Best Forest Preschool Podcasts (2023)

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 38: ”It’s too hot/cold to play outside!” With Kyla Maciosek 1:06:57

3M ago1:06:57

1:06:57

Kyla and Kristen compare and contrast hot and cold climate, outdoor play! We do some troubleshooting and Kyla offers lots of tips for playing in hot and cold climates! You can find more info on Kyla's website naturecreatedplay.com Or you can find her on IG at: @naturecreatedplayBy Kristen RB Peterson

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 37: Spark a Revolution with Rae Pica 32:45

4M ago32:45

32:45

Kristen and Rae celebrate the release of her newest book, "Spark a Revolution in Early Education: Speaking Up for Ourselves and the Children!" In the play based, early childhood world, we can often feel like we are fighting an uphill battle. Rae's book and this podcast will help you gain confidence when it comes to advocating for play and childhood…

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 36: Friluftsliv and Outdoor Play with Linda McGurk 42:23

4M ago42:23

42:23

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 Lind…

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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Ep 35: Removing the Teacher Disguise and Implementing Play Slowly with Kisa Marx 36:12

4M ago36:12

36:12

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!By Kristen RB Peterson

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 34: 5 Fave Read-A-Louds with Mollie VonKampen 27:56

6M ago27:56

27:56

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 more from Kristen here: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kristen.rb.peterson/ Webs…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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SUMMER ANNOUNCEMENT 1:32

8M ago1:32

1:32

Hey all! We are having a busy summer, but we don't want to stop putting out episodes for you! So, we are switching to a bi-weekly podcast and will have episodes coming out every other week. Make sure you are subscribed so you can see when new episodes come up. We love you! Support the showBy Lucy Ritter and Spencer Hiday

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E45: If at first you don’t succeed….. Routine and Perseverance with your child 55:37

9M ago55:37

55:37

Have you heard of the "100 Days Project"? . Developed as an arts exercise at Yale University, this exercise in creativity and perseverance individuals to incorporate a project into their routine. If we push ourselves to move beyond monotony in boredom, and to establish routine with the hire end, we are working towards bettering ourselves Join us as…

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 33:(part 2) How To Be An LGBTQ+ Ally with Samuel Broaden and Willy Villalpando 52:57

9M ago52:57

52:57

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…

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 32: (Part 1) An LGBTQ+ Primer with Samuel Broaden and Willy Villalpando 55:36

9M ago55:36

55:36

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: @wvi…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E44: Repetition, Repetition, and a Little Compulsion 56:38

9M ago56:38

56:38

This week, we are talking about Repetition! Repetition comes in many forms. This may include reading the same story one hundred times, learning extensions and games that repeat the same skill, peer tutoring, or passively observing a lesson or activity completed by another child. Repetition may also come from routine or the environment. Knowing what…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E43: Sun's Out - Sun safety with your children 1:03:57

9M ago1:03:57

1:03:57

Today, we’re going to discuss a topic that is urgent this time of the year- Sun protection! Every child needs sun protection. The lighter someone's natural skin color, the less melanin it has to absorb UV rays and protect itself. The darker a person's natural skin color, the more melanin it has. But both dark- and light-skinned kids need protection…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E42: Interview with a Botanist - Planting and Gardening with Children 37:11

10M ago37:11

37:11

This week, we are so excited to bring you an Interview with a Botanist! Lucy interviewed Rachel Tenney (BS in Plant Science) of Plant School Podcast and Tenney Plants. Rachel is super down-to-earth, fun, and extremely passionate about plants! She makes plant care simple even for those of us with the blackest of thumbs! She is also a mother and is t…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E41:Talking about Death, Grief, and Hard Topics 54:57

10M ago54:57

54:57

This week, we are going to shift gears . We are talking about grief and how to discuss it with our children. As we have discussed many times before, children are capable of much more than they are often given credit for. They are sometimes more understanding than we are as adults. When we give them the respect to include them in hard topics in a ca…

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Gentle Finds

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Your Life is a Collage with Stephanie Pierson 57:10

