Raising Healthy Kid Brains

Jayda Rivera is a teacher at Bloom Learning Center in New York, where the approach is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. This philosophy views children as active participants in their learning journey. Jayda takes us through what a day of preschool looks like in a Reggio Emilia and nature-based classroom.   Discover what happens in Jayda's classroom based on that approach, how she structure...

Human behavior is motivated by the desire to belong, but the challenge is we first need to belong to ourselves before we can ever experience true belonging in a group. To foster belonging, we need to develop a strong and secure sense of self. In this episode, I'm walking you through what this looks like for your children.    I unlock the 'why' behind fostering a sense of self in our kids and five...

In this episode, I'm discussing articles from Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child, all about Brain Architecture and a key concept called Serve and Return . It explores how, the more sensitive and responsive we are to a child's 'serve,' the more we can provide a rich environment of 'returns,' and, as a result, build a sturdy foundation for healthy brain architecture.   Discover how...

Sukey Molloy was a professional modern dancer in New York City before an injury led her down a different path. She embarked on a career as an award-winning children's music performer and recording artist, centering her work around movement and sensory play using the philosophy of Developmental Movement first coined by Garland O'Quinn. She's joining me to share her insights on engaging children in...

Do we have the correct expectations when we ask our kids to do something? Are we expecting them to remember multiple things at once and to know the correct order? What are some strategies for timing communication, especially when there's already tension? And how can we allow our kids to take ownership of certain tasks?   This week, I'm speaking to parenting coach Kathy Bowers on how we can improve...

Bree Nelson is a life coach for moms and children who is on a mission to create emotionally intelligent kids. She empowers them to create a life they love, and she's here this week to offer a goal-setting practice that will transform the way you set goals for 2024.   Hear Bree's top tips for setting and achieving your goals this year, and how these strategies can be applied to both you and your ch...

You're hearing my conversation with child psychologist and parent coach, Sarah Conway. Sarah empowers parents to ditch punitive tactics and embrace brain-based strategies that nurture emotional intelligence. She's here to illuminate the power of doing emotional regulation work, and why it's never too late to start. Join us this week for a dose of hope and courage this Holiday season as Sarah share...

As we near the end of the year, I'm bringing together the Planning Playtime team to celebrate our amazing community. Steffani and Kara are joining me on this episode to dive into our favorite community stories that we've heard. They've both played a huge part in creating our programs and connecting with our members, and we're here to honor the work our listeners have done.   Join us on this episod...

The Holiday season tends to be a time of extreme stress and anxiety for most of us. There are long to-do lists, full calendars, visitors, and activities, so it's no surprise if you're starting to feel overwhelmed by it all. But did you know that anxiety is contagious and that you might be infecting your children with it?   Learn how to cultivate the feeling of calm, and why it's just as infectious...

Giving is a topic that's top of mind for most of us as we head into the Holiday season, but it's also a powerful skill that transcends the festivities. We want our kids to be kind and generous people who have the desire to give throughout their lives, and I've discovered some interesting research about teaching our kids how to love the act of giving.   Hear five steps for getting your children exc...

Internal Family Systems therapy suggests that we all have parts of us that aren't necessarily our identity. Whether it's sadness, anger, or anxiety, they aren't really us, but they all have jobs that they're doing and need to be heard.   To walk us through Internal Family Systems therapy and the practice of personifying our parts, I'm speaking to Bekkilyn Toone this week, a licensed marriage and f...

Gratitude is a game-changing life skill that all of us can start and improve at any point in our lives. It is a beautiful gift you can give your children right now that will change the way they approach their lives forever, but it all starts with you modeling it for them first because kids learn from what we do more than what we say.   Hear what happens when we teach our children the practice of g...

My guest this week is Hillary Ruprecht, a long-time member of our Planning Playtime community. She's a mom of one who started homeschooling when her daughter was three and a half years old. Hillary felt inadequate and uncertain about her ability to teach her daughter how to read, and then she found Play to Read, and she's here to tell us about her journey.   Hear Hillary's experience of using the...

