Not Just Cute, the Podcast: Intentional Whole Child Development for Parents and Teachers of Young Children

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 and her amazing team are committed to building a developmentally appropriate environment where every child can thrive. Through purposefully designed spaces and a commitment to play-based learning, the Brenda Calhoun Early Childhood School stands as a model of innovative and intentional educational practices. Michelle shares her inspiring journey from her early memories as a Head Start child to becoming a leader in early childhood education.  Her story illuminates the universal challenges in early education and the vital role of visionary leadership in overcoming them.  You'll gain insights into how strong leadership and community support have been pivotal in shaping this district's early childhood programs, encouraging a collaborative community that includes educators, paraprofessionals, administrators, school staff, board members, and parents. As Machelle's commonly used hashtag reminds us, #allmeansall.   Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode79

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 remember in that moment.  File this one under – everything we ever needed to know in life, we learned in early childhood education. We're talking about why joy matters and how to tap into a little bit more of it. You can find this episode's show notes, which are always full of links, tidbits, and resources, at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode78

Rae Pica has been a fierce advocate for children and childhood for over 40 years.  And during that time she's written a whole bookshelf full of books on the topic.  Today, she's sharing her latest addition to that bookshelf, it came out just last week, Why Play?: How to Make Play an Essential Part of Early Education. In this newest book, Rae dives into the importance of play in early childhood education, how to partner with parents, why different modes of play are beneficial, and how to support each type of play.  She even touches on some of the tricky topics associated with play, like rough and tumble play and gun play.  It's her latest and possibly her greatest, and she's sharing it with us in today's episode. If you want to know how to better advocate for play in early childhood, this episode is for you.  Find shownotes, including a full transcript, at notjustcute.com/podcast/episode77.

When Amber Unger (also known as the Cream City Teacher) began her career in education, she thought she'd be working with teenagers.  As her path led her to a 4K public school classroom in the middle of a shift toward play-based learning, she discovered a new passion!  Today, she helps other teachers on their own journeys to better understand and implement intentional play-based practices. Get the show notes at : https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode76

In episode 74, I introduced you to Michele Dineen-White, the creator of Play Smart Literacy in Chicago.  Play Smart Literacy is a truly mobile outreach program, meaning that rather than hoping parents can overcome the burden of traveling to a specific location to receive services, Play Smart Literacy goes out into the community, particularly in vulnerable areas, to contact families and meet them right where they are – both literally and figuratively.  They teach workshops at laundromats, gas stations, and standing in line at the market.  The passion for this program - and what it does for children and families - is contagious!  In fact, many members of the team were once on the other side of the program – they were parents learning for the first time that talking and playing with their babies could make a meaningful difference in their development.  They saw the benefits of the program with their own eyes and in their own homes and decided they wanted to share that message with other parents.  In this episode, I talk with members of the Play Smart Literacy team, about why they're so passionate about their work, what that work looks like, and how they've seen it change lives.

Michele Dinneen-White was working in an early education outreach program when she realized something.  The program wasn't actually reaching out to the families who needed it most.  Those families were still required to find the time and the means to get their child to the center in order to receive services.  And for many, that barrier was just too much to overcome.  So Michele decided to create something new.   The program is called Play Smart Literacy and it serves families in the Chicago area.  It's a fully mobile outreach program, one that actually reaches OUT and INTO the most vulnerable communities.  And what is their mission?  To build language and relationships through play.  Michele and her parent play leaders go to where the families are – parks, shelters, mobile markets, Head Start and early care programs, laundromats, gas stations – and they build real relationships with the families they meet, while at the same time building the families' understanding of the connections between play, talk, and child development …AND building their confidence as parents as well.  Their message is clear:  EVERY parent has the ability to have a strong positive influence on their child's future.

