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That Early Childhood Nerd

Early Childhood Nerdwork
Early Childhood Education
Play
Schema Play Theory
Free Play
Education
Circle Time
Schema Play
Child-Led Play
Visual Perception
Self-Regulation
Kindergarten
Children's Rights
Language Development
Liberating Childhood
Emergent Curriculum
Kinesthetic Musicality
Rough-and-Tumble Play
School Readiness
Nap Time
NAEYC

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes418Foundeda year ago
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Education

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Artwork for That Early Childhood Nerd

Latest Episodes

In this episode, we revisit Little Women and its themes of caregiving and invisible labor. From Marmee's care work at home and in the community, emotional and domestic responsibilities of the March sisters, Beth's almost martyr-like caring, and Hanna... more

It’s the show’s 10th anniversary! In honor of the anniversary, we are releasing FIVE episodes this week, starting with a re-release of the very first episode.

This episode originally aired on August 1, 2016...back then the podcast was called Cause a... more

Let's talk autistic play and autistic joy! Host Heather Bernt-Santy is joined in this episode by autistic educator, preschool teacher, and disability justice advocate Kara Ketter and the conversation starts with this quote:

“If I could change three ... more

In her article for Exchange's winter 2025 issue on Protecting Play, Kimberlee Hendricks shares how her program's commitment to providing a space that belonged to children, that protected play required that they surrender some things, and that they re... more

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Recent Guests

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
Gennie Gorback
Play expert, author of Go Play
Go Play book authors
Episode: NERD 0412 Go Play! with Gennie Gorback and Kate Allen Fox
Kate Allen Fox
Writer and science communicator, co-author of Go Play
Go Play book authors
Episode: NERD 0412 Go Play! with Gennie Gorback and Kate Allen Fox
Denita Dinger
Early childhood educator and consultant who emphasizes listening to children
Listen to the Children (consultant brand)
Episode: NERD 0411 Why Can't Children Self Regulate? with Denita Dinger
Cara Tyrrell
Author of Talk to Them Early and Often, educator and speaker
Author, Educator
Episode: NERD 0409 Talk to Them Early and Often with Cara Tyrrell

Host

Heather Bernt-Santy
Host of That Early Childhood Nerd

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 9 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 States2 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 States2 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 States10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Hosts bring clear passion and practical guidance for families and educators.
High-quality guests and useful takeaways for classrooms and policy contexts.
Engaging, thoughtful discussions on early childhood that mix research with real-life practices.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
NERD_0375 Trauma Informed Practices in Early Childhood
Q: Do you feel strongly about phrasing in terms of trauma-responsive versus trauma-informed?
The guest explains that while trauma-informed is a foundational starting point, trauma-responsive and healing-centered approaches go further by actively addressing responses, routines, and supports in ways that reduce re-traumatization and deepen resilience for both children and caregivers.
NERD_0384 Child Care for All with Author Elliot Haspel
Q: What does 'child care for all' mean in practical terms beyond subsidies?
It means a broad, inclusive view of child care as a public good delivered by a variety of providers, with strong funding and support for all families, including stay-at-home parents and FFN caregivers, so that care is high quality and accessible.

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?

Listeners are drawn to careful, research-informed discussions about early childhood education, play, and nurturing relationships. Episodes frequently explore play-based parenting, developmentally appropriate practice, screen time, rest and regulation, language development, and care ethics, often translating theory into practical guidance for families and educators. A standout through-line is balancing evidence with humane, relationship-centered approaches, emphasizing accessibility of research, and empowering practitioners to foster joyful, meaningful learning environments for young children. The show regularly features authors, researchers, and educators who challenge traditional narratives and advocate for more child-centered, equitable a... more

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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
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3. Teaching With The Body In Mind
4. The Mel Robbins Podcast
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How many episodes of That Early Childhood Nerd are there?

That Early Childhood Nerd launched a year ago and published 418 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. Kimberlee Hendricks
2. Charleen Kepner
3. Megan Zeni
4. Mariana Brussoni
5. Sue Stacey
6. Gennie Gorback
7. Kate Allen Fox
8. Denita Dinger

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