That Early Childhood Nerd
If you love thinking deeply about childhood, early childhood education, caring for children, and supporting children’s right to play, this is the podcast for you! Each week, host and self-proclaimed early childhood nerd Heather Bernt-Santy invites practitioners, writers, and thinkers who share her commitment to doing the very best we can for children, their caregivers and teachers, and their families to discuss big ideas, real life practices, and cool research. Let’s get nerdy!
Episodes
NERD 0432 It's So Much More Than "Potty Training"
What if the words we use during toilet learning could help children feel capable, respected, and empowered? In this episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy talks with Jen Marcus, author of Potty Pedagogy: Guiding Children through Toileting with Language that Empowers about the role word choice and other considerations plays in one of the most personal parts of caring for children.
Find Jen's article her
NERD_0431_Lisa Murphy's Grab Bag pt 1
I don’t know about you, but this Nerd loves Lisa Murphy!
So it was so fun to have her say, “I keep a list of topics and questions that I want to pod about!”
Here’s the first episode of what we’re calling “Lisa Murphy’s Grab Bag,” an ongoing series of episodes where Lisa brings that list to That Early Childhood Nerd.
Included in this conversation:
An off hand remark at a nail salon that left Lisa
NERD 0430 Children's Behaviors and Children's Learning: Tools Over Tactics
One of host Heather Bernt-Santy’s favorite things is to find someone who takes something she is instinctively feeling and brilliantly putting that feeling into words. In this episode, her guest Amy Chiu has done just that.
Amy joins the show to talk about how easy it can be for early childhood practitioners to take the tools we have in our toolbox and use them as tactics for control or compliance.
NERD 0429 Developmental Theorists and Ageism with Dr. Jennifer Fane
Could child developmental theories be ageist, encouraging us to see only children’s deficits?
This week host Heather Bernt-Santy discusses this question with Dr. Jennifer Fane, co-author of the book The Sociology of Early Childhood: Young Children’s Lives and Worlds.
The conversation begins with this quote from the book: “We believe that child development theories are often ageist, because they ca
NERD 0428 What is Moral Injury in Early Care and Education?
In a 2026 article co-written with Brianne Kramer and Clint Broadbent, Denisha Jones explores the idea of moral injury in our work in the early childhood profession, writing, ‘Many teachers view their profession as a calling, so they take their work as a personal mission to educate students. Because of this, it is a moral affront to teachers to face daily ‘circumstances that challenge their moral c
NERD 0427 Anti Fascism in Early Childhood: Imagining and Building Worlds
In this episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy is joined by Kylie Cooper, Jamie Bonczyk, and Lucy Recio to discuss their recent Exchange article titled Reclaiming Our Legacy of Imagining and Building Worlds: Countering Fascism.
Jamie shares:
The article discussed in this episode grew out of a conversation that began in January 2025. Listeners can follow the evolution of these ideas through the follow
NERD 0426 Behavior or Biology? with Amy Reyes
This week, our guest is Amy Reyes-Hauff, ECE consultant and outdoor play advocate, who recently published the book Why Did They Do That? It's Not a Behavior Problem, It's a Biological Reaction.
Why Did They Do That reframes the tumultuous preschool years (3-5) as a period of neurological renovation rather than a series of behavior problems. By explaining the biological gap between the fully devel
NERD 0425 Play and Adult Roles with Suzanne Axelsson
What is the adult's role if children are allowed to "just play?" It's a question host Heather Bernt-Santy hears often as she talks with early childhood practitioners. Thank goodness Suzanne Axelsson has done a lot of thinking and writing about it!
In a post in her Substack, Suzanne writes about play and adult roles. When is it play and what can we do to support it? How can we learn to be clear and
NERD 0424 Empathy and Kindness in Early Childhood Classrooms with Jacky Howell
Early childhood consultant and author Jacky Howell is this week's Guest Nerd and she's here to talk to host Heather Bernt-Santy about the empathy and kindness she knows young children are capable of.
The conversation begins with a quote from one of Jacky's heroes, Jane Goodall:
"You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference,
NERD 0423 The Already Whole Child with Em Clark
"What would early childhood education look like if young children were recognized as already whole human beings?" asks child liberation scholar Em Clark in her recently published article The Already Whole Child: Reconceptualizing Care and Sanctuary through Childism."
