That Early Childhood Nerd

12/29/2025

It’s time to count down my TOP 5 READS of 2025!

#3 is The Power in Pretend: Supporting Children’s Power, Identity, and Agency by MIke Huber

Check the comments for links to episodes Mike and I did about his book.

12/28/2025

It’s time for me to count down my 5 FAVORITE READS of 2025!

#4 is The Commodification of American Education: Persistent Threats and Paths Forward, edited by T. Jameson Brewer and William Gregory Harman.

Check the comments for a link to my interview with Denisha Jones, who contributed a chapter to this book.

12/28/2025

It’s time for me to count down my 5 FAVORITE READS of 2025!

#5 is Sally Haughey’s “Nurturing Brilliance: Using Play Activated Learning to Awaken Children’s Potential”

See the comments for a link to my interview with Sally.

12/27/2025

Nerdy play at Barnes and Noble on a December Saturday ❤️🤓

12/26/2025

2026 is almost here, and with it come changes to where you can find the That Early Childhood Nerd podcast!

Remember, if you have subscribed to or followed the podcast on the Apple Podcast app, on iTunes, or on Spotify you'll have to find its new feed and re-follow or re-subscribe to continue to have episodes delivered automatically!

For the last 9 years, the podcast has been produced and published by Explorations Early Learning. Going forward, it will be produced and published by Early Childhood Nerdwork (that's me!)

See you there in the new year!

12/22/2025

I’m excited to share this episode of the BUTTERCUP podcast, hosted by Marisa Macy from the University of Wyoming. I love talking play with just about anyone, but this conversation with Dr. Macy and Wyoming Department of Education’s Amy Reyes-Hauff was especially fun.

Heather Bernt-Santy, author of “Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood” has been living her commitment to children, their fami...

12/20/2025

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!

(IMPORTANT REMINDER! After this episode, That Early Childhood Nerd will be published by Heather and the Early Childhood Nerdwork instead of Explorations Earl...

12/20/2025

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.

Author and educator Sally Haughey is here to discuss the incredible unfolding and blossoming that happens during play. Her new book Nurturing Brilliance prov...

12/20/2025

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.

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 chil...

12/20/2025

I love blurbing for new books as much as I love reading them and interviewing the authors on the podcast 🤓

12/18/2025

Ross does a check in with the ongoing conversation about creating the conditions to support physical play--indoors and ALWAYS. How do we get comfortable with this, plan for it, make the time, and make the space?  We know that physical play is needed for healthy development so let's include it i...

12/11/2025

Tearing up a little because I just saw my book on a real life library shelf…