The Play Based Learning Podcast

Kristen Day
The Play Based Learning Podcast Podcast

Kristen RB Peterson, will be your new teacher bestie, mentor, and motivator, all in one. Kristen is on a mission to energize your passion for early childhood education, challenge outdated practices, and equip you with the tools to create a truly developmentally appropriate learning environment. As a play advocate, Kristen’s enthusiasm and expertise will inspire you to foster creativity, curiosity, and joy in the children under your care. Together, we’ll embark on a journey to set the stage for a lifelong love of learning, ensuring that every child experiences the wonder and magic of childhood.

  1. 5 AUG

    EP 67: Unlocking the Secrets of Children's Play with Anande Ferreira

    Anande Ferreira is a mama and pediatric occupational therapist with a special interest in playfulness and sensory integration. She has over 10 years experience supporting children and their families. Upon completion of her Masters degree focused on playfulness, she presented her research at the World Federation of Occupational Therapy Congress and has published in the Occupational Therapy International Journal. On this podcast Her and Kristen talk about what play looks like and what people's expectations are of play.  Key Takeaways:  Misconception of Play: Play can look different for everyone and sometimes caregivers think it should look a certain way with children. This can sometimes create concerns that may not need to be concerns. Play in Diverse Settings: Integrating play in various settings, including structured and unstructured environments, supports different aspects of development and learning. Role of Adults: Adults should facilitate and support play without overly directing it, allowing children the freedom to guide their own play experiences and creativity. Play and Emotional Health: Play provides a safe space for children to manage their emotions, build resilience, and develop coping strategies in a non-threatening way. Do you find yourself wondering what play really looks like? Then this episode is for you.    Find Kristen here: @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Find Anande here: @playmoreot Find Anande’s course here: Making sense of It Find Anande’s Book here: Born to Play

    30 min
  2. 10 JUN

    EP 64: Building Equitable and Inclusive Early Childhood Environments with Alicia Highland

    Alicia Highland and I talk about ways to make environments more inclusive and also touch on what that can look like in nature based settings. Alicia completed her Master's in Curriculum and Instruction, with specializations in Environmental Education and Nonprofit Management, and a Master's in Elementary Education. Now that she is taking a break from the classroom to raise her two littles, Alicia is focusing her energies into creating a nature-based education community online and in her hometown. Key Takeaways:  Equity and Inclusion: Alicia and Kristen talk about how to create environments where all children feel safe and have equal access to opportunities by addressing systemic barriers and ensuring inclusion. Challenges: They talk about how early childhood education faces issues like low wages, lack of funding, and insufficient support, which hinder creating equitable educational spaces. Nature-Based Education: Kristen and Alicia cover ways to also help make nature-based education accessible to all children. Actionable Steps: They talk about how educators should educate themselves, use toolkits, have courageous conversations, and be open to feedback to create inclusive learning environments. Find Kristen here: @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Find Alicia here: @tinygreenlearning or at www.tiny-green-learning.com Find the implicit bias test: Project Implicit Find the NAEYC toolkit here: Guide

    32 min
  3. 3 JUN

    EP 63: Behaviors When There is an Absence of Play with Prerna Richards

    Listen as Prerna and I pick up from where we left off from after our last episode together (Episode 56). We talk about what happens when there is an absence of play and how it can affect behaviors in different ways.  Key Takeaways:  Stress and Escalation of Behaviors: Kristen and Prerna talk about how the absence of play increases stress for both children and adults, leading to heightened and disruptive behaviors. Play is a natural way for children to process their emotions and reduce stress. Connection and Regulation: They talk about how crucial it is to build connections and help children regulate their emotions through play. Role of Educators: Prerna and Kristen give advice to educators about how to be present and respectful of children's play, waiting for invitations to join rather than controlling or directing it. Adjusting Schedules: Learn how some small changes to schedules, such as adding more outdoor playtime, can significantly reduce stress and improve behavior.  If you are struggling with different behaviors with children, this episode will give you lots of insights that can help you shift your mindset and make changes to set children up for success. Find Kristen here: @kristen.rb.peterson or at KristenRBPeterson.com Find Prerna here: @togetherwegrow.online or at togetherwegrow.online.com Also find Prerna on: Linkedin, Facebook, or YouTube  Listen to the other episode with Prerna here: Episode 56

    33 min

About

Kristen RB Peterson, will be your new teacher bestie, mentor, and motivator, all in one. Kristen is on a mission to energize your passion for early childhood education, challenge outdated practices, and equip you with the tools to create a truly developmentally appropriate learning environment. As a play advocate, Kristen’s enthusiasm and expertise will inspire you to foster creativity, curiosity, and joy in the children under your care. Together, we’ll embark on a journey to set the stage for a lifelong love of learning, ensuring that every child experiences the wonder and magic of childhood.

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