Join host Heather Bernt-Santy as she talks with Em Clark about the ways that the dominant discourse in early childhood education "p
NERD_0422 Lisa Asks Heather: Reflecting on 10 Years of TECN
Ten years of That Early Childhood Nerd? We could hardly believe it either!
To wrap up our week of bonus anniversary content, we handed the microphone to one of Heather's favorite people, Lisa Murphy...and, as you might expect, things got a little (delightfully) off track. Lisa asks the questions, Heather tries to answer them, and together they look back on a decade of conversations about play, te
TECN Bonus Episode 4: Community Care and Mutual Aid
In this episode, we explore how Little Women's themes of community care and mutual aid connect to our work with young children, their families, and each other. The novel tells stories of a family giving to others, whether informally through sharing their Christmas breakfast or more formally through Marmee's organized work on behalf of Union soldiers, and then receiving care themselves from friends
TECN Bonus Episode 3: Finding Your Voice
One of the themse of Little Women is the journey of finding your voice. Jo insisted on telling her own stories, and found a way to support her family with her writing. Amy claims her artistic talents, even when her ambitions are thwarted. In the process, they find out what it means to be heard and live authentically.
In this episode, Lizz Nolasco and Stacy Benge join host Heather Bernt-Santy disc
TECN Bonus Episode 2: Caregiving and Invisible Labor
In this episode, we revisit Little Women and its themes of caregiving and invisible labor. From Marmee's care work at home and in the community, emotional and domestic responsibilities of the March sisters, Beth's almost martyr-like caring, and Hannah's role in the family and care load, we explore the often unseen work that holds families and communities together.
Sam Balch and Carol Garboden Mur
TECN Bonus Episode 1: Little Women and Teaching
It’s the show’s 10th anniversary! In honor of the anniversary, we are releasing FIVE episodes this week, starting with a re-release of the very first episode.
This episode originally aired on August 1, 2016...back then the podcast was called Cause an Effect. A lot has changed since then, including the host's name (from Heather Wenig to Heather Bernt-Santy) but we hope you will tune in!
In this
NERD 0421 Autistic Play and Autistic Joy with Kara Ketter
Let's talk autistic play and autistic joy! Host Heather Bernt-Santy is joined in this episode by autistic educator, preschool teacher, and disability justice advocate Kara Ketter and the conversation starts with this quote:
“If I could change three things about how the world sees autism, they would be these. That the world would see that we feel joy—sometimes a joy so intense and private and all-
NERD 0420 We Have Surrendered to the Children with Kimberlee Hendricks
In her article for Exchange's winter 2025 issue on Protecting Play, Kimberlee Hendricks shares how her program's commitment to providing a space that belonged to children, that protected play required that they surrender some things, and that they remember what play feels like for adults. She talks with host Heather Bernt-Santy about surrendering to children in this episode.
You can read Kimberle
NERD 0419 Caroline Pratt: More Than Just Blocks (But We Love the Blocks!)
Did you know that the familiar wooden unit blocks that so many early childhood spaces have were created in the early 20th century be a progressive educator named Caroline Pratt? I did know that--but I didn't know what an amazing, interesting, spirited woman she really was.
Join me, host Heather Bernt-Santy, as Charleen Kepner takes us on a journey to get to know the truly amazing ways that Caroli
NERD 0418 Potty Training and School: Whose Job Is It Anyway?
A May 2026 article posted by Education Week wonders, "Who's Responsible for Toilet Training? Schools or Families?" While the article is a measured report of data and policies, the headline hit a nerve for host Heather Bernt-Santy. How can we say it's one or the other? What developmental considerations need to be included in the question? What systemic barriers are in place? And for goodness sake,
NERD 0417 Carcerality and Child Care with Kisa Marx
In our second episode with Kisa Marx about her new book, we had to dig into two quotes to get a full picture for our conversation.
"Care is a birthright--an inherent need that follows us throughout our lives. From the moment a child is born they are entitled to care, not just as a basic necessity but as something that nurtures their growth, autonomy, and capacity to imagine a future where they be
NERD 0416 Risky Play at School with Megan Zeni and Mariana Brussoni
"We know that schools and classrooms can be tough spaces to work and learn. The good news is that OPAL almost always offers a pathway for improving learning conditions, no matter which difficulties districts, schools, or classroom teachers identify as priority issues. Improved mental health, student engagement, staff wellness, joy and wonder in the school day are all possible when OPAL and risky p
NERD 0415 Can We Really Do Quality Child Care?
