Awesome show! Question, can u also talk about the weirdness of the bubble in the mouth??? This just makes kids look RIDICULOUS!

Kristen, I love this podcast and everything about it. Just listened to the one with Tiffany and it was so inspiring! So much great information. Love the Play Frontier, sounds exactly like the kindergartens I worked at in Denmark and what I want to recreate here in Florida with Joyscovery.

I am THRILLED the universe gifted this podcast… I get it & want more of it!! There are so many of us out there and I am so thankful on behalf of all kids. I founded a curiosity and play based mindful tutoring business @lotusmindlearning where I mashed up kids yoga and learning to read. I now feel there is an entire community out there for support! Yay yay HOORAY!! & THANK YOU

I am a Montessori inspired home child care. I am drawn to play based and am eager to learn more!! Really enjoying listening!!!

It has been a great journey learning about play based learning. Meeting you in person showed me a lot. And listening to your pod casts have been wonderful

I’ve only just started listening to podcasts and trialed so many different podcasts. THIS is the one I have connected to the most and the one I look forward to listening to frequently. The energy is great. The topics covered are great. It just provides me with so many positive ways to improve myself as a parent, role model and as a teacher. It just challenges me to be a better person for my kids. :)

I have learned so much from Kristen & have listened to all her episodes multiple times. I gain something new each time. I love that her podcasts are not too lengthy in time and I can listen to them while I’m on the go! Thank you for helping me start my journey to becoming more student led learning and developmentally appropriate practices in my PreK classroom :)

So inspiring. I feel so validated and connected when I listen to this! It gives me the words I need to explain to families and staff the benefits of play based learning. As an early childhood educator, and also parent of teenagers, I think there is so much educators of all ages can learn from these strategies! ❤️

Thank you for keeping it short and informative! I don't usually listen to podcasts because they are usually longer than 10 minutes and I really don't have time for that (but honestly, I could listen to you all day)! Thank you for being an amazing play advocate, your support and and genuine passion for play is what everyone needs!

I found this podcast after having read Free to Learn by Peter Gray and listened to Play by Stuart Brown and Christopher Vaughan MD on Audible. I had heard about the Play movement associated with homeschooling years ago but didn’t realize what it meant and how it wasn’t necessarily tied to homeschooling (Peter Gray speaks how the principles of play based learning could be applied to public and/or charter and private schooling (although the overscheduled, standardized, rubric driven lesson plans of many education programs might make play based activities harder to foster unless the space and time is given for children to learn by self directed and self motivated playful opportunities). Play based activities are simply self motivated, self driven activities done more for their own intrinsic joys than for adult expectations of outcomes. They are opportunities for children to explore, engage and learn at their own pace, with or without other children of various ages and without the constant supervision and micromanagement of adults so common in life from cradle to grave. I went to a public school growing up in the 70s and 80s and had a blast - schools back then often let children play for at least an hour and several half hour sessions during the day were spent either outside or in the gym playing games - some directed by adults and others more child directed such as playing on monkey bars or on swings and in the field. Early reading programs often included short reading packets that I could pick and read at my own pace about interesting topics from Charles Lindbergh and other history to fun fairy tales or tales of children across the world. My fifth grade teacher let some of us tinker with programming an Apple II computer to draw line shapes (LOGO turtle graphics). So teachers back then knew some of these principles of letting children learn through play and self motivated learning by exploring. Hopefully teachers of all kinds including parents who homeschool can use such principles as are discussed in this podcast to return to the tried and true principles of learning through self directed playful states of mind rather than the less playful and artificial rubrics approach that is sucking the life out of kid’s learning today.

I love her podcast episodes! They are usually short but pack a lot of punch! She shares things that are practical but also talks about the bigger picture. Plus, she’s funny 😉

Kristen’s podcast’s are an excellent complement to her website, FB, and courses! I love the practical, easy to understand information from someone who is living her values snd philosophy everyday! All parents and educators need to know there is a better way for their children to learn!!

So insightful and packed full of helpful info and ideas! So much goodness in each short segment…don’t tell me you can’t find the time! You owe it to yourself to check out Kristen and her fun, easy way of cutting right to the heart of what is best for children!

Kristen is so enthusiastic, knowledgeable and authentic. Highly recommend this podcast to new and veteran teachers!

This is such a great resource for early childhood educators wanting to make a change and begin to enter play correctly to support the children and whole-child! I made the change 8 years ago and am now directing 2 programs that I am moving toward play-based learning and this is so helpful to share with my staff! Thank you, we need more podcasts like this!

So wonderful to hear someone else express what I wish were the standard in more ways across the spectrum of early childhood programs in a far more engaging and eloquent manner than I could myself. Keep it up!

I love her she is so funny!!!!!!

I CAN’T STOP LISTENING TO THIS PODCAST 🙌🏻 Kristen’s excitement is contagious and her desire to support all of us is so genuine. Her knowledge of child development and theory is solid, and I love her commitment to being a “play detective.” This podcast is helping me learn how to spotlight the important learning that is happening in the most common play activities. This will help me articulate the value of play based learning and do accountability RIGHT. Highly recommend this podcast to all of us with littles in our lives.

Thank you so much for making this awesome podcast! I am so excited to share with my high school Early Childhood Education classes! This is perfect! Keep it up!

I absolutely love your pod casts! I was the same, Lisa Murphy Changed my look on what I was doing with children and then I saw Jeff and then Denita and then Dan, it’s been about 5 years and I have not looked back and am doing everything I can to let people know WHAT true play is ! Thank you I love following you and Miss Debbie .....OMG !!! And the new call in, I may have to “call in” !!!!

