Childhood has become increasingly scheduled, measured, and monitored.
This book asks a simple question: What do children lose when play disappears—and what do we all lose with them?
www.tcpress.com/using-schema...
Lisa Murphy is here to talk with Heather about her new book and the writing process. How fun!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
It’s time to count down my TOP 5 READS of 2025!
My #1 book this year, shamelessly, is my book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood. Being a published author has been a dream of mine for most of my life, and I’m so proud that it happened this year.
It’s time to count down my TOP 5 READS of 2025!
# 2 is Raising a Nation: 10 Reasons Every American Has a Stake in Child Care for All by Elliot Haspel.
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
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”
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.
youtu.be/mOaFqWw1pLI?...
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!
youtu.be/rNzuuZSjXeQ?...
Author and educator Sally Haughey is here to discuss the incredible unfolding and blossoming that happens during play.
youtu.be/S-cfnmQIQqc?...
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.
youtu.be/W3DHwk5HEfU?...
Big news ! Heather is taking on the producer role for That Early Childhood Nerd, and adding three new podcasts!
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.
youtu.be/v1Zto4uKPY0?...
Book signing at NAEYC last week!
If you’re going to be at the NAEYC conference in Orlando, I’d love to see you at my book signing! That’s right, I’m doing a BOOK SIGNING! 🎉🎉🎉 See you there!
Big day in That Early Childhood Nerd world! Not only did the episode I did with Rusty Keeler for his podcast come out today, my blog post on schema play for Community Playthings is out today!
www.communityplaythings.com/resources/ar...
What fun to be a guest on Rusty's podcast!
rustykeeler.com/podcast/ep-1...
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?”
youtu.be/QbvBIzPlaFM?...
Every now and again, I have a little panic–what if by teaching current ideas, theories about good practice, and new research about working with young children, I'm just setting students up to be frustrated or to get in trouble?
youtu.be/Gl3-rj087f0?...
Want to know more? I wrote a whole book about it!
A little bit of page 76 from my new book “Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood” #play #childcare #preschool #childdevelopment #earlychildhood #teaching #earlychildhoodeducation #parenting
I’m home from the IPA-USA conference amd my books are here!!!
I don’t have any photos from my “Play Skeptics Have Schemas, Too!” presentation but love this one of my presentation with Deb Lawrence and LaDonna Atkins on “Innovative Strategies for Teaching about Children’s Play in Higher Education” at this year’s IPA-USA Child’s Right to Play conference.
It’s getting closer to official publication day! I went to the Teachers College Press website a while ago and requested a digital desk copy and it was emailed to me today!! It’s a real book!!
Author, educator and community organizer Dr. Megan Madison joins me to talk about her First Conversations children’s book series, children’s developing sense of justice and fairness, book bans, and more.
youtu.be/HzfYcwnxVck?...
Who will be at the NAEYC conference in Orlando?
Find me at my session Thursday morning at 8 then at the Teachers College Press booth at 10:30 for my book signing!
