That Early Childhood Nerd

In her article for Exchange Press's special issue on protecting play, Carol Garboden Murray writes, "Those of us who care for young children practice a caring imagination daily as we see the possibilities for the vulnerable competent child, and teach in a way that supports their unique unfolding and original direction. As we care, we teach children to care. Through care, we plant the seeds for a moral imagination to grow; an empathetic intelligence, attuned to the needs of others, one that transforms children into agents of care. Care and imagination are intertwined, and these are not soft skills. Care and imagination are the seeds of our humanity, and they grow to become the source of our connection, joy, trust, and survival in a broken world. A caring imagination supports our commitment to one another, our commitment to care." Carol is one of TECN's favorite guests, and you won't want to miss this opportunity to hear her connect imagination and care, both in the context of children's imaginative play and the ways adults use their imaginations in caring for children. Find Carol's article here: https://hub.exchangepress.com/articles-on-demand/70819/ Buy Heather's book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood here: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 Join our new Patreon community! For just $5 a month you can support all the Early Childhood Nerdwork podcasts AND join our Discord server to chat with the hosts and others who are working for children, their families, and their teachers: https://www.patreon.com/cw/EarlyChildhoodNerdworkbyThatEarlyChildhoodNerd Thanks for listening!

Emily Clark is back on the show to talk about her new project, Liberating Childhood, and her commitment to connecting practitioners to important research to inform their work.  On her website, Em writes: "This tool was born from years of living in the space between research and practice. As an early childhood educator, leader, and researcher, I spent years reading powerful studies—research that named exactly what I was seeing in classrooms. But outside the university, that research became harder to find and access. I created this tool because that gap is not accidental—and it's not neutral. Early childhood education is political work, and educators need access to research to support liberation. Research stuck behind institutional walls cannot liberate childhood. This tool is one small way of opening those walls." Find Em's work here: https://liberatingchildhood.org/ Buy Heather's book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood here: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 Join our new Patreon community! For just $5 a month you can support all the Early Childhood Nerdwork podcasts AND join our Discord server to chat with the hosts and others who are working for children, their families, and their teachers: https://www.patreon.com/cw/EarlyChildhoodNerdworkbyThatEarlyChildhoodNerd Thanks for listening!

Kerry Murphy is an early years specialist, author, lecturer and trainer working in the field of neurodiversity-affirming and anti-ableist practice in early childhood education. She is the founder of Diverse Pathways for Early Childhood, a platform that supports educators, leaders, local authorities and families to critically rethink child development, play, behavior, communication and regulation beyond deficit-based and compliance-driven models. In this episode, Kerry joins host Heather Bernt-Santy and Mike Huber to discuss ten types of rest she has identified, rejecting the deficit model in our work with children, and what self-regulation truly means. This conversation could have gone on for hours! For more of Kerry's work: https://diversepathways.org/ Buy Heather's book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood here: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 Thanks for listening!

We can't believe this is the 400th episode of That Early Childhood Nerd! In this special episode, Richard Cohen has some questions for Heather Bernt-Santy after reading her book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood. It's a fun interview and we hope you enjoy it! Buy Heather's book here: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243

What if the toddler behavior that drives you crazy is actually the meaningful behavior of a child driven to construct their knowledge by exploring their environment? How can a knowledge of Chris Athey's play schemas help you see these behaviors with new eyes and your own curiosity? Early childhood professors Sean Durham and Travis Morgan join host Heather Bernt-Santy for an enlightening conversation you won't want to miss.  Find Sean and Travis’s article here: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/spring2025 Order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243

Join host Heather Bernt-Santy as she talks with Mike Huber and Kisa Marx about pretend play, power, liberation, and their new podcast!  From Mike's article The Power of Pretend Play: "At a time in their lives when they have very little control of their day-to-day life, young children frequently take on roles that involve some form of power. This allows them to experience power in ways they may not have otherwise." From Kisa's article The Politics of Play: Protecting Children's Liberation in a World of Control: "As early educators, we often buckle under this pressure, trying to “play teacher” without recognition of the profound, foundational work we do in the first 1,800 days of a child’s life. In doing so, many of us become fluent in the language of the oppressed: silent. We stay quiet, afraid to make waves, fearful that raising concerns will disrupt the families we serve. We convince ourselves—mistakenly—that our silence will keep us safe." Find Kisa’s article here: https://hub.exchangepress.com/articles-on-demand/70810/ Find Mike’s article here: https://hub.exchangepress.com/articles-on-demand/70870/ Order the Exchange winter 2025 issue on Protecting Play: https://hub.exchangepress.com/category/articles-on-demand/issue-280-winter-2025/ Access the recording of the Protecting Play online conference: https://hub.exchangepress.com/video/74364/ Order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243

In her 2025 article The Key to Early Literacy is Child-Led Play, published in the winter 2025 issue of Exchange, Stacy Benge writes, "Child led play is the key to developing the foundations that support future reading and writing. And not just play that connects to the alphabet and books. All PLAY fosters the fundamentals needed for literacy, the development of the whole child." Stacy joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to dig deeper! Find Stacy’s article here: https://hub.exchangepress.com/articles-on-demand/70867/ Order the Exchange winter 2025 issue on Protecting Play: https://hub.exchangepress.com/category/articles-on-demand/issue-280-winter-2025/ Access the recording of the Protecting Play online conference: https://hub.exchangepress.com/video/74364/ Order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243