10M ago57:10

57:10

Collage artist Stephanie Pierson is near and dear to my heart, and after listening to this episode, she will surely be to you as well. She has an interesting life story that led to her discovering a completely new side of herself later in life. Her story is one of love, loss, survival, healing, and blossoming. For most of her life, she experienced …

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E40: To DYE for, fabric dyeing with your child 59:38

10M ago59:38

59:38

As we get closer into summer months, I begin to feel this strong urge to Tie-Dye t-shirts in the hot summer sun! Its a natural past time, summer and dyeing, and today we are talking about dye techniques, and ways to engage your child in dye based activities that are best suited for warm weather Did you know that over 90% of clothing today is dyed s…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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Updated Intro Episode! 20:23

10M ago20:23

20:23

Welcome to the Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood! Early childhood educators - Spencer and Lucy - discuss children, how they develop, and how teachers and guardians can support them in the hard work it takes to learn and grow! Sometimes, supporting children can get lonely and frustrating, so we are also here to help you find the fun in it! I…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E39: Children Caring for Creepy Crawlies 59:18

11M ago59:18

59:18

Last week we talked about the beautiful side by talking about art in nature. But nature is not always beautiful. This week, Lucy introduces a less glamorous subject, although equally intriguing, by talking about Creepy Crawlies! Hear us out! Don’t turn us off yet! This is a really amazing subject, we promise! We start with a list about why you shou…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E38: The Art of Nature 1:12:10

11M ago1:12:10

1:12:10

The weather is warming up outside, and more children, their classes, and caregivers are inclined to spend a greater time in nature! While considering ways to engage children in the great outdoors, we'd like to introduce the some ideas of merging art and nature - one of the greatest pairings throughout the course of humanity. Introducing your child …

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E37: Barefoot is Best 1:19:49

11M ago1:19:49

1:19:49

We are so excited to share this episode! Lucy presents this topic at conferences, but we are publishing this for you all to listen to FOR FREE! Although, Lucy is not sharing her slides, ha! We talk about the benefits of children being barefoot, especially outside. Barefoot walking helps with building body awareness, preventing injuries, promoting p…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E36: Its PAWfect, pets and your children PT. 2 1:02:16

11M ago1:02:16

1:02:16

Is your family considering adding an animal member to its ranks? Do you love animals, but don't have any pets in your own home? This episode is an introduction to parents and families in all walks of life, who are considering the best ways to acclimate their children to animals in their lives. Join us as we discuss the steps towards a happy integra…

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 31: Play For EVERYONE with Kayla from Little Lilac Preschool 44:44

11M ago44:44

44:44

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 …

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 30: Storytelling and Storyacting with Laura Shea 37:54

12M ago37:54

37:54

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 sta…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E35: Think PAWsitive, pets and your children PT.1 57:26

11M ago57:26

57:26

Are you considering introducing a pet to your family ? Are you expecting a bundle-of-joy, and contemplating how to introduce the newest family member to your cat or dog? Does your child know how to approach an unfamiliar pet outside of the home? If any of these questions apply to or intrigue you, we encourage you to delve into this weeks episode, d…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E34: More Than One Kind of Smart 43:14

12M ago43:14

43:14

In this episode, we discuss Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Sometimes we talk as though intelligence is a singular concept that has a scale and we all sit at different spots on that scale. Yet we see all around us adults and children who are very smart in math but not at all good with words, musically gifted but klutzy on the ath…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E33: Building Your Childs Studio Space 45:50

12M ago45:50

45:50

In todays episode, we are discussing the creation of an art space- a studio space- for your little creators. “A Child has 100 languages” and an appropriate studio space in your home and classroom can help your children to explore each of these languages. Your classroom Atelier is the ultimate third teacher in the classroom, and should exist in a wa…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E32: PART II This Episode is LIT! -eriture, reading, and writing 37:29