Any Princess Bride fans out there listening? If so, I'll bet you've quoted "You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means" on more than one occasion.
And host Heather Bernt-Santy thinks of that line whenever she hears the words "high quality child care." What do we think it means? What do research, culture, child care budgets, or isms of all sorts say about "quality?"
NERD 0414 How Institutional Are You?
In 1992, Jim Greenman wrote an article called "Places for Childhoods--How Institutional Are You?" that has been, without exaggeration, in host Heather Bernt-Santy's mind at least once a week since she discovered it early in her career. And what fun! Sam Balch was in town to join her for a conversation of how (sadly) relevant the question is today.
Find Jim's article here: https://hub.exchangepres
NERD 0413 Emergent Curriculum with Sue Stacey
Susan Stacey joins the show for a deep dive into emergent curriculum--what it really means, what is looks like in practice, and why it still matters in early childhood settings. Her book Emergent Curriculum in Early Childhood Settings reminds us that "emergent curriculum requires the disposition of genuine curiosity about children and their play" and that "a teacher who is curious, who wonders wh
NERD 0412 Go Play! with Gennie Gorback and Kate Allen Fox
Gennie Gorback and Kate Allen Fox want to help parents (and others!) understand how play can unlock many wonderful possibilities--and unexpected joys--for their families. Because, as they say, there's no such thing as "just play." Play isn't just anything; it is everything.
Their book Go Play: How Parents Can Empower Kids to Build Their Own Worlds is really wonderful.
Buy the book here: https://w
NERD 0411 Why Can't Children Self Regulate? with Denita Dinger
Have you heard about the canary in the coal mine? It was an old safety practice with coal miners to protect them from harmful toxins in the air of the mines--a caged canary would be taken into the mine and miners would know if the canary was harmed by the air, it was not safe.
In this conversation, Denita Dinger and host Heather Bernt-Santy use this as a metaphor for what we can learn about the m
NERD 0410 Young Children's Amazing Math with Herb Ginsburg
In this episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy is joined by Herb Ginsburg, a leading expert in children's understanding of mathematics and author of the book Young Children's Amazing Math: A Guide to Understanding and Supporting Early Learning.
Dr. Ginsburg's book shows readers how math is embedded in children’s everyday lives, how daily routines contribute to the development of important math concept
NERD 0409 Talk to Them Early and Often with Cara Tyrrell
In Talk to Them Early and Often: A Caregiver's Guide to Intentional Language Development for Infants and Toddlers, Cara Tyrrell explains why early communication with infants and toddlers is so important and how to effectively talk to these young learners in a wide variety of circumstances.
And you know host Heather Bernt-Santy loves to talk infants and toddlers!
Order Cara's book here: https://ww
NERD 0408 We Are Who We're Waiting For with Kisa Marx
Kisa Marx has written an amazing and important book and we are so grateful she is here to have the first of what we hope are many conversations about it.
In We Are Who We're Waiting For: Transformative Change in Early Childhood Education, Kisa lays out necessary truths about humanity, children's rights, and intersectionality with love and vision. Get out your pens, notebooks, and yes, your highli
NERD 0407 Screen Aware Early Childhood
In Screen Aware Early Childhood: A Realistic Approach to Helping Young Children Thrive in a Digitally Complex World, Patricia Cantor, Melinda Holohan, and Jean Rogers offer their Screen Aware for Early Childhood Framework (SAFEC) as an essential guide for “navigating the screenscape and making decisions about screen use.”
They join host Heather Bernt-Santy in this episode to discuss why this is s
NERD 0406 American Kindergarten with Susan Engel
Susan Engel is Class of 1959 Director of the Program in Teaching and a senior lecturer in psychology at Williams College, and the author of several books...all of which host Heather Bernt-Santy has read and LOVED! Her latest book, American Kindergarten: Dispatches from the First Year of School, is no exception.