Challenging behaviors seem to be on the rise in preschool classrooms.  Prerna Richards, of Together We Grow, specializes in supporting educators with a behavior coaching program.  In this episode, she shares what she believes is behind this increase, and what can be done to better help our youngest learners. Find Show Notes : https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode73

Once upon a time..... ...Happily ever after. These are common fairy tale phrases. But they're more than just staid story stems. These common phrases -- and the stories in between -- hold not only a recipe for imagination and fantasy but also for resilience. Stephanie Goloway (EdD) is a powerful advocate for the importance of imagination, play, and storytelling.  As a now-emeritus professor, she's taught young children as well as college students and has focused her research on how fairy tales align with and support child development.  She's written a book called, Happily Ever Resilient, where she shares how the ordinary magic of resilience is woven into the extraordinary magic of fairy tales, supporting all children as they face the challenges of life. Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode72

Most people associate the library with silence.  But what if we associated it with play?   In this episode, I'm talking with Tammie Benham, Youth Services Consultant for the Southeast Kansas Library System. Tammie believes that where libraries, children, and families intersect, magic is possible.  And she's set out to make that magic through a family engagement program focused on using play to teach, encourage, and support families in the communities she serves. Find Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode71

We started this series with the overall argument for why play is essential for human development.  The next three episodes dug deep into three main themes: Why we need play for mental health and wellness, for brain development and real learning, and for soft skill development.  Then, we shifted to several shorter episodes, touching on specific types of play and how they contribute to development.  In this final episode, I'm talking about why ALL children need play, even when others may think it's time to help children “catch up” instead. Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode70

What does fingerpainting have to do with the Space Race?  In this episode, we're talking about art and creative play and their role in learning, thinking, and innovating. Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode69

This episode's focus is the dress-up area and dramatic play.  We'll talk about the powerful developmental support that comes from preschoolers dressing up and playing pretend. Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode68

This episode's focus is sensory play.  We'll take a look at why these bins full of rice, water, goop, and other media aren't just a big mess waiting to happen, they're a really important key to supporting healthy child development. Find Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode67

This episode's focus is the block area.  We look at what's going on in those busy building centers of the early childhood classroom, and why it's important to keep those big spaces open for construction, even when there's pressure to move the blocks out to make room for “real school”. Don't underestimate the simple nature of a collection of rectangles, squares, and triangles made out of hardwood maple.  When children play with construction toys (which include the ever-present unit blocks, of course, but also other open-ended building toys like Legos, magnet tiles, bristle blocks, architectural blocks etc.) they get hands-on experience that simply can't be replaced by virtual imitations. Find show notes at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode66

While some schools may claim they're moving away from play and toward more direct academic instruction as a way to prepare children for their future careers, business leaders repeatedly share that soft skills are becoming increasingly relevant in the workplaces of today and of the future.  In this episode, we'll talk about how pushing out play also pushes out prime opportunities for building essential soft skills.  Soft skills that not only enhance careers, but improve life. FInd show notes at: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode65

This is the third episode in a nine-episode series!  (Find them all here.)  In this episode, we're digging into why we play for brain development and real learning.  There are many people who say they support play for young children, but question whether or not we need play in school, or who might argue that play is important, as long as we get the work of learning done first.  So today, we'll talk about why play and learning aren't as separate as people might think. Find show notes at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode64

In this episode, we're digging into why we play for mental health. It's not just something we think is true or that sounds nice, it's a claim that's backed up by science and statistics.  There's something about play that is essential to developing and maintaining our mental health.  We'll dig into those findings and what they mean for our youngest learners. Find show notes at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode63

I'm excited to be kicking off something special today.  For years, I've been speaking at workshops and conferences about the power of play in the early learning environment, which sparked the series of parent letters I've written, called Why We Play.  This month, I'll be sharing a special podcast series with the same name: Why We Play.  Every Tuesday and Thursday in February, you'll find a new episode sharing the science and stories behind why we play, evidence that play is not just cute, it's incredibly powerful. This Why We Play podcast series is long overdue – I'm so excited to jump into a topic I'm SO passionate about and to share some fascinating, compelling research that I absolutely love nerding out on.  I hope you'll join me for the whole month of February. Whether you're a champion for play or a playful learning skeptic, this series is just for you. Find Show Notes at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode62  

