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Artwork for That Early Childhood Nerd

That Early Childhood Nerd

Early Childhood Nerdwork
Early Childhood Education
Play
Education
Schema Play Theory
Free Play
Little Women
Circle Time
Schema Play
Play-Based Learning
Child-Led Play
Visual Perception
Self-Regulation
Kindergarten
Children's Rights
Language Development
Emergent Curriculum
Liberating Childhood
Kinesthetic Musicality
Inclusion
Rough-and-Tumble Play

If you love thinking deeply about childhood, early childhood education, caring for children, and supporting children’s right to play, this is the podcast for you! Each week, host and self-proclaimed early childhood nerd Heather Bernt-Santy invites practitioners, writers, and thinkers who share her commitment to doing the very best we can for children, their caregivers and teachers, and their famil... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes426Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Education

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Artwork for That Early Childhood Nerd

Latest Episodes

In this episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy is joined by Kylie Cooper, Jamie Bonczyk, and Lucy Recio to discuss their recent Exchange article titled Reclaiming Our Legacy of Imagining and Building Worlds: Countering Fascism.

Jamie shares:

The article... more

This week, our guest is Amy Reyes-Hauff, ECE consultant and outdoor play advocate, who recently published the book Why Did They Do That? It's Not a Behavior Problem, It's a Biological Reaction.

Why Did They Do That reframes the tumultuous preschool ... more

What is the adult's role if children are allowed to "just play?" It's a question host Heather Bernt-Santy hears often as she talks with early childhood practitioners. Thank goodness Suzanne Axelsson has done a lot of thinking and writing about it!

I... more

Early childhood consultant and author Jacky Howell is this week's Guest Nerd and she's here to talk to host Heather Bernt-Santy about the empathy and kindness she knows young children are capable of.

The conversation begins with a quote from one of ... more

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Recent Guests

Suzanne Axelsson
Play activist based in Stockholm, Sweden; author of The Original Learning Approach; runs Playarista trainings
Stockholm, Sweden
Episode: NERD 0425 Play and Adult Roles with Suzanne Axelsson
Jacky Howell
Author of Reflection, Perspective-Taking and Social Justice in the Early Childhood Classroom; consultant
Aspire; School for Friends (DC area)
Episode: NERD 0424 Empathy and Kindness in Early Childhood Classrooms with Jacky Howell
Sam Balch
Education professional and guest on the episode
Episode: TECN Bonus Episode 2: Caregiving and Invisible Labor
Kara Ketter
Educator and autistic advocate
Independent educator and advocate
Episode: NERD 0421 Autistic Play and Autistic Joy with Kara Ketter
Kimberlee Hendricks
Early childhood educator and researcher; entrepreneur; doctoral student
Independent/Preschool leadership roles; Chicago area
Episode: NERD 0420 We Have Surrendered to the Children with Kimberlee Hendricks
Charleen Kepner
Early childhood educator and researcher focused on Caroline Pratt
Independent researcher (thesis author)
Episode: NERD 0419 Caroline Pratt: More Than Just Blocks (But We Love the Blocks!)
Megan Zeni
Canadian public school district educational leader focusing on early learning and outdoor learning
Public education (Canada)
Episode: NERD 0416 Risky Play at School with Megan Zeni and Mariana Brussoni
Mariana Brussoni
Professor at University of British Columbia; Director of the Human Early Learning Partnership
University of British Columbia
Episode: NERD 0416 Risky Play at School with Megan Zeni and Mariana Brussoni
Sue Stacey
Educator and author focusing on Emergent Curriculum
Educator and author
Episode: NERD 0413 Emergent Curriculum with Sue Stacey

Hosts

Heather Bernt-Santy
Host of That Early Childhood Nerd; long-time facilitator of conversations on care, play, and policy in early childhood education
Lizz Nolasco
Host of Pre-Primary Sources; frequent co-host for special episodes and discussions on practice and policy

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 10 ratings
  • Fix your intro—you deserve it

    This show is terrific and a huge resource for me as a beginning Early Childhood Educator. I’m not a beginning entertainer, though, I have a rich background in the arts. Your intro is all wrong. It does’t fit the quality of your show and it belittles your professional curiosity. No one uses nerd as insult any more. It does not translate that you’re even proud of your content with this intro. Please please please take better care of yourself and record an intro that reflects your authenticity: cur... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RebelYogi17
    United States3 months ago
  • What’s up with the intro?

