For the Love of Play

By Playgroup Victoria

A podcast created by Playgroup Victoria exploring childhood, community, family and belonging.

... more

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about For the Love of Play:

How many episodes does For the Love of Play have?

The podcast currently has 20 episodes available.

For the Love of Play episodes:

August 09, 2026S3 EP5: Kate and Jack from CERES - An Education For Life Begins With Nature
Send us Fan Mail
"Play takes you to a magical place. And it's where everyone learns the most."

In Conversation with Kate Kantor and Jack Nielsen – Educators at CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies)

In the final episode of For the Love of Play's third season, we head to the community gardens of CERES to chat with educators, Kate Kantor and Jack Nielsen.
Kate and Jack, who work with children in the centre's early education programme, talk to us about what makes nature play so unique and beneficial for everyone, but especially youngsters.
The conversation winds and twists like the paths at CERES. Kate talks about coming to CERES from a theatre background, while Jack discusses his move from music to early childhood learning.
Together, they discuss the importance of celebrating all the seasons and playing in different types of weather - even weather typically considered "inclement". Kate tells us how vital it is for adults to affirm the imaginary worlds of children and Jack mentions one of the best parts of play being the absence of "wrong" answers.
About CERES
Established on the site of a bluestone quarry that had been turned into a rubbish dump, CERES was transformed in 1982. A community-led campaign turned into an environmental revitalisation effort, and what had become a polluted place, devoid of plant and animal life, was quickly turned into a suburban oasis on the banks of the Merri Creek. Today, CERES is home to a nursery, bookstore, urban farms, a wood merchant and an education centre. It also runs a nature playgroup.

The CERES website
CERES' Nature Playgroup page

Show Links
Website: For the Love of Play
Listen to all episodes: Buzzsprout
Follow us on Instagram: @fortheloveofplaypodcast
Learn More About Playgroup Victoria
Website: playgroup.org.au
Instagram: @playgroupvicofficial
Facebook: Playgroup Victoria
LinkedIn: Playgroup Victoria
Episode Credits
Hosted by Mylie Nauendorf and Sinead Halliday.
Interview conducted by Sinead Halliday.
Edited by Jonathan Rivett.
Mastering by James North Productions.
Music by Selina Byrne.
And thanks to our little friends Laddy, Lucy, Toby, Andie and Adelaide for voicing the intro.
Enjoyed This Episode?
Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a conversation. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with friends and family.

Support the show
...more
58min
August 02, 2026S3 EP4: Nelly Thomas - Writing Your Own Script
Send us Fan Mail
"A good comedian speaks truth to power."

In Conversation with Nelly Thomas – Comedian, Author and Broadcaster

In the fourth episode of For the Love of Play's third season, we shoot the breeze with comedian Nelly Thomas.
She discusses being a BMX champion at a young age, the fact that boredom often acts as a catalyst for creativity, coming to Melbourne from Western Australia to pursue postgrad studies and the way her life changed after stumbling into the world of comedy.
Nelly also talks about being the first person in her family to go to university, and about becoming an author after growing up in a rural, working-class home without many books.
The conversation also covers neurodiversity, a subject that Nelly has thought about carefully and written about extensively.
About Our Guest
Nelly Thomas is a comedian, conversationalist and companion to many through her writing and broadcasting. She shares human experiences, seeking to find meaning in topics that challenge us and connect us: culture, equality, health, gender and neurodiversity. Through candid humour and stories, Nelly brings us together, highlighting that that understanding can be a bridge between people.
Nelly's website
Nelly 's Penguin Publishing profile
Show Links
Website: For the Love of Play
Listen to all episodes: Buzzsprout
Follow us on Instagram: @fortheloveofplaypodcast
Learn More About Playgroup Victoria
Website: playgroup.org.au
Instagram: @playgroupvicofficial
Facebook: Playgroup Victoria
LinkedIn: Playgroup Victoria
Episode Credits
Hosted by Mylie Nauendorf and Sinead Halliday.
Interview conducted by Sinead Halliday.
Edited by Jonathan Rivett.
Mastering by James North Productions.
Music by Selina Byrne.
And thanks to our little friends Laddy, Lucy, Toby, Andie and Adelaide for voicing the intro.
Enjoyed This Episode?
Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a conversation. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with friends and family.

Support the show
...more
1h 14min
July 12, 2026S3 EP3: Jay Laga'aia - The Power of Performing Through Play
Send us Fan Mail
"Our children have to hear our stories in our own voices."

