Our routine everyday lives often call for a fantasy-world escape… where all we have to do is immerse ourselves into the magic, the fun.... the dreamy stuff. I'm talking live in the moment style stuff. I'm talking Dreamy Disney Vacation stuff.For my mother and me, escaping to Disney World has always been our thing. We've been there twice, just us two, and many other times with our family, but weighing the travel conditions (and expenses), we realized it wouldn't be realistic to visit there aga...

Your excited little learners are almost always wanting to play about: while some play with paper balls, the others fancy stationery, creating stuff with them whenever they get a chance to. What if you could channel this energy of theirs in the right direction with a proper outdoor learning routine? PS., even if you've been nervous of trying out outdoor learning right from the start, you CAN make it work – with a little bit of understanding and a little extra belief in yourself.In this episode...

Let's be super-honest: At a certain point in our careers, we've all felt the dreaded Imposter Syndrome cloud our ambitions with so much ease that we feel all our achievements so far have been the outcome of someone else's charity. That we don't know enough to take up a bigger, better challenge or reward. I've been there too, and I admit it took me a while to conquer it.So, if you've felt like you're alone in feeling incapable or less than qualified, you aren't alone. Today's episode does...

How Camp Kinder Is Putting An End To Boring PD!"1 hour of setting up my classroom is worth 16 hours of boring PD!" Ouch. Are you also fed up with sitting through a long, boring, soul-sucking PD that comes with nothing but useless Powerpoint presentations? I hear you....and I finally decided to do something about it. Today I am sharing all about that exciting alternative in this episode of A Playful Podcast!A little background: Just while I was having one of the best times of my...

Writing For kindergarteners: Discovering Teaching Methods For Every Learning Style!On a scale of 10, how challenging do you find it to encourage and motivate your kinders to just grab-that-pencil-and-write?If it's any less than a stellar 10, this episode is for you."But Mariah, they're still only kindergarteners! Why should I encourage my littles to start so early?" Basic literacy is for sure a reason, but looking at the larger picture, writing is an EXCELLENT way for kids to document th...

It was only a matter of time before this question started taking over my DMs... and I guess 7 months into my "maternity leave" is the time!In this episode of A Playful Podcast I am talking about whether or not I am returning to the classroom when little bb turns one, and the factors behind this big decision.----------------Have something in common with me? Let me know! Let's chat on insta.Don't forget to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode!Have a topic you want me to talk ab...

I love to keep it simple in kindergarten. In fact, this is pretty much what my mission is because I believe so strongly in the benefits of simplicity for my littles, and my mental health. And sure, you can always have the “classics” going on in the room, but isn’t it necessary to spice up your classroom with inquiries and provocations and in depth project based learning as a modern-day educator? Isn’t it wildly out dated and a major faux-pas to use themes in kinder?When picturing themes-based...

Tired of feeling burnt out, stressed, and like you never have enough time? You’re not alone.I was at peak overwhelm when I finally decided to do actually something about it. In this episode, I am talking to you about my strategies for staying on top of things amid the never ending hustle of teaching, working and... just being a human. Implementing these systems and routines helped me feel like I can handle things 10x more smoothly without putting myself through a never-ending stress loop and ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! The first episode of 2022 is here and I am talking about my new year's resolutions- or lack there of.This year my entire goal is to leave 2022 better than how I entered it. What this means and looks like in my life is open and flexible! Tune in to hear about the way this applies to all the different hats I wear in my life.----------------Have something in common with me? Let me know! Let's chat on insta.Don't forget to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode!Have...

Get into the holiday spirit with Episode 9 of A Playful Podcast! I share some of my Christmas memories and traditions with lots of cheer as we head into the Christmas break.Share a tradition with me? Get in touch! I'd love to hear about your own memories and traditions. ----------------Have something in common with me? Let me know! Let's chat on insta.Don't forget to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode!Have a topic you want me to talk about? Let me know! mariah@aplayfulpurpo...