play on words

Episode 92: If you've spent even five minutes on pregnancy TikTok, you've probably wondered: should I be bouncing on a birth ball every night? Do dates actually help? Can I sleep on my back? Do I really need every prenatal appointment? Should I hire a doula? And is there anything that actually helps labor start? This week Miss Beth sits down with labor and delivery nurse, educator, and creato...

Episode 91: This week Miss Beth dives into her viral video that sparked thousands of comments and a lot of strong opinions. After sharing that children who can read familiar words but struggle with nonsense words may be relying on memorization rather than decoding, the internet had questions: is memorization bad, do skilled readers really sound out every word, and are adults just "fake readin...

Episode 90: In this episode, Beth breaks down one of the most important (and most misunderstood) reading skills: fluency. She explains why knowing letter sounds doesn't automatically lead to easy reading, what the real bridge between decoding and comprehension looks like, and simple, science-backed ways parents can help their child become a stronger, more confident reader at home. What you'll lear...

Episode 89. In this episode, Beth breaks down what kindergarten readiness actually looks like and why reading is just one small piece of the puzzle. She walks through the practical skills children need before they start kindergarten, why an extra year doesn't automatically make reading easier, and what parents can do right now this summer to set their child up for confidence and success on day one...

Episode 88 : In this episode, Beth breaks down one of the most anxiety inducing moments for parents: getting a report card or teacher feedback that says your child is struggling with reading, but not really explaining why. She walks through what vague report card language actually means, the five questions every parent should ask their child's teacher, and simple at-home checks you can do right no...

Episode 87: In this episode, Beth answers one of the most common questions she gets from parents: What reading curriculum should I be looking for and how to I know what my school uses? She breaks down why reading is not a natural process, what phonological awareness really means, and what to look for in a strong reading curriuclum program (plus red flags that a curriculum may be doing more harm th...

Episode 86: In this episode, literacy expert Miss Beth breaks down the biggest misconceptions about sight words and reveals what the science of reading actually tells us about how children learn to read. Beth explores orthographic mapping (the brain-based process behind how readers store and recognize words) and explains why phonics and phonemic awareness are non-negotiable foundations for early l...

Episode 85: In this episode, Beth is joined by Jennie Monness (@jenniemonness), early childhood educator and founder of Union Square Play, who shares insightful strategies for parents navigating big feelings, regulation, and self-compassion. We explore how understanding your own nervous systems, modeling vulnerability, and embracing imperfections can transform our approach to parenting and self-ca...

Episode 84: A parent of a second grader recently asked a question I hear all the time: “Do I need to care that much about spelling if my child is improving—even if there are still lots of errors?” Her child recently started spelling MY correctly (it used to be MI), which is real progress—but the writing sample still includes plenty of misspellings. The child wrote it independently, without adult p...

Episode 83. In this episode of Play on Words, reading specialist and early childhood educator Beth Gaskill discusses overcoming perfectionism, rejection sensitivity, and learning to advocate for your child's education during America's literacy crisis. Beth explores the alarming statistics behind the U.S. reading crisis — 67% of fourth graders cannot read proficiently — and shares the success story...

Episode 82. What do you do when your child says, “I’m bored” — and why does that moment feel so hard? In this episode of Play on Words , Beth Gaskill sits down with Lizzie Assa (@theworkspaceforchildren), early childhood educator, parenting strategist, and founder of The Workspace for Children , to talk about her upcoming book But I’m Bored! https://amzn.to/3NaKnHl Together, they explore why bored...

Episode 81. This week, Miss Beth welcomes KC Rickerd (@milestonesandmotherhood) for a fun dive into the wild, weird world of English spelling and pronunciation! In this episode, Miss Beth and KC explore why English words are so quirky, the origins behind confusing spellings, the science of reading and word morphology, and why we hammer with a hammer but sweep with a broom (seriously, what's up wit...

Episode 80. This week, Miss Beth dives into a question she hears all the time from concerned parents: "Why does my child write their letters backwards?" In this episode, Miss Beth goes over backward letter writing in children, reversing letters and numbers, typical writing development milestones, and when to worry about letter reversals. If you've ever watched your child scribble their name with l...