In Conversation with Jay Laga'aia – Actor, Children's Entertainer and Singer

In the third episode of For the Love of Play's third season, we chat with actor and musician Jay Laga'aia.
Jay discusses the joy and fun of a large family, the lessons he's learnt as a parent and the bittersweet moment of pushing a child's 'canoe' out into the open sea.
Beloved for his hosting role on the legendary Australian children's show Play School, Jay tells us how performing for children has taught him valuable life lessons.
The conversation also covers the wisdom of older family members, the importance of local television programming, the universal nature of music and much more.

About Our Guest
Jay is a proud Polynesian man who spent his youth in New Zealand before crossing the Tasman to begin his career in Australia as a performer. He started out acting in the primetime television program Water Rats, before starring in Hollywood blockbuster Star Wars, as well as Australian TV classics Home and Away and Play School. Alongside his time performing for early years audiences, he has played Mufasa in The Lion King musical, Vince Fontaine in Grease the musical and Shrek in the popular stage show.
Jay's Instagram
Jay on Spotify
Show Links
Website: For the Love of Play
Listen to all episodes: Buzzsprout
Follow us on Instagram: @fortheloveofplaypodcast
Learn More About Playgroup Victoria
Website: playgroup.org.au
Instagram: @playgroupvicofficial
Facebook: Playgroup Victoria
LinkedIn: Playgroup Victoria
Episode Credits
Hosted by Mylie Nauendorf and Sinead Halliday.
Interview conducted by Sinead Halliday.
Edited by Jonathan Rivett.
Mastering by James North Productions.
Music by Selina Byrne.
And thanks to our little friends Laddy, Lucy, Toby, Andie and Adelaide for voicing the intro.
Enjoyed This Episode?
Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a conversation. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with friends and family.

Support the show
...more
50min
July 05, 2026S3 EP2: Jane Edmanson - Growing Goodness in the Great Outdoors
Send us Fan Mail
"I think gardening teaches you resilience. And awareness that things go on."

In Conversation with Jane Edmanson – Gardener, Horticulturalist and TV Host

It's the third season of For the Love of Play and in our second episode, we have a chinwag with gardener and TV personality, Jane Edmanson.
Jane discusses her early years travelling overseas, her experiences in England, "the home of horticulture", and her start in nurseries at a time when women rarely pursued a career in the area.
She talks about overcoming her natural shyness to begin working on TV as a gardening expert, which turned into a 35-year stint on Gardening Australia.
Jane mentions the many reasons she loves plants, gardens and the great outdoors, including her interest in the Japanese concept of forest bathing. She suggests "garden bathing" as a way of slowing down in a world that asks us to constantly go fast.
About Our Guest
Jane Edmanson has wandered down thousands of garden paths in her time - and forged many of her own. At a time when it was unheard of for women to work in nurseries, Jane prevailed, knowing that there was something in the career worth pursuing. Getting her hands in the soil prepared her for what was to come. She has been part of the team at Gardening Australia for 35 years, only recently stepping back from the camera, but not from the communities of gardeners across Australia.

Jane's Gardening Australia profile
Jane's Instagram
Show Links
Website: For the Love of Play
Listen to all episodes: Buzzsprout
Follow us on Instagram: @fortheloveofplaypodcast
Learn More About Playgroup Victoria
Website: playgroup.org.au
Instagram: @playgroupvicofficial
Facebook: Playgroup Victoria
LinkedIn: Playgroup Victoria
Episode Credits
Hosted by Mylie Nauendorf and Sinead Halliday.
Interview conducted by Sinead Halliday.
Edited by Jonathan Rivett.
Mastering by James North Productions.
Music by Selina Byrne.
And thanks to our little friends Laddy, Lucy, Toby, Andie and Adelaide for voicing the intro.
Enjoyed This Episode?
Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a conversation. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with friends and family.

Support the show
...more
1h 10min
June 28, 2026S3 EP1: Jacinta Parsons - Keeping Curious And Embracing The Unexpected
Send us Fan Mail
"I just feel compelled to tell the truth."

