The Play Based Learning Podcast

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 ou...

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!   Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Free Resources (Free mini course on the basics of play) - The Play Basics Course

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 Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Free Resources (Free mini course on the basics of play) - The Play Basic...

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 Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBP...

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 Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson...

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.littleli...

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! Find Kristen here: ...

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 childr...

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! Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Free Resources (Free mini course on the basics of play) - The Play Basics Course    

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...

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! Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Free Resource- Planning in a play based classroom Free Resources (Free mini course on the basics of play) - The Play Basics Course  

Children are often labeled as 'bad' for engaging in battle play or play fighting.  It is loud and big and makes adults uncomfortable.  Kristen explains why this type of play is normal and how to support it in your early childhood environments. Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Free Resources (Free mini course on the basics of play) - The Play Basics Course

Kristen chats about the characteristics of process based art, creative thinking in early childhood and it's importance, and a really cool study that proves that creativity is unlearned as we grow older. Resources: Tedx Tucson George Land YouTube video Ted Talk by Sir Ken Robison Loose Parts Books: Loose Parts:  Inspiring Play in Young Children by Lisa Daly and Miriam Beloglovsky Loose Parts 2:  In...

This is the first podcast in a two part release!  You can find the second part of this series (you will hear Kristen talk more in the 2nd part) over on the podcast called Embracing Childhood (apple podcast link) Spotify link You can find more of Samuel Broaden on his website, Honoring Childhood. And he loves to hang out on IG @honoringchildhood Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at Kriste...

Kristen's fave podcasting buddy makes her debut on the podcast.  Tiffany Pearsall is the founding director of Play Frontier - a nature play school in Washington state!   There is often a societal norm that is pushed down to early childhood environments that says children must be quiet to learn...  T and I chat about it!  After all, many of us are verbal processors and need to chat out loud to lear...

About Sally:   Sally Haughey hails from Guthrie, Oklahoma, a small town in the middle of the United States, and grew up traveling the country with her parents and siblings. She started her teaching journey in 1996 and that experience now expands over two decades. She cultivated her learning at Northeastern State University in Talequah, Oklahoma, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Early Chil...

Rae Pica joins Kristen to chat advocacy / championing for children.  Learn some easy ways to stand up for what we know is right for the young children in our lives. Rae's website:   raepica.com use code:  WILD for 20% off Rae's course "Becoming a Champion for Play & Joyful Learning" Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Free Resources (Free mini course on the bas...

Kristen chats about what forest school looks like in her program!   Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Free Resources (Free mini course on the basics of play) - The Play Basics Course

Kristen had someone reach out to her via IG with some questions.  Instead of answering them over DM, Kristen invited her to be on the show to ask all her questions so you can learn from them too!  Nicky Peterson lives in South Africa and is dreaming about opening her own play based program someday!   If you are interested in starting up your own program, check out my course:   NEW COURSE!  Startin...

If a parent is ever wondering why their child comes home and says, "Nobody played with me."  Or if a parent ever asks why their child says they have no friends... this episode is for you!  And here is a handy letter you can hand to parents... Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Free Resources (Free mini course on the basics of play) - The Play Basics Course Free Re...

We have to stop calling it behavior management and call it social and emotional development instead.  Kristen will walk you through the reasons why we need to change our thinking to provide a more child-centered atmosphere for the young children in our life! Get on the list to be the first to know about Kristen's Play Based Learning Masterclass!  Head here ! Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterso...

Kristen chats with children's book author, Allison Bakkum.  Her book, My Mud Kitchen is Rad, will be available for purchase soon!  You can find more about her book here: https://www.allisonbakkumauthor.com In this episode you will find out her journey to writing a children's book and some easy start ideas for adding a mud kitchen to your play space! Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at K...

Kristen had the honor of recording an impromptu chat with Lisa Murphy on the topic of THEMES in a play-based, child-centered early childhood program. Lisa is a thought leader in the play based learning world and is Kristen's Fareygawdmather (that story is in the podcast!) Are themes bad?  NO.  Do we need to ask ourselves, whose idea was it?  YES. Learn how to find a good balance between planning t...

Large body movement is not embraced as an important part of a developmentally appropriate classroom in many scenarios.  Here are 5 tips to go from "they are driving me crazy with all the movement" to "We gave them a developmentally appropriate experience today". Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Free Resources (Free mini course on the basics of play) - The Play B...

There are many rules that we have place on young children that are not developmentally appropriate in the least bit...  This is the start of a series of episodes that will break down the rules we place on children that we shouldn't. The first is SITTING STILL.  Let's outlaw criss cross applesauce and free the movement! Find Kristen here:  @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Free Resou...