Episode 79 - ADHD and motivation—let's cut through the noise. This episode breaks down why so many people get motivation wrong when it comes to ADHD, and what actually works to move the needle. Dr. Carrie gets real about the myths we need to retire (like motivation being some tank you can empty) and what actually matters: understanding what drives each person and building an environment that doesn...

EP 78: Beth and Susan host the first-ever meeting of the Elf on the Shelf Haters Club , a hilarious and heartfelt look at why this tradition stresses so many parents out. Using real listener DMs, we break down the surveillance storyline, comparison culture, mom mental load, and kid confusion — while offering alternatives, middle-ground solutions, and scripts you can actually use. Inside this 35-mi...

Episode 77 In today’s episode of Play on Words from Big City Readers , Miss Beth breaks down one of the top questions parents ask: Should I correct my child's spelling? Spoiler: correcting isn’t the enemy… but how you do it absolutely matters if you want to protect your child’s confidence and build lifelong readers and writers. From invented spelling to letter reversals, from the dreaded sight wor...

Episode 76 When a school or teacher suggests tutoring, it can feel confusing, triggering, or even alarming — especially if you don’t understand the school’s actual plan to support your child. In this quick episode, Miss Beth breaks down what to do in that moment and what every parent needs to know before hiring a tutor in first grade. You’ll learn: what schools are expected to do before recommendi...

Episode 75 of the Play On Words podcast from Big City Readers, host Beth Gaskill dives into the viral trend inspired by Taylor Swift's song "Cancelled," exploring the concept of a "betrayal list" in education. Beth shares her own list of educational practices she believes should be "cancelled" to foster successful readers, including behavior charts, memorizing sight words, and the "letter of the w...

Welcome back to episode 73 of Play On Words from Big City Readers ! In this kickoff episode, Miss Beth dives into one of the most common challenges families face each fall: back-to-school anxiety. If mornings feel chaotic, drop-offs end in tears, or your child worries about school all weekend, this episode is for you. Drawing from her years of working with families, Beth shares practical, playful,...

The principal is BACK. Part 2 or 2 with principal, educator and friend of the pod: Jon Arens. We are answering all ALL your questions about learning to read and starting kindergarten. Questions YOU asked and we discuss in these two episodes: 🧠 Decision-Making Factors What factors would make you consider redshirting as a good fit aside from age alone? Is it better to make the decision based on aca...

The principal is BACK. Part 1 or 2 with principal, educator and friend of the pod: Jon Arens. We are answering all ALL your questions about learning to read and starting kindergarten.  Questions YOU asked and we discuss in these two episodes: 🧠 Decision-Making Factors What factors would make you consider redshirting as a good fit aside from age alone? Is it better to make the decision based...

The Psychology Behind Competitive Kids (and What Helps) If your child is the kindest kid on the block … until they lose a game and suddenly you’re dealing with a rage monster - this episode is for you. Competitive kids often have big hearts and even bigger feelings . In this quick pep talk, I’ll walk you through what’s really going on beneath that explosive reaction, how to support emotional growt...

Ever find yourself standing in a daycare hallway thinking, “Wait… what exactly am I supposed to ask on this tour?” Same. In this episode, Miss Beth is breaking it all down Big Sister style—whether you’re looking for daycare, preschool, or kindergarten. Inspired by a recent conversation from Alex Bennett on Two Parents and a Podcast, Beth is sharing real, practical tips to help you figure out what...

In this episode of Play On Words , Miss Beth is bringing the heat—and the research—on one of the most asked-about early reading topics: sight words . What even are sight words? Should your child be memorizing them? Is there a better way? What do syllables have to do with all this? And what should you do if your child’s school is sending home flashcards and calling it a day? Whether you’ve got a pr...

Are you constantly wondering if you're doing enough as a parent? Do you feel pressure to “get it right” when it comes to your baby or toddler’s development? In this episode, I’m joined by Ayelet Marinovich , pediatric speech-language pathologist, parent educator, and founder of Learn With Less® . She’s the author of Understanding Your Baby and Understanding Your Toddler , two incredible resources...