1y ago37:29

37:29

Welcome back for Part II of our literacy deep dive! These half is the fun half where we take what we talked about last week and give real examples of how to encourage a love of literacy in our homes and classrooms. We also discuss whether it is call a cootie catcher or a fortune teller. What do you say? What is something you want to try? Take a pic…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E31: PART 1 This Episode is LIT! -eriture, reading, and writing 51:39

1y ago51:39

51:39

Don't forget to leave us a review! Today, we are talking about maybe the most common and comfortable curriculum area: literacy centers. While this seems very straightforward, we wanted to break it down more so we can better focus our energies and not go into the ‘push-down curriculum' zone. We had SO much to cover that we had to split this episode …

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 29: Support for Those in Crisis and Having Conversations with Children about War and Crisis 36:52

1y ago36:52

36:52

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 pa…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E30: Full STEAM ahead 50:38

1y ago50:38

50:38

Is it the hot air from a rushing locomotive, or the vapor rising from a hot cup of coffee? No, todays we're talking about S.T.E.A.M- Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. How does adding art to STEM learning and education bolster a childs learning? By adding an artistic approach to standard science and math based subjects, you are integr…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E29: "Block Party!" Why Block Play is Important 59:55

1y ago59:55

59:55

Today, we are continuing our exploration of early childhood curriculum areas with block play! Research has consistently shown that block play supports the development of mathematical thinking, social skills, abstract thinking, creativity, and most recently literacy (Hanline, Milton, Phelps 2009). We go over a brief history of the unit block then we…

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Gentle Finds

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Music Lights Up the Brain with Dr. Kathleen Howland 56:26

1y ago56:26

56:26

Let the music bind us once again. "The ears are always on. You can shut your eyes, but you cannot shut your ears...The ears are always listening." - Dr. Kathleen Howland When do you listen to music, and why? What music do you choose? Where does it take you? We all have our own personal playlists, but Dr. Kathleen Howland invites us to think more de…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E28: Interview with A Childhood Music Specialist Ft. Susan Leone 44:05

1y ago44:05

44:05

Since 1997, there has been a steady cut in public school Music education programs across the USA. Music in education has been proven time and time again to INCREASE a childs learning abilities across multiple disciplines, and in todays episode, we dive into the facets, interests, and benefits of music in early and later educations, with long time M…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E27: Dramatic Play 1:15:44

1y ago1:15:44

1:15:44

Continuing our month on classroom subjects, we are discussing a point of early education that I feel often gets overlooked as a independent center, separate from other subjects- Dramatic play We will explore the various subject matters dramatic play is consistently incorporated into, the definition of 'dramatic play', and our personal experiences i…

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Gentle Finds

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Preschool Therapy with Ryan Allen 53:16

1y ago53:16

53:16

To lessen the stress in parenting, focus on relationship. Ryan Allen, also known as preschool therapist on social media channels, gives us a crash course on gentle parenting. He explains that the gentle parenting style has actually existed for a long time (as authoritative parenting), but has only recently been branded with the name gentle. We spea…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E26: Mathtastic 1:04:44

1y ago1:04:44

1:04:44

We are so excited to be back!!! We've missed our weekly discussions on childhood! We come in hot talking about curriculum areas and decided to cover a tricky one: MATH. The bulk of this episode follows NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) position statement on Early Childhood Mathematics: Promoting Good Beginnings which …

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E25: New Year's Resolutions with Children 1:07:36

1y ago1:07:36

1:07:36

Goals, resolutions, and ‘fresh starts’ are words we use to welcome the symbolic new year on a bright note. How can we translate these ideas for children to start their own new year with a fresh face? We talk about the goals we have, how to set up successful goals (we review SMART goals, of course), and the benefits of goal setting for children. Don…

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 28: Defining Success in a Play Based Program 11:55

1+ y ago11:55

11:55

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! Website - http://www.learning-wild.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kristen.rb.peterson/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E24: Interview with a Speech and Language Pathologist Ft. Kim Hiday 1:48:25