    Great content, but it sounds like you may have not listened to your intro in a while. Super glitchy and bad editing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tchizzle0328
    United States4 months ago
  • An Amazing Resource

    Heather brings the best of early childhood education together to discuss relevant topics for caregivers, teachers, and ECEC advocates

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bethany Corrie
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Strong resource for caregivers and educators; guests provide evidence-informed insights.
Intro could be tighter; the content is strong but the opener drags on.
Guests consistently bring fresh, practical perspectives for teachers.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

NERD 0424 Empathy and Kindness in Early Childhood Classrooms with Jacky Howell
Q: How have classroom pets and routines served as vehicles for empathy and responsibility?
Pets provide real-life caregiving opportunities that require kids to consider another being's needs, which extends to caring for peers and family members, and helps children practice patience, observation, and compassionate action.
NERD 0424 Empathy and Kindness in Early Childhood Classrooms with Jacky Howell
Q: Why did you include social justice in the book's title, and what does it mean in early childhood settings?
Social justice is about recognizing fairness and belonging as everyday experiences; through stories and reflective practice, teachers can help children understand and practice empathy, equity, and care in concrete ways, even in simple classroom routines.
NERD_0370 Surviving the Child Care Crisis
Q: How can we build approaches that align with developmentally appropriate practice, honor educators, and center children?
Centering the child across pedagogy, anti-oppressive and anti-bias frameworks, and flexible, play-based environments that still maintain rigor for adults fosters a space where children's joy and learning are prioritized without sacrificing educator well-being.
NERD_0370 Surviving the Child Care Crisis
Q: So what's your dream situation where there's systemic support for the people doing the work with young children?
The guest envisions liberation for educators, full autonomy to prioritize what is best for children over checklists, and a move away from pretending to be robots toward a system that truly centers human needs and joy in early education.
NERD_0370 Surviving the Child Care Crisis
Q: So do you think that it will, it requires or will happen or, I don't know, when you say you think we're on that path now, do you think it's going to be systemic?
The guest expresses belief that change will be both systemic and gradual, beginning with individual programs and daily practice while expanding through collective action as bubbles of reform grow and arm-in-arm efforts expand over the next decade.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About That Early Childhood Nerd

What is That Early Childhood Nerd about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on early childhood education through a progressive, practitioner-focused lens. Episodes frequently explore topics like empathy, play, relational care, and social justice in classrooms, often blending practical classroom strategies with research-grounded theory. Across conversations, guests and hosts challenge conventional timelines, promote child-centered pedagogy, and emphasize caregiver and teacher well-being, equity, and community involvement. A standout trait is a consistent emphasis on turning everyday interactions and policy discussions into actionable practices that honor children's rights, joy, and belonging, often using stories, literature, and real-world schooling examples to illuminate concepts.

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Which podcasts are similar to That Early Childhood Nerd?

These podcasts share a similar audience with That Early Childhood Nerd:

1. Liberated Learning
2. Pre-Primary Sources
3. Teaching With The Body In Mind
4. Respectful Parenting: Janet Lansbury Unruffled
5. Clutterbug - Real-Life Hacks and Tips to Declutter, Organize and Clean your Home Fast

How many episodes of That Early Childhood Nerd are there?

That Early Childhood Nerd launched a year ago and published 426 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on That Early Childhood Nerd?

Recent guests on That Early Childhood Nerd include:

1. Suzanne Axelsson
2. Jacky Howell
3. Sam Balch
4. Kara Ketter
5. Kimberlee Hendricks
6. Charleen Kepner
7. Megan Zeni
8. Mariana Brussoni

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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