Find Show Notes Here Dr. Dale Farran has spent the better part of the last 50 years researching early childhood education.  But some of her most famous research has come about rather recently, as she directs the evaluation of the Tennessee Voluntary PreK Program.  This study is one of the most fascinating pieces of recent research in early childhood education. With a randomly controlled trial, Farran's team found that after an initial PreK year, children who participated scored higher than children who didn't. After the two groups converged for their kindergarten year, however, that difference disappeared.  That's not too surprising – a “fade out” effect is often observed in early childhood research.  Where this study really started making waves was with the follow-up data.  After the participating children completed their third-grade year, Farran and her team found that the PreK group actually scored *below* the other children on the math and science sections of their standardized tests  - and by statistically significant margins.  By the sixth-grade year, more alarm bells sounded.  The PreK participants were scoring below the nonparticipants on not only math and science (and by a greater factor than was seen in third grade) but now, also on English language arts as well.  Perhaps more concerning, they were also getting in more trouble at school and receiving more expulsions. While some may have been tempted to bury unexpected results, Dr. Farran and her team decided to get curious and ask what could be learned.  The rest of us get to make the same choice – ignore the research, or get curious and find something to learn. Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode61

Challenging behaviors are nothing new in early childhood education.  And yet, there's something different going on.  For a variety of reasons, challenging behaviors seem to be increasing both in intensity and frequency.  Dayna Abraham is no stranger to challenging behaviors.  As a board certified teacher and a mom to 3 neuro-divergent children, Dayna has sat on both sides of the table when it comes to these challenges.  She's developed a compassionate approach based on science and experience to help bring peace and calm to homes and classrooms. Dayna is the author of Calm the Chaos: A Failproof Roadmap for Parenting Even the Most Challenging Kids, which can be preordered now ahead of it's release on August 15th.  And I'm so excited to have her share what she's discovered. Find Shownotes at notjustcute.com/podcast/episode60

I'm talking to someone I've wanted to share with you for a long time.  One of my best friends from grad school, Kelli Barker.  She's now the director of the Adelle and Dale Young child development lab school at Utah State University.  She's sharing what a lab school is as well as what she's learned about helping college students and preservice teachers understand human development and apply that to their personal and professional lives.    I think you're going to love Kelli's insight on preparing young professionals and on applying human development principles to life.  Find show notes at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode59

Malia Hollowell is the author of The Science of Reading in Action and the creator of the site Playdough to Plato.  She's a National Board Certified educator who's helping to put the science of reading into action with playful, hands on experiences.  Her book, website, and Instagram are full of fantastic examples and resources.  Her primary focus is grades K-2, but depending on where your littles are skill-wise, you may find loads of great activities that are appropriate for preK as well.  Find show notes at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode58

Have you been asked how your preschool room aligns with the Science of Reading?  Or maybe you've seen videos of two year olds reading and the sales page headlines saying that simply applying the *science* can give all toddlers the advantage they deserve?  Well, in this episode, we're adding on to the basic background and history of the science of reading found in the previous episode, and digging deeper into what all this science means in the preschool classroom. Show notes: www.notjustcute.com/podcast/episode57

I've talked and written a lot about early literacy over the years, but I've avoided one very popular term: The Science of Reading.  I decided to keep my head down and my work research-based and just stay out of the fray of nailing down the specific jargon.  But with more and more states and districts requiring “Science of Reading compliant curriculum," it's important for early childhood educators to know what that means, what it doesn't mean, and how it impacts our practice.  If The Science of Reading is not a familiar term to you, no worries, we're going to walk through it and some of the terms associated with it….and if you ARE familiar with the term, I hope you'll bring whatever background knowledge you have and be ready to find some new perspectives here.  Shownotes: www.notjustcute.com/podcast/episode56

Rae Pica is a force.  As a speaker, consultant, and the author of over 20 books in addition to articles in many popular publications, Rae Pica has been an outspoken voice for children and childhood for more than 4 decades.  Constant in that career has been her passion for protecting childhood and calling others to action.   In this episode, she's talking with me about her newest book on advocating for children and for the early childhood profession, and also giving us a peek into her writing process.  Whether you've been wondering about speaking up in your educational community or about taking your message to a wider audience in book form, you're in the right place. Find Show Notes at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode55

Childcare Resources of Indian River in Vero Beach, Florida began with three tenacious educators going out of their way to create something better for 25 children.  Today, the ripple effect of their efforts has grown into something that impacts 3000 children and still growing.  In this episode I'm talking with Childcare Resources' executive director, Shannon McGuire Bowman as well as the director of the school that has grown out of that early program, Tara Beard.  They're sharing how one simple idea has grown into a robust community effort to serve children and families who would likely otherwise slip through the cracks. This is one big story about taking the next small step. Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode54