In this episode, Susan joins Heather to talk about the book--"an unexpected portrait o
NERD_0405 Nerd Study Hall: The Hope and Promise of Teaching
It's time for another Nerd Study Hall! In this episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy is joined by Richard Cohen, Aaron Neimark, and Mike Huber to discuss an article written by retired professor and former community organizer William Ayers, titled "The Hope and Promise of Teaching." It's a beautiful, challenging, inspiring, and validating article and the conversation reflects all of these elements.
Bu
NERD_0404 Men, Risky Play, and Gentle Care with Mike Browne
"When we think of being “gentle” we might think of it as being slow-moving, of having a soft voice, of being non-threatening. But how I view gentleness in the context of risky play looks like being emotionally and energetically attuned. Whether we are hanging upside down on a tree, or playing monsters in the yard, being consistent, being present, being attuned are all ways we can be gentle with on
NERD_0403 Young Children, Care, and Imagination
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 m
NERD_0402 Free the Research!
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 na
NERD 0401 Ten Types of Rest with Kerry Murphy
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 b
NERD 0400 The 400th Episode of That Early Childhood Nerd!
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-e
NERD_0399 Challenging Behavior or Age Appropriate Play with Sean Durham and Travis Morgan
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 conversati
NERD_0398 Pretend Play IS Liberated Learning
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
NERD_0397 Play IS Literacy
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 H
NERD_0396 Revisiting Journeys with Miriam Beloglovsky and Jessica Frazier
"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 unde
NERD_0395 Make Believe Play, Literacy, Resilience, and Joy!
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."
S
NERD_0394 A Rough and Tumble Children's Book with Rachel Payne
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.
NERD_393_Lisa Asks Heather: The Writing Process
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
NERD_0392 The Hyper Focus on School Readiness with Dr. Dale Farran
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/
NERD_0391 Nurturing Brilliance with Sally Haughey
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-C
NERD_0390 Self Active Play for the Grown Ups
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
NERD_0389 The Child's Right to Participation
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!
Fr
NERD_0388 Developmental Cascades in Childhood
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 developm
NERD_0387 Play Pedagogy: The Antidote to Global Education Reform
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
NERD_0386 If They Just Play, Am I Still a Teacher?
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
NERD_0385 ECE Higher Education: Preparation for What?
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 thr
NERD_0384 Child Care for All with Author Elliot Haspel
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, commun
NERD_0383 Nap Times in Child Care Settings
NAEYC’s Code of Ethical Conduct says, “Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that are emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children.”
What does this have to do with nap time in child care settings? A whole lot, according to host Heather Bernt-Santy and her guests Kisa Marx, Tiffany, Pe
NERD_0382 Supporting Children's Sense of Justice
Author, educator and community organizer Dr. Megan Madison joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to talk about her First Conversations children’s book series, children’s developing sense of justice and fairness, book bans, and more. This conversation will leave you feeling determined and hopeful, as it did Heather.
More about the book series, including downloadables and other guides, here: https://www.fi
NERD_0381 Free the Teachers! Calendar and Circle Time
It’s time for the second installment of Free the Teachers!
In this episode, Heather Bernt-Santy is joined by Richard Cohen, Carol Garboden Murray, Stacy Benge, and Tiffany Pearsall to talk through the ways we can be free of traditional calendar, circle, and other large group times and to share new ways of thinking about gathering with young children.
Want to order Heather’s book Using Schema Pla
NERD_0380 Scrap Circle Time!
In this week’s episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy interviews Amy Reyes-Hauff, Early Learning Specialist with the Wyoming Department of Education’s school success division. They talk about traditional circle time practices in early childhood settings and Amy suggests that it’s time to scrap circle time in favor of more developmentally informed practices….and PLAY!
Amy is an advocate for outdoor lear
NERD_0379 A New Way of Looking at Children's War Play
Host Heather Bernt-Santy and fellow nerd Mike Huber talk with Ebba Theorell about her brilliant article, Transformative Aesthetic Dimensions in Young Boys’ War Play:
Exploring the World Through Kinesthetic Musicality, in which she discusses her research and thesis work examining war play through the lens of dance and choreography.
Find her article here: https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/34/article/960063
NERD_0378 Free the Teachers! Tightly Controlled Schedules
Every now and then, host Heather Bernt-Santy and the other nerds in the TECN group chat hit on hot issues that we wish early childhood folks didn’t have to worry about. We decided to do a few episodes on these topics, calling it the Free the Teachers! series.