I started this podcast today on my evening bike ride and had to do an extra loop to get in a third episode! I’ve been teaching 23 years but am always hoping to learn more about best practices in my pre-k classroom...this podcast delivers!!! Great theory and practical strategies plus entertaining and REAL. Kinda want to start my own preschool now...just kidding...just going to make my classroom even better.❤️

You need Kristen in your life if you are a teacher, an aspiring teacher, a parent educating your child at home! She is everything! I am a 29 year veteran of the preschool tribe and I only wish I found her sooner! It makes me feel so good that I do most or all of the things she suggests and now I suggest her ideas, podcast, website, Instagram to lots of colleagues! 5000 stars!!

Love reading and listening to your posts and podcasts. I appreciate your humor and your dedication to play-based learning. Thank you for providing us great resources!

Kristen really know what she is talking about when it comes to play, play-based learning, and running a playful program! She shares her wealth of knowledge in an entertaining and accessible format for all on their own journey to be a champion of play!

Thank you for your wisdom, Kristen!!!! Love listening to this podcast. It makes me feel confident in what I already know, helps me learn new things and reach new heights, and it helps me talk more clearly about what I’m doing!

Kristen is so passionate about what she does and we are lu it she’s sharing it all with the world. I am living the new perspectives and examples of what play based learning actually IS and how to incorporate it into our kids’ lives. I wish I would have had this info when my kiddos were pre school aged but I will be advocating for all those around us!

Kristen speaks with such honesty and advocacy for the play that is vital for our youngest learners. She is witty and unafraid of touching on ALL the things play! Thank you for being an encouraging voice for all of the educators and parents!

This podcast is exactly what I needed as I head back into another preschool year. I’ve been following along with Learning Wild for a few months now and am constantly inspired by all of Kristen’s content. This podcast is no different. Simply wonderful! Inspiring and comforting all at once. Thank you so much for sharing your gift with us!

As I prepare to start the school year I’m trying to take in all of the information around me and do what’s right for my students. Love what I’ve heard here so far!

You can tell Kristen loves what she does and knows what she’s talking about! I’ve learned so much from her instagram page and am excited to learn more here.

This podcast inspires a natural way to learn through play and curiosity. Love it!

We have had the pleasurable opportunity of knowing and working with Kristen and her team. As a mom and OT, I can attest to how the nature’s based approach has helped children develop physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially. Listen up, Kristen is a wealth of knowledge!

Very intelligent gal with PASSION for early learning! You will learn a ton from her and laugh along the way!

The information shared here will be of benefit to all caregivers of children. I will be sharing this resource to spread the word. I am dedicated as well to the practice of open ended child led play being the best format for children to learn and grow.

You are so inspirational!!

I have been following Kristin for awhile now on Instagram and she has such a wonderful presence and wonderful ideas of things to do with your child and also ‘why’ those things are good. She is extremely knowledgeable about Early Childhood and I am so excited for her that she is starting to share her experience and knowledge in a different platform. You should definitely tune in and see what’s going on; she has great stories!!

I am excited to learn more about play based classrooms!! Loved the concrete examples even in the first episode of a not so play based classroom to a play based classroom. Thanks!

A fresh and insightful take on early childhood ! A fun listen.

Kristen is so knowledgeable and really understands children. Her program is nothing short of magical. She is a joy to listen to!

Great job, high energy, easy to listen to, and informative!! More episodes please. More more more!!

Wow! This is so great! I may not have a preschool, but with 4 kids of my own, your wisdom is something I can definitely apply to their play! Thank you for sharing you knowledge with the world, I will definitely be tuning in for more!

By far the most informative podcast about early childhood education. She has definitely done her research. Can't wait for more episodes!! -Forata xx😘

I really truly love this podcast, I really like the idea of a play based preschool it sounds so fun and the kids must really like it! Regular preschool and child care is so boring and I LOVE a good twist! Thanks so much for this wonderful podcast it’s a really good learning experience!

Please make more episodes soon!!! I’m new to this whole mom thing, and play based learning seems like it’s definitely the way to go. I hope I can tune in soon!! Love from Nevada 💕

this podcast is so fun to listen to and i’ve learned so much just from one episode. i can’t wait to hear more!

This truly gave me a new perspective on Play based learning. I love listening to your journey of being a preschool teacher! It helps me understand my kids more, and how they play. You have influenced me to spend more time and understand my kids better. As a mom of three it’s not always easy. I am very thankful for this podcast. You are an amazing teacher! Sincerely, Shannon

Hi, my name is debby, and I am a mom of 7 kids. (They are more than a handful) Kids are hooked up to their phones, and I believe in play and nature. Teachers dictate the students, and it really effects their life. Play based learning gets their energy out, and it is amazing for the imagination. It is very true that kids learn through experience, and this is amazing. Kristen is rocking it!!!! She sounds like she really cares, and thinks about the other kids’ feelings, and gives them CHOICE!! I am with her 100%!! I was nervous for my youngest to into preschool, and now I don’t have to worry! I know what to look for, and I am totally sending them to a play based learning preschool! It is so organized, but so free! I love this, and look forward to listening more!

She is so informative, and amazing to listen to. I can’t wait I can’t wait to listen to more episodes, and this podcast is my new fav.

She’s fun to listen to, I can’t wait to learn more about play. Highly recommend!!!!!