When holistic psychologist Dr. Nicole Beurkens attends to a brain-based challenge, she doesn't look only at the ways she could change the brain.  She looks at the many things that impact the brain and starts there.  Nutrition, sleep, environment, input.  There's so much that contributes to the challenging behaviors we see -- and we have more control over many of them than we think we do! If you're curious about how to create an environment that will help the developing brain work at its best, you'll love this episode! Find Show Notes at: https://www.notjustcute.com/podcast/episode53

I'm talking with Dr. Rachel Romeo about her follow up research to Hart & Risley's famous 30 million word gap.  She's sharing how language shapes development and why interactions matter beyond word counts. Show notes and links at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode52

In this episode, I'm talking with Dr. Dana Winters, executive director of the Fred Rogers Institute about how the work of Fred Rogers continues today. It's one of my favorites. You'll want the show notes.  Find them at: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode51

Early last month, NPR published an article with the title, “A top researcher says it's time to rethink our entire approach to preschool”.  Maybe you saw it, or like me, maybe you had several people send it to you because they knew you'd find it fascinating. The article featured developmental psychologist and researcher Dr. Dale Farran and her reflections on the most recent round of startling outcomes from the Tennessee Voluntary PreK cohort, which she and her colleagues at Vanderbilt University have been studying for more than a decade. The article struck a nerve, particularly its last line which said, “We might actually get better results, … from simply letting little children play.” In this episode, I'll be diving into some of the context around this article and the study it references.  We'll talk about what we can learn from these results and why these lessons apply far beyond the scope of the popular article. Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode50

Find Show Notes at notjustcute.com/podcast/episode49 This episode comes from a livestream I did with Leaders Lounge summit organizer, Beth Cannon.  We talked about her experience helping early education teams get clear about their purpose and about their process.  We take on a topic that makes many educators uncomfortable – business – and talk about how certain business concepts, help us build better teams, have clearer communication with parents, and overall, simply improve the way we serve children and families.  Beth also gives the inside scoop on her upcoming summit, the Leaders Lounge.  This unique online summit includes resources focused on both classroom teachers and program directors.  Inside the summit, you'll find value-packed presentation from an array of speakers on topics that will lead to true transformation for yourself and your team.  You'll learn about theory and practice, but also practical tips on how to implement systems that allow you automate, delegate, or eliminate some of the more redundant tasks and free up more time to the things that create a lasting impact.  The Leaders Lounge offers inspiration, application, and connection for professionals who want to make a lasting difference.  The summit takes place online Friday January 14th – Monday January 17th , 2022. (Link to register in show notes.)

If you've spent much time listening to children's music, you've likely heard of Laurie Berkner.  And if you haven't, you'll be thanking me for the introduction later.  Laurie Berkner has a gift not only for creating engaging music that even adults actually like, but for truly seeing, hearing, and respecting children in the process.  For her, each performance is really about connection first.  If you're looking for new music in your classroom, you'll definitely find that here, but you'll also learn some surprising insights about how we show up for and connect with children in meaningful ways.  Let's jump in! Find Show Notes at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode48

I'm talking with Vanessa Levin of PreK Pages and Teaching Trailblazers about how we can better support each other as educators!

Meghan Fitzgerald has combined her many professional and personal experiences with her passion for learning, play, and nature, to create Tinkergarten, a program that supports caregivers in providing children with powerful outdoor play experiences.  In this episode, she shares her insights on how and why playing in nature benefits every child's development and supports healthier, happier growth. Show Notes at:  https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode46

I had a great conversation recently with my friend, Rae Pica, about how and why we should get parents on board with play-based, developmentally appropriate education. Show Notes: www.https://notjustcute.com/podast/episode45

You may be familiar with Sally Haughey's amazing work through Fairy Dust Teaching, a site committed to respecting the whole child, community, play, and education as a living, breathing art form. She began the site in 2010, as a place to collect and share her own thoughts as an early childhood educator.  In the eleven years since then, it has grown into a global community and has been the springboard for two books and multiple conferences and summits, all focused on the beauty and wonder and magic of early learning.  Sally is a brilliant balance of down to earth accessibility and enchanting inspiration.  I know you're going to love her as we talk about the importance of wonder, play, and building up great humans! Show Note: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode44