In this episode, we talk about how stressful tightly controlled daily schedules are for adults and for children, and discuss some alternati
NERD_0377 Slow Childhoods
When host Heather Bernt-Santy talked with Amy Chiu (www.theworkofplay.com) on TECN episode 372, she knew she had to have a follow up conversation including Carol Garboden Murray (https://www.carolgarbodenmurray.com/). Join them all as they discuss the benefit of slowing down with children in our early childhood settings, including some great first-of-the-school-year practices that help build slow
NERD_0376 Live from the 2025 Play Empowers Teacher Retreat
Live from the lobby of the Claggett Retreat Center, listen in as attendees and presenters debrief the day’s events–what resonated, what challenged them, and dreams for what happens next. The Play Empowers Teacher Retreat is truly one of a kind.
Because it was a live recording of a large group, the volume levels vary a bit from person to person–this may not be an ear bud episode!
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NERD_0375 Trauma Informed Practices in Early Childhood
Nikki Darling-Kuria joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to share her growth as a trauma informed early childhood professional in an unpredictable world.
The quote to start this conversation is from Katherine Anne Porter, who said, “The past is never where you think you left it,” meaning that events that we think are in the past and believe we should be “over” aren’t ever over. Nikki shares thoughts and
NERD_0374 The Daycare Myth: Author Dan Wuori
For a century, America’s early childhood policy has been premised on a myth. This falsehood—which dictates that child care and education are somehow separate and distinct—not only suboptimizes the most important window into all human development, but costs American taxpayers an untold fortune. It’s time to think differently.
Written in plain yet provocative language by one of the field’s most resp
NERD_0373 When Children are Free to Pretend
Mike Huber is back to talk more about pretend play, children’s power, and the teacher’s liberation as we continue to discuss his new book The Power in Pretend: Supporting Children’s Power, Identity and Agency.
Mike shares a story of powerful pretend play that started with taking chairs outside so that children could clean them and ended with the children’s own take on what happens when you go to
NERD_0372 Rhythms Over Routines with Amy Chiu
"School can be a stressful place. It can be overstimulating and demanding which impacts everyone's nervous system and ability to cope, let alone learn. The prevailing wisdom is that children thrive in predictable routines, but it's not black and white."
Early childhood education speaker and instructor Amy Chiu suggests that we shift from thinking about routines and rigid schedules to developing r
NERD_0371 Powerful Play with Author Amanda Morgan
Child development expert Amanda Morgan returns to That Early Childhood Nerd to discuss her new book, "Not Just Cute: How Powerful Play Drives Development in Early Childhood," in which she calls out myths and pressures that push play aside and makes a compelling case for bringing it back.
Find more Amanda here: https://notjustcute.com/
Order the book here: https://notjustcute.com/book
Want to supp
NERD_0370 Surviving the Child Care Crisis
Kisa Marx joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to talk about her powerful Exchange article, "A Letter to Educators: Surviving the Child Care Crisis."
Find the article here: https://hub.exchangepress.com/articles-on-demand/50396/
More about Kisa's work: https://theplaylabnfpoakpark.org/the-play-lab
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to
NERD_0369 Heather Wrote a Book!
Host Heather Bernt-Santy thought she was joining a recording session to discuss an article shared by Lizz Nolasco--but surprise! The Nerds ambushed her--tricking her into talking instead about her upcoming book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood!
The book will be out in the fall of 2025, keep your eye out on That Early Childhood Nerd's social media accounts, or
NERD_0368 The Power in Pretend pt 2
Mike Huber is back to dig into ideas about how pretend play supports focus, impulse control, and self regulation. And what about super hero play? When children imitate superheroes from tv or movies, can that be considered imaginative? It's a fun conversation!
Buy the book here: https://www.redleafpress.org/Power-in-Pretend-Supporting-Young-Childrens-Power-Identity-and-Agency-Through-Play-P3107.as
NERD_0367 The Power in Pretend pt 1
Mike Huber has a new book! He joins host Heather Bernt-Santy for the first of (we hope) many conversations about his book The Power in Pretend: Supporting Children's Power, Identity and Agency.
Buy the book here: https://www.redleafpress.org/Power-in-Pretend-Supporting-Young-Childrens-Power-Identity-and-Agency-Through-Play-P3107.aspxMore
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NERD_0366 Teacher Research and Teacher Survival
San Francisco Transitional KG Teacher Aaron Neimark joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to talk about being a teacher researcher and challenging yourself to survive and thrive!
