Mar 3, 2026
Agency — the ability to make choices, act on them, and feel that those actions matter — is key to play and learning. In this episode, we dig into what agency really means for young children, tracing it through the work of foundational developmental theorists and grounding it in current research on how play, agency,...
Dec 10, 2025
In this episode, we revisit one of the most-read pieces published on Not Just Cute: “There’s Good in the World. And It’s Worth Fighting For.” Written nearly a decade ago (and based on quotes from movies released TWO decades ago, which were based on books written NINE decades ago.....) yet increasingly relevant...
Oct 1, 2025
Is play the missing piece in today’s educational puzzle? That’s the question we wrestled with during a three-part book study I hosted this summer with early educators from across North America. Together, we unpacked key themes from my new book, Not Just Cute: How Powerful Play Drives Development in...
Jan 19, 2025
This episode explores the transformative blended pre-K program at Prosper Independent School District in Texas, championed by Michelle Scogin, Director of Early Childhood and Learning Services. Discover how this program successfully merges special and general education along with joy, wonder, and compassion. Machelle...
Nov 19, 2024
I had an experience a few months ago that began with a fantastic workshop with one of my favorite schools, and *seemed* to end with a broken down, broken into truck.
But the real ending came full circle when I found that what I had been teaching that early childhood team the day before, was *exactly* what I needed to...