Matis Miller is the author of the new book, The Uncontrollable Child.  He's a licensed clinical social worker and therapist and the founder, director, and supervisor of The Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy of New Jersey.  Certified in both cognitive and dialectical behavior therapies, Matis brings a unique perspective on the balance point between extremes – something that is often missing in conversations about challenging childhood behaviors.  If you've been wanting to show up to behavior challenges with more confidence and clarity, you are in the right place.  Find show notes at www.https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode43

Dr. Borba's newest book, THRIVERS: The Surprising Reason Why Some Kids Struggle While Others Shine, combines scientific studies, input from dozens of researchers/experts focusing on resilience, and interviews with more than 100 young people from all walks of life.  Through all of that research, Dr. Borba found something surprising: the difference between those who struggle and those who succeed comes down not to grades or test scores, but to seven character traits that set Thrivers apart (and set them up for happiness and greater accomplishment later in life).   Find show notes at https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode42

One year ago, Allison McDonald was teaching preschool in the state of Washington and writing her popular blog, No Time for Flash Cards.  Like many other teachers, her class was suddenly canceled when the pandemic hit and the world shut down.  After the initial shock, her school began talking about how they could safely move forward and continue serving children and families.  While working with her team to answer those questions, Allison was fielding similar questions from teachers in her online world as well.  Over the past year, she’s been innovating to serve her own students while also supporting teachers around the globe during this unique and challenging period.  Through it all, she’s not only discovered tips and concepts to help teachers through a pandemic, but she’s also identified key questions that we can all use to guide us now AND as we move forward.  Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode41

Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode40   After the U.S.- based National Association for the Education of Young Children – or NAEYC – launched its national accreditation system for early childhood learning programs in the early 1980s, they made an interesting observation.  While their accreditation criteria frequently referenced the term “developmentally appropriate practice”, when they met with different people across a variety of programs, they found little agreement about what that term actually meant.  In response, the association released a position statement in the mid-80s to help create a more cohesive understanding and application of the term across the field of early education.   In the same spirit of responsive care that they endorse, NAEYC revises and updates their position statement about every 10 years to respond to the current state of research and social discourse, and to clarify misunderstandings.   The Fourth Edition of NAEYC’s Position Statement was released at the end of 2020.  If you’ve been curious about what kind of changes can be found in this latest edition, I’ll be jumping into some of the main concepts and key changes in this episode.

Several years ago, Pat Rumbaugh was nicknamed “The Play Lady.”  And the nickname stuck.  After spending 25 years getting young people to play through her work as a PE teacher and tennis coach, she co-founded Let’s Play America and took on the task of encouraging people of ALL ages across the nation to prioritize play.  We’ll be talking about why play matters and how we can do a better job of setting aside time to play every day.  In her TEDx Talk, Saving Play- One Playful Step at a Time, Pat not only shared her important message, but she delivered part of it while hula-hooping.  Pat is clearly playfully passionate, and she has an important message to share today.   Find Show Notes At: https://www.notjustcute.com/podcast/episode39

I'm so excited for you to meet Heather Jackson, director of the Reggio-inspired Sunflower School. In this episode she shares her thoughts on verbs as thematic units, slowing down to capture the true intentions of the children we work with, and the beauty and importance in the magical thinking of childhood. Whether you aspire to teach specifically from the Reggio philosophy or not, you will find so much inspiration in this episode. If you’ve been wondering how you could do an even better job of bringing a child-centered approach to your curriculum or if you’re looking to bring more of the magic of childhood into your teaching practices, you are in for a treat. Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode38

Rae Pica is a force to be reckoned with.  With her unapologetic straight-talk, she has been advocating for children and for whole child education for decades, filling shelves of books with her words and inspiring educators around the world.    Her latest book, What if We taught the Way Children Learn, fits the pattern, calling into question the many instances where our common practices seem to be at odds with what should be common sense about how young children learn and grow.  In fact, Dr. Eric Jensen says: “Rae Pica’s powerful, thought-provoking book provides rare and uncommon. Our kids would be MUCH better off if we practiced the way this book suggests we do, and so would the educators around them.”   If you’ve ever questioned the status quo in early education or wondered how you could better educate the whole child – particularly during this time of unique regulations – you’re going to want to listen to what Rae Pica has to share.   Find Show Notes at: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode37