Dr. Victoria Waller is a creative child educator, rockstar tutor, and author of Yes! Your Child Can: Creating Success for Children with Learning Differences . She's got some amazing insights on helping children with learning differences harness their strengths and build an identity as a reader, and she's sharing them with us today.   Join us on this episode to hear Dr. Victoria Waller's expertise...

This week, I'm speaking to M.Ed Certified Parenting Coach, Michelle Kenney. Michelle is a mother of two girls and a former high school teacher and counselor who transitioned into a certified parenting instructor. After years of parenting using consequences, bribes, and gold stars, she completely reshaped the sacred relationship she shares with her daughters, and she credits connected parenting for...

Shannon Urquiola is the founder of Not Your Average Autism Mom, a non-profit organization that equips families raising children on the Autism spectrum with resources, trainings, coaching, and a sense of community. She entered the special education advocacy space after her own son was diagnosed with Autism, and she's here to shed light on how to make this journey easier if you, too, are navigating...

A culture of learning can be a very organic, natural, and beautiful thing to create, and it doesn't have to be hard. This week, I'm sharing what this culture can look like and how you can start creating one in your own kiddos' environment. Discover the different types of curiosity and how curiosity plays a role in your child's future success. I invite you to add a little bit of curiosity to your c...

I'm bringing you a conversation with Katie Kimball, the creator of Kids Cook Real Food and a trusted authority and advocate for children's health. She is a former teacher, a two-time TEDx speaker, a writer, and a mother of four kids. Her Kids Cook Real Food course is recommended by the Wall Street Journal as the best online cooking class for kids, and she's full of amazing tips and insightful advi...

Angela Mason was a teacher who is now teaching her own kids to read at home. She has been a member of our Planning Playtime community for a number of years now, and she's here to share her experience of using the Play to Read program with her children and why she has found stacking play with the science of reading to be a magical combination.   Hear how Angela is using the Play to Read program at...

My guest this week is Jennifer Kolari, a clinical social worker, family therapist, board-certified hypnotherapist, and founder of Connected Parenting. She's also a highly sought-after speaker, author, and podcaster, and she's here to introduce us to her Connected Parenting methodology, and why it's the medicine you and your child need to go from combat to connection.   Join us on this episode as J...

Jeana Kinne is a veteran preschool teacher and director who has been working with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers for over 20 years. She's also a published author whose first book, Soothing Sammy , offers sensory strategies to teach kids how to calm down and is currently being implemented in schools and homes all over the world.   Join us on this episode to learn 7 sensory strategies to help k...

Teaching in themes is something we're very passionate about, and it's something we include in all of our curricula and Mommy & Me programs. Themes are inherently cute and fun for kids, but the value of teaching in themes runs much deeper than that, and I'll show you why.   Listen in this week to discover three reasons why teaching in themes is extremely powerful. I'm sharing the science behind usi...

Kelli Caldwell, also known as Kelli Welli, is an award-winning songwriter and performer for kids and the people who love them. Her songs celebrate and honor all the parts of raising healthy little kids. At a time where we're focused on trying to fix big issues in the world, Kelli believes there is tremendous value in including humor and silliness in her collection of songs, and she's here today to...

Dr. Beth Cilenti is a board-certified pediatrician and internist at NVA Family Practice who believes that a strong relationship between patients and their primary care physician is essential for good health. She provides care for people of all ages, especially families and kids, and she's offering her expertise on how, as an expert on your child, you can create a collaborative partnership with you...

This week, I'm speaking to Beth Liebenberg who is a daycare provider in Canada. She understands how challenging it can be for working moms to get their children ready for kindergarten. Her mission is to make sure those kids aren't at a disadvantage by getting them ready for school, not only to catch up with other kids, but to be ahead of their class. To do that, she's been using our Play to Read p...