For more of Aaron's work:
1) Do You Want to See Something Goofy? Peer Culture in the Preschool Yard
2) Learning from Children's Humor: Peer Culture as a Teaching Tool
(book chapter on peer culture and humor in this book):
E
NERD_0365 Early Childhood MAYtriarchy: bell hooks and Cheng Xueqin
Welcome to Early Childhood MAYtriarchy 2025, where we celebrate the contributions of women to the work of early childhood.
In this episode: Denisha Jones shares how the work of bell hooks has influenced her and informed her work. Krystina Tapia talks about her life changing experience visiting the Anji schools founded by Cheng Xueqin, and how Ms Cheng's work informed her as an early educator and n
NERD_0364 Early Childhood MAYtriarchy: Constance Kamii, Rhonda DeVries, Alva Myrdal
Welcome to Early Childhood MAYtriarchy 2025, where we celebrate the contributions of women to the work of early childhood.
In this episode: Stephanie Goloway shares the accomplishments and contributions of Constance Kamii and Rhonda DeVries. Suzanne Axelsson brings two Swedish women to the conversation: Ellen Key and Alva Myrdal.
I love doing this series! Hope you love it to.
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NERD_0363 Early Childhood MAYtriarchy: Millie Almy, Caroline Pratt, Magda Gerber
Welcome to Early Childhood MAYtriarchy 2025, where we celebrate the contributions of women to the work of early childhood.
In this episode: Lizz Nolasco blows Heather's mind with her discussion of play advocate Dr Millie Almy. Gemma Medina expands our understanding of Caroline Pratt and her work beyond the wooden unit blocks we often associate with her. Bethany Corrie brings Magda Gerber's life an
NERD_0362 Early Childhood MAYtriarchy: Eve Trook, Dr Marianne Gibbs, Bev Bos
Welcome to Early Childhood MAYtriarchy 2025, where we celebrate the contributions of women to the work of early childhood.
In this episode: Mike Huber shares about how he has been influenced by Eve Trook and her ideas on having power on, power for, and power with children. Stacy Benge shares about Dr Marianne Gibbs, and occupational therapist who has informed Stacy's work around literacy. Richard
NERD_0361 The Sleepover Sessions: Consent in Early Childhood
It's spring break 2025 and host Heather Bernt-Santy has invited some of the TECN nerds to Indianapolis for a four day sleepover!
In this episode, Heather and some of her favorite people discuss how to navigate the idea of "consent" with young children.
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get access to more TECN content at "Buy
NERD_0360 The Sleepover Sessions: Losing Yourself in Caring
It's spring break 2025, which means the Nerds are descending on Indianapolis for four days of nerdy fun!
In this episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy and nerds Lizz Nolasco, Mike Huber, Kisa Marx, and Bethany Corrie wonder about what happens when we lose ourselves in our caring work.Want
Want to support the show and help keep it ad free? You can make a one time donation or become a member to get acce
NERD-0359 The Sleepover Sessions: DEI--Just Say the Words
It's spring break 2025, and that means it's time for the second Nerd Sleepover! This episode comes to you from an Airbnb in beautiful Indianapolis, where host Heather Bernt-Santy gathered with some of her very favorite nerds.
In this episode, we discuss challenges to "DEI"--what if we said the words every time instead of hiding behind the acronym? What's the "other side" of diversity, equity, and
NERD_0358 The Sleepover Sessions: Data is Not Evidence
It's spring break 2025, which means it's time for the second Nerd Sleepover in beautiful Indianapolis! In this episode, Mike Huber invites us to consider whether "data" and "evidence" are the same thing, and as you might have guessed from the title, we decided it's not! Listen in as host Heather Bernt-Santy and some of her favorite nerds hash out claims of evidence based curriculums and other inte
NERD_0357 Play is Inherently Political with Kelsie Olds
In February 2025, occupational therapist Kelsie Olds, who hosts a facebook page called The Occuplaytional Therapist, published a post that struck a nerve--leading to almost 4000 reactions to date, and almost 2000 shares.
The post is a powerful statement on the political nature of play, of respecting children, of supporting families, and taking care of each other. Listen in as she talks us through
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