ‘the teenage expert’ by the media for her compassionate and grounded advice for parenting tweens and teens. In this heart-warming chat, Lukas and Michelle delve into the challenges our youth are facing, the...

On the next episode of Play it Forward, Lukas chats to the Unplugged Psychologist Brad Marshall. Brad is the Director of the Internet Addiction Clinic @ Kidspace where he’s helped hundreds of families struggling with internet, screen and gaming addiction. He is an author, well-respected presenter and frequent consultant on various television channels. In this informational chat between two fathers...

Hyahno Moser was our very first Play it Forward guest and now he’s back for round two of an in-depth chat about PLAY. Hyahno is a father, a husband, an adventure and nature lover, and an advocate for neighbourhood play for all. Hyahno’s commitment to children’s right to play has sparked a revolution in nature play in Australia as he works tirelessly to make his region the most playful city in the...

In Season 2, Episode 12 of Play it Forward, Lukas chats to “America’s Worst Mom” Lenore Skenazy. Lenore is a mother from Queens who caught the public eye after letting her 9-year-old son catch the subway, alone. She founded a book and blog called “Free-range kids” and co-founded Let Grow school programs and parent empowerment, in her quest to give kids back some old-fashioned independence. In this...

At Wearthy, we are in what feels like our first steps down the never-ending trail of impacting early childhood development, so we are welcoming into the studio a couple of game-changers from the United States who have come together to make a huge impact in connecting more children and communities with nature. Sarah Milligan-Toffler is the president and CEO of the Children & Nature Network. She is...

Our next guest wants you to create a homegrown national park…and it’s not as daunting as it sounds. Our philosophy at Wearthy is creating environments for children to thrive, so who better to have on the show than someone who researches thriving environments as a profession. Doug Tallamy is a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, he has autho...