1+ y ago1:48:25

1:48:25

The greatest gift you can afford your child this holiday season is the gift of therapeutic services. Join us this December in discussing speech and language services with Kim Hiday, owner and therapist at Mclean Speech and Language of Mclean, Virginia. Mrs. Hiday addresses common questions such as best times to seek speech and language services, ho…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E23: Baby, It's Cold Outside - Benefits of Cold Weather Play 1:02:09

1+ y ago1:02:09

1:02:09

Baby, it's cold outside! Why do we prioritize outdoor play even when temperatures drop? There are so many reasons, and we try to cover a few in this episode. It boosts your immune system and helps children retain brown fat, offers amazing sensorimotor experiences, and gives opportunities to study STEM. We even talk about how babies take naps outsid…

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 27: The Last Greatest Risk in Childhood 9:47

1+ y ago9:47

9:47

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…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E22: The Season of Giving - Developing Empathy 1:04:10

1+ y ago1:04:10

1:04:10

****TW: We talk a small bit about abuse and consent in this episode**** It's the first week of December and the second day of Advent- YAY! This holiday season, I wanted to address the spirit of this season- the season of giving! As our young children develop into empathetic and kind humans, we want to aid this process along by providing them the to…

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 26: The Daily Schedule in a Play Based Program 16:13

1+ y ago16:13

16:13

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! Check out Kristen's website learning-wild.com to find out how you can learn more!! Or, find her on IG!By Kristen RB Peterson

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E21: Gratitude (A Short Thanksgiving Greeting) 13:35

1+ y ago13:35

13:35

Since this is coming out on Thanksgiving Day for those in the USA, we wanted to talk about the importance of gratitude and for what this year we are personally grateful! We then announce that Speckled Bee merchandise is right around the corner, woohoo! Lastly, we announce that we will be taking a short break during the month of January. Happy Holid…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E20: Interview with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Ft. Mary Becerra 58:08

1+ y ago58:08

58:08

Holidays tend to be food-centric anyways, but they are extra heavy during this time of year. You hear a lot of conversations about food, nutrition, and weight. We thought now would be the perfect time to discuss how to approach nutrition with our children in a productive way! For this conversation, I invited Mary Becerra, a Registered Dietitian Nut…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E19: Secret Hideouts and Shelters 58:49

1+ y ago58:49

58:49

Did you have a secret hideout when you were a kid? November is the time of that we seek out warmth, comfort, and security. It's the perfect time to build secret hide-outs with children! Creating secret forts, dens, hideouts, and playhouses isn’t just any random kind of play. Studying shelters gives the children an opportunity to explore the ideas o…

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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Ep: 25 The Battle of Battle Play 15:43

1+ y ago15:43

15:43

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. Website - http://www.learning-wild.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kristen.rb.peterson/ Facebook -…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E18: Expanding Our Artist Vocabulary 54:02

1+ y ago54:02

54:02

*Trigger warning! Marked as explicit because we talk about sexual assault (minutes 7:30 to 10:30) in discussing Chuck Close. November is National Native American Heritage Month! One way we can honor and celebrate Indigenous and other minority cultures is by better acquainted with artisans from these communities. Our resident atelierista, Spencer, d…

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The Play Based Learning Podcast

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EP 24: Process Art and Creative Freedom in the Early Childhood Environment 21:30

1+ y ago21:30

21:30

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 Li…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E17: Lights, Shadows, HOLIDAYS 1:01:56

1+ y ago1:01:56

1:01:56

"The light is everywhere, but to “see it”, paradoxically, it must be turned on in the mind” - Loris Malaguzzi We were inspired by the Jack-o'-lantern for this week's episode. The extreme sensory experience of the lighted up pumpkin really sets the tone for the Halloween season. That launched us into a discussion on light focused holidays! We go thr…

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The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

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E16: Masks Up! 56:30

1+ y ago56:30

56:30

What kind of masks can you think of? Masks have developed a whole different meaning over the last couple of years. Regardless how you feel about them, masks have become a normal part of our lives and children are fascinated by them. Spencer talks about how to bring joy and culture back into the subject. We discuss themes and the problems you run in…

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