Today I’m talking with Dr. Nefertiti Poyner of the Devereaux Center for Resilient Children and I’m going to to tell you right now, she is an absolute delight.  Educators and the children they love and teach are being stretched in every direction,  Dr. Poyner shares some of the principles that create the “ordinary magic” that helps us all to bounce back.  She shares a fantastic script for building resilience and relationships in the midst of all the frustration that children are feeling as they navigate new restrictions in the classroom and helps us all to remember how to “live today well.”   Find show notes at https://www.notjustcute.com/podcast/episode36

It’s back to school time, and normally that means getting back to the structure of something familiar….but this year is totally different.  And it’s different for each of you.  I’ve been thinking about how to kick off this new school year, with a pep talk of sorts, and somehow address all of the challenges and all of these differences in a way that applies to each of you in your unique circumstances. Show Note: https://www.notjustcute.com/podcast/episode35

Today I’m talking with Vanessa Levin, experienced early childhood educator and creator of the wildly popular site Pre-K Pages, which is chock full of activities and resources for early childhood teachers.  She’s an accomplished trainer and advocate who’s passionate about helping educators teach well AND save time.  I asked her to talk with me today about the importance of play in early childhood education with some extra attention to how playful learning can go hand in hand with meeting objectives and promoting literacy. Show Notes at: notjustcute.com/podcast/episode34

As states and districts begin this trickling process of making final announcements about the school year, many closing -at least physically – for the remainder of the school year, I’ve seen heartbreak reflected over and over in educators around the country.  These feelings of loss.  Over the progress we were making.  Over the plans we’d set out.  Over the routine we loved – a hundred little precious things that happened every day.  Over the work we love, and most of all, over these children we love.  There’s a collective mourning over the school year we thought we’d have.   Jill Riley talks with me about how to acknowledge and process our grief and why we need to do that in order to get "unstuck" and move forward. Find show notes at: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode33

In this episode, we’ll cover a quick review of what serve and return interactions are as well as what the newest research tells us about why they’re so important. Find Show Notes at: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode32

Author of Zoey & Sassafras and creator of the publishing house, Innovation Press, Asia Citro is truly a woman on a mission to help young children think creatively and see themselves as scientists.  You’ll want to catch what Asia has to say about helping children see themselves as scientists and how we can all learn to see that science is truly everywhere.  I think she’ll give you a lot to think about as she challenges us to see failure as a necessity and to overcome our adult tendency to over-control the science experiences and instead invite more ownership from our youngest scientists.   Show Notes: https://notjustcute.com/podcast/episode31

Cooking can be a powerful activity for young children. From literacy skills, math skills, fine motor skills, and sensory and science experiences, along with the confidence that comes from taking risks, learning from failures, and sharing time and food with others, time in the kitchen with kids is time well spent. I’ve invited my friend, Tiffany Dahle to talk with us about her experiences with teaching children to cook. She’s the author of two cookbooks for kids – The Ultimate Kids’ Cookbook, and The Ultimate Kids’ Baking Book -- and author of the blog, Peanut Blossom. (In the interview, you’ll hear her mention that the baking book hasn’t released yet, but it actually *just came out yesterday*.) Tiffany and I have known each other for about a decade now, and as the online world often works – we’ve been emailing and messaging for years, but this is the first time we’ve finally be able to connect for a live conversation. She has some fantastic things to say about the importance of starting small, cooking and baking as a type of play, and why managing risk has everything to do with experience and practice rather than avoidance. Get the show notes at: https://www.notjustcute.com/podcast/episode30

Why are there so many reports of children frequently falling out of their seats?  Why is behavior becoming more and more of a challenge in the classroom?  And why are delayed fine motor skills becoming more and more prevalent?  One common thread, as my guest Rae Pica will explain, is movement.  In Rae’s new book, Acting Out, she addresses not only why a lack of movement is causing serious problems for our youngest learners, but also how we can get more movement into the classroom and what kind of payoff will result.  Rae has been an advocate for movement and for developmentally appropriate practice for almost 4 decades now and has a wealth of experience to share. Shownotes: https://www.notjustcute.com/podcast/episode29