"Through the revisiting journey, children make sense of and give meaning to what they are learning. This journey is not linear or circular as children play and explore, then stop, then come back later and explore again in a different way. When we look closely, these complex journeys tell the story of each child’s learning. This book introduces a revisiting journeys framework to help educators understand these ways that children make sense of their learning and guide children in the next steps of their journeys. At the same time, it supports educators to create ecosystems that support messy revisiting journeys and to walk side by side with the children as they co-create their own journeys." Listen as authors Miriam Beloglovsky and Jessica Frazier discuss their own journey to writing their book Revisiting Journeys: Understanding How Children Reflect, Reimagine, and Redesign Their Play and Learning. Order Revisiting Journeys here: https://www.redleafpress.org/Revisiting-Journeys-Understanding-How-Children-Reflect-Reimagine-and-Redesign-Their-Play-and-Learning-P3127.aspx   Order Heather's Book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood here: Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243

In an article written for Exchange Press's special issue on Protecting Play, Stephanie Goloway wrote, "Like all forms of play, the magic of make-believe (AKA dramatic play, pretend play, fantasy play, sociodramatic play, etc) has deep roots in child development. It's the perfect playground for young brains to flex their growing capacity for representational thinking, the foundation of literacy." Stephanie joins host Heather Bernt-Santy in this episode to discuss how make believe play protects and fosters children's development and joy.  Find the special issue here: https://hub.exchangepress.com/shop/280-winter-2025/ Find more of Stephanie here: https://www.imaginationonthemove.com/about Order Heather's book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood here:  Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 Exchange Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243  

Join host Heather Bernt-Santy and fellow Nerd Mike Huber as they talk with Rachel Payne about her new children's book Let's Rumble: A Rough-and-Tumble Book of Play.  Find more information about Rachel and buy her book here: https://www.rachelgpayne.com/rumble Order Heather’s book, Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood, today! Teachers College Press  https://tinyurl.com/4rtccewb Amazon  https://a.co/d/aQpOA2j Bookshop.org  https://tinyurl.com/ppe66cms

Happy 2026! We're so glad you found That Early Childhood Nerd in its new feed! Heather knew she wanted this first episode of the "new era" to be special, and thankfully, Lisa Murphy agreed to be the guest! Lisa is here to talk with Heather about her new book and the writing process. How fun!  Order Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood today! Teachers College Press  https://tinyurl.com/4rtccewb Amazon  https://a.co/d/aQpOA2j Bookshop.org  https://tinyurl.com/ppe66cms

Host Heather Bernt-Santy knew as soon as she read the Defending the Early Years blog post, “How Did Early Childhood Programs Become So Focused on School Readiness Skills” by Dr Dale Farran–she HAD to invite Dr Farran to discuss it. And here she is!    Find the blog post here: https://dey.org/how-did-early-childhood-programs-become-so-focused-on-school-readiness-skills/

Author and educator Sally Haughey is here to discuss the incredible unfolding and blossoming that happens during play. Her new book Nurturing Brilliance provides a science-based approach to understanding and sharing about the inherent brilliance of children’s growth and development.  Find Sally’s book here: https://www.redleafpress.org/Nurturing-Brilliance-Using-Play-Activated-Learning-to-Awaken-Childrens-Potential-P3103.aspx More of Sally’s work: https://wunderled.com/about/ Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It's available now! From Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 From Amazon: https://a.co/d/bvcJwIk

Carly Bedard, a play facilitator for adult early educators, joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to discuss the ways that self active play can transform early childhood practitioners’ practice with young children. Listen in as Heather shares the ways participating in one of Carly’s workshops at a recent teacher retreat reminded her of the importance of being an adult who plays in order to provide spaces and programming where children can play.  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It's available now! From Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 From Amazon: https://a.co/d/bvcJwIk

Early childhood education researcher and advocate Emily Clark is back for another conversation with host Heather Bernt-Santy. In this episode, they talk about her work on children’s rights in early childhood programs.  Here’s more from Emily: https://www.earlyedem.com/  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It's available now! From Teachers College Press: https://www.tcpress.com/using-schema-play-theory-to-advocate-for-free-play-in-early-childhood-9780807787243 From Amazon: https://a.co/d/bvcJwIk

Join host Heather Bernt-Santy in a conversation with Dr. Zlata Stankovic-Ramirez, Dr. Danielle McLellan-Bujnak, and Dr. Josh Thompson about their work regarding the idea of developmental cascades. The work presents a potential shift in the language used to describe child development as they propose moving away from the traditional ages-and-stages framework and incorporating the concept of developmental cascades. Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It’s available now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org or you can order directly from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website Thanks for listening!

The book The Commodification of American Education: Persistent Threats and Paths Forward includers a powerful chapter by Denisha Jones, in which she writes, “To protect childhood, we must resist GERM and all its manifestations in early childhood education.” In this episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy has a conversation with Denisha about what this means, why we need to do more than just resist, and the impacts for children if we do not take action.  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, or you can order directly from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website.  Thanks for listening!

For a recent special issue of the early childhood magazine Exchange on protecting play, host Heather Bernt-Santy wrote an article addressing the often asked question, “If I just let children play, how am I still a teacher?” She talks more about this question with Sam Balch. Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, or you can order directly from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website. 

Every now and again, host and early childhood professor Heather Bernt-Santy has a little panic–what if by teaching current ideas, theories about good practice, and new research about working with young children, she’s just setting students up to be frustrated or to get in trouble when they work in programs where they don’t see what they’re learning about in class? In this episode, she talks it through with fellow ECE professor Richard Cohen.  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, or you can order directly from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website. 

Elliot Haspel’s newest book, Raising a Nation: 10 Reasons Every American Has a Stake in Child Care for All makes a powerful case that ensuring child care for every family who wants or needs access benefits each of us. Listen to host Heather Bernt-Santy’s conversation with Elliot about the way child care for all can support the values of those who believe in national security, family values, community, racial and gender equity and more. More about Elliot: https://elliothaspel.com/  Have you ordered Heather’s book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood yet? It’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, or you can order directly from the publisher on the Teachers College Press website.