Small Talk: Big Ideas About Little Learners
NAEYC 7 episodes Oct 14, 2026
Small Talk: Big Ideas About Little Learners is a podcast from NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children. CEO Michelle Kang and colleagues discuss major questions in early childhood education, including the role of play in brain development, the high cost of child care, and low pay for educators. The show explores how families and policymakers can work together to shape the future of early learning. It combines conversations with stories of struggle, inspiration, and hope for children’s futures.
Episodes
Building Community: Lucy Recio and Kylie Cooper
What's early childhood education have to do with building a healthy, stable democracy? It turns out, quite a lot. That's because democracy depends on engaging with fellow citizens capable of empathy, critical thinking, cooperation across diverse communities, and caring for each other. These capacities are formed as young children play and learn the basics of human interaction: how to be nice to e
Multilingual Learning: Raúl Echevarría
Learning in a multilingual, multicultural environment is great for a young child’s brain, forging strong language pathways and contributing to social-emotional development, cognitive flexibility, and creativity. And there’s no question little learners thrive in settings where they feel included and welcome. Alissa Mwenelupembe talks with Raúl Echevarría, co-founder of Communikids, whose programs i
Between Power and the People: Jerlean Daniel and Rahshita Lowe-Watson
Early childhood educators don't just teach children. They navigate complex social systems on behalf of families, connecting them to resources like food, shelter, mental health, and immigration services. NAEYC's Alissa Mwenelupembe talks with former NAEYC Governing Board President and Executive Director Jerlean Daniel and DC Public School kindergarten teacher Rahshita Lowe-Watson about supporting f
Pay Equity: Berna Artis and Owen Schochet
It seemed fair to pay early childhood educators the same as K-12 teachers with similar education and experience. Taxpayers and policymakers in Washington, DC, agreed, setting up the Pay Equity Fund. The move increased ECE salaries by $15,000 per year, stabilizing the workforce and opening more childcare slots for families. NAEYC’s Daniel Hains talks with DCAEYC Executive Director Berna Artis and M
The Power of Play: Kathy Hirsh-Pasek
For decades, researchers in early childhood development have documented evidence that young children learn best while doing what they do best: playing. CEO Michelle Kang explores the importance of play in helping little learners build foundational skills in literacy, math, and more, in a conversation with author, Temple University Professor, and Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Kathy Hirsh-Pase
Leading for Change: Rhian Evans Allvin and Mark Ginsberg
Three NAEYC CEOs, spanning 25 years of leadership, reflect on what it means to lead the early childhood education field through periods of upheaval, uncertainty, and change. As NAEYC kicks off its centennial year, CEO Michelle Kang sits down with two of her predecessors to talk about where the early learning field has been and where we are going.Host: Michelle Kang, NAEYC CEOGuests:Mark Ginsberg,
Season Trailer
How important is play to a child’s brain development? Why do Americans pay so much forchild care while educators earn so little? How can families and policymakers work togetherto shape the future of early learning?NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, presents Small Talk:Big Ideas About Little Learners. CEO Michelle Kang and her colleaguesdive into conversations that
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