In Conversation with Jacinta Parsons – Broadcaster, Writer and Public Speaker

To kick off season three of For the Love of Play, we welcome broadcaster, writer and speaker Jacinta Parsons into the studio. She brings warmth, wit and depth to our conversation on play.
Known for her radio work on ABC Melbourne and her books Unseen and A Question of Age, Jacinta reflects on curiosity, creativity and living with chronic illness. We explore how play can coexist with hardship, how asking bigger questions shapes our lives and why staying true to yourself matters.
This episode is a thoughtful and uplifting look at what it means to live playfully, even through life’s challenges.
About Our Guest
Jacinta Parsons began her career in radio more than 20 years ago at Triple R and has been speaking with Victorians across the airwaves ever since. Today she is the co-host of The Friday Revue with Brian Nankervis. She has published a memoir about living with Crohn's disease, a condition she has lived with for more than half of her life. A Melburnian through and through, she had the distinction of finishing top of the class in tram conductor training.
Jacinta's website
Jacinta's ABC Listen profile
Show Links
Website: For the Love of Play
Listen to all episodes: Buzzsprout
Follow us on Instagram: @fortheloveofplaypodcast
Learn More About Playgroup Victoria
Website: playgroup.org.au
Instagram: @playgroupvicofficial
Facebook: Playgroup Victoria
LinkedIn: Playgroup Victoria
Episode Credits
Hosted by Mylie Nauendorf and Sinead Halliday.
Interview conducted by Sinead Halliday.
Edited by Jonathan Rivett.
Mastering by James North Productions.
Music by Selina Byrne.
And thanks to our little friends Laddy, Lucy, Toby, Andie and Adelaide for voicing the intro.
Enjoyed This Episode?
Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a conversation. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with friends and family.

Support the show
...more
56min
June 23, 2026 Introducing Season 3 of For the Love of Play
Send us Fan Mail
For the Love of Play is a podcast by Playgroup Victoria exploring childhood, community, family and belonging... and play, of course, in its many wonderful forms.
In this short intro episode, we give listeners a glimpse at what you can expect from our third season.
Whether you are a parent, carer, educator or just someone curious about childhood, community and culture - come along with us as we explore, live, learn and grow through play!
Support the show
...more
2min
March 17, 2026S2 EP6: Ryan Carters - Sport And Conversation Creating Space For Dads
Send us Fan Mail
"I was happiest in the cricket world, and funnily enough I performed at my best, when I could tap into that childlike sense of play and love of the game."

In Conversation with Ryan Carters – Former Professional Cricketer and Founder of Dadfit

In this episode of For the Love of Play, we sit down with former professional cricketer and founder of dadfit, Ryan Carters.
He tells us about his childhood, including a love of cricket that began at the age of three, his work across the world raising money for disadvantaged women in cricket-playing countries and his community work back in Australia.
Ryan also tells us about dadfit, a grass roots not-for-profit which creates spaces for dads to reconnect with so much of what we love about childhood: play, a sense of fun and a feeling of belonging.
About Our Guest
Ryan Carters has carried the best of what he loved about top-level sport - mateship, empathy and teamwork - and directed it back into philanthropic and community work. A natural leader, Ryan founded dadfit, a "community on a mission to make dadding a team sport". Before turning his attention to parenting and mental health advocacy, Ryan played cricket for Victoria, New South Wales, the Sydney Sixers and the Sydney Thunder.
Ryan Carters' website
The dadfit website
Show Links
Website: For the Love of Play
Listen to all episodes: Buzzsprout
Follow us on Instagram: @fortheloveofplaypodcast
Learn More About Playgroup Victoria
Website: playgroup.org.au
Instagram: @playgroupvicofficial
Facebook: Playgroup Victoria
LinkedIn: Playgroup Victoria
Episode Credits
Hosted by Mylie Nauendorf and Sinead Halliday.
Interview conducted by Sinead Halliday.
Edited by Jonathan Rivett.
Mastering by James North Productions.
Music by Selina Byrne.
And thanks to our little friends Laddy, Toby and Adelaide for voicing the intro.
Enjoyed This Episode?
Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a conversation. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with friends and family.

Support the show
...more
51min
March 10, 2026S2 EP5: Matt Okine - Finding The Funny In Life's More Challenging Moments
Send us Fan Mail
"I share the realities of my life to try to de-stigmatise things. To let people know 'I'm going through this and you might be going through something similar. You're not alone here in this world.'"

In Conversation with Matt Okine – Comedian, Actor, Writer and Musician

In this episode of For the Love of Play, we chat with the "joker" (his daughter's word), actor and writer, Matt Okine.
He talks about the pain he suppressed after the death of his mother when he was just 12 years old, the unexpected joys of becoming a father and the fun that comes from making music for kids.
Matt spoke with us just a few weeks before touring Australia, including a stint at the Melbourne Comedy Festival where he is performing a show called Number 10 Hope Street.
About Our Guest
As a young man, Matt Okine had to make a choice between pursuing his talent for Australian rules football or his gifts in the arts. He chose the latter and the rest is history. He is now one of Australia's most popular comedians and actors. He is also a writer, producer and talented musician, performing for both adults and children.
Matt Okine's website
Matt's 2026 Comedy Festival page
Show Links
Website: For the Love of Play
Listen to all episodes: Buzzsprout
Follow us on Instagram: @fortheloveofplaypodcast
Learn More About Playgroup Victoria
Website: playgroup.org.au
Instagram: @playgroupvicofficial
Facebook: Playgroup Victoria
LinkedIn: Playgroup Victoria
Episode Credits
Hosted by Mylie Nauendorf and Sinead Halliday.
Interview conducted by Sinead Halliday.
Edited by Jonathan Rivett.
Mastering by James North Productions.
Music by Selina Byrne.
And thanks to our little friends Toby and Adelaide for voicing the intro.
Enjoyed This Episode?
Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a conversation. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with friends and family.

Support the show
...more
1h 5min
March 03, 2026S2 EP4: Justin Calverley - The Legacy And Life Force Of The Gardens We Grow
Send us Fan Mail
"I'm lucky enough to be a Gen Xer. We weren't allowed inside. Our generation was literally: 'Here's breakfast. Out you go. Be back by six.'"

In Conversation with Justin Calverley – Horticulturist and Author

In this episode of For the Love of Play, we have a yarn with horticulturist, author, garden lover and radio personality, Justin Calverley.
A man who loves grassroots work (in every sense of the word), Justin chatted with us about working in and with local communities, but also his own garden, a place for making memories that he hopes last generations.
Justin knows the power of pottering in the garden and, in the interview, talks about how gardening positively affects the wellbeing of people and the planet.
About Our Guest
Justin Calverley has spent decades devoting his days to the natural world, tending to the health of the soil and understanding the rhythms of different local ecosystems. Based in Melbourne, he is hands-on and passionate about urban gardening; it's a passion that comes through in his books and regular community radio discussions.
Justin's HarperCollins author profile
Justin's Instagram
Show Links
Website: For the Love of Play
Listen to all episodes: Buzzsprout
Follow us on Instagram: @fortheloveofplaypodcast
Learn More About Playgroup Victoria
Website: playgroup.org.au
Instagram: @playgroupvicofficial
Facebook: Playgroup Victoria
LinkedIn: Playgroup Victoria
Episode Credits
Hosted by Mylie Nauendorf and Sinead Halliday.
Interview conducted by Sinead Halliday.
Edited by Jonathan Rivett.
Mastering by James North Productions.
Music by Selina Byrne.
And thanks to our little friends Toby and Adelaide for voicing the intro.
Enjoyed This Episode?
Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a conversation. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with friends and family.

Support the show
...more
43min
February 24, 2026S2 EP3: Jackie French - You Cannot Survive by Yourself - You Need Stories, Community And Nature
Send us Fan Mail
"It's almost impossible to survive by yourself. But once you are working and linked together, you will not be defeated. You will be impregnable."

In Conversation with Jackie French – Author, Ecologist and Historian

In this episode of For the Love of Play, we speak with one of Australia's best-known and best-loved authors, Jackie French.
As she tells us in this frank and broad-ranging interview, Jackie experienced an extraordinary, and often incredibly difficult, childhood in Queensland. Teachers knew from a young age that she had learning difficulties - later diagnosed as dyslexia - but also that she was precociously bright and exceptionally talented. By nurturing her gifts, they helped her onto a path that has led to international renown.
Jackie discusses overcoming hardship through determination, as well as the help and generosity of others, seeking refuge (and new worlds) in books and the beauty of the place in which she's lived for the last half century.
About Our Guest
Jackie French wrote her first book at the age six and has gone on to publish over 200. Although she was an Australian Children's Laureate and is perhaps best known for her books for kids, she has also written many books for adults, including historical fiction, historical non-fiction, books on gardening and on ecology.
Jackie French's website
Jackie's HarperCollins profile
Show Links
Website: For the Love of Play
Listen to all episodes: Buzzsprout
Follow us on Instagram: @fortheloveofplaypodcast
Learn More About Playgroup Victoria
Website: playgroup.org.au
Instagram: @playgroupvicofficial
Facebook: Playgroup Victoria
LinkedIn: Playgroup Victoria
Episode Credits
Hosted by Mylie Nauendorf and Sinead Halliday.
Interview conducted by Sinead Halliday.
Edited by Jonathan Rivett.
Mastering by James North Productions.
Music by Selina Byrne.
And thanks to our little friends Toby and Adelaide for voicing the intro.
Enjoyed This Episode?
Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a conversation. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with friends and family.

Support the show
...more
39min

FAQs about For the Love of Play:

How many episodes does For the Love of Play have?

The podcast currently has 20 episodes available.