Welcome to Nurture in Nature Radio – the podcast aimed at connecting kids, families and people of all ages with nature.

This is Episode Number 013: Stonework Play with Dr Diana Suskind

In this Episode, host Tania Moloney interviews Dr Diana Suskind. Diana is an international early childhood consultant and artist who brings her creative spirit to support children with their personal, emotional and social development. Diana has shared her passion working and playing all around the world with colleagues and children and she taught for many years as an associate professor at Fitchburg State University, in Leominster, Massuchusetts in the US. She is also the Founder of an incredible organisation and process called Stonework Play.  Tania chats with Diana about Stonework Play and how this unique, simple, and powerful process can help children (and adults too) to reconnect with nature, themselves and each other. We also hear from some children voices too, Diana’s great niece and nephew, Amilie (11) and Emmett (8), who tell us so beautifully what Stonework Play means to them. As Emmett tells us, “Keep Calm and Nature On with Stonework Play!”

DR DIANA SUSKIND

Educator and International Education Consultant and Founder of Stonework Play

Diana Suskind, Ed.D, is an educator and international consultant for early childhood development and elementary education. She has implemented her Stonework/Stonework Play Program in museums and schools around the world, teaching young students to release their creative energy through touch and storytelling. Dr. Suskind is now introducing her Stonework Project to professionals in the field of early childhood education. Previously, Dr. Suskind was an associate professor of education at Fitchburg (Mass.) State University, where she focused on early childhood education and RIE parent-infant guidance classes.

What is Stonework Play?

“Stonework Play is a form of creative learning. It engages the senses and animates imagination, allowing each person to tell a story or make a unique pattern suggested by handling the stones. The weight, form and texture of each stone suggest artistic choices that result in original work.

You can find out more about Diana’s great work and Stonework Play at http://dsuskind.com

You can find Show Notes for this podcast episode at: http://nurtureinnature.com.au/stonework-diana

Listen to the episode below

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Welcome to Nurture in Nature Radio – the podcast aimed at connecting kids, families and people of all ages with nature.

This is Episode Number 011: Letting Kids Be Bold with Gillian McAuliffe

Today on the show, host Tania Moloney interviews Gillian McAuliffe. Gillian is the Founding Principal of Bold Park Community School in Perth, Western Australia, which was established in 1999 and inspired by best practice from international research in Reggio Emilia, nature and place-based learning. Through Gillian’s passionate and visionary leadership, her school enjoys an exceptional reputation as a school for children aged from 18 months to 18 years, which actively encourages educators on a local, national and international scale to experience and reflect on their own teaching practices.

Since 2007 Gillian has been one of the key Leaders for the Nature Action Collaborative for Children World Forum on Early Childhood Education, and she is an advocate and I imagine, a willing and enthusiastic, participant in a wonderful initiative called International Mud Day!

GILLIAN McAULIFFE

Founding Principal, Bold Park Community School Perth, Western Aust.; Key Leader in World Forum on Early Childhood Education’s Nature Action Collaborative

You can find Show Notes for this podcast episode at: http://nurtureinnature.com.au/lettingkidsbebold

Listen to the episode below

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Welcome to Nurture in Nature Radio – the podcast aimed at connecting kids, families and people of all ages with nature.

This is Episode Number 010: Nature, Free Play and Rethinking Childhood with Tim Gill

Today on the show, host Tania Moloney interviews Tim Gill. Tim is one of the UK’s leading thinkers on childhood, and an effective advocate for positive change in children’s everyday lives. For over 20 years his writing, research, consultancy projects and other work has focused on the changing nature of childhood, children’s play and free time, and their evolving relationships with the people and places around them.

Founder, Rethinking Childhood. 

In this insightful interview Tim urges you to think about the kinds of freedoms and experiences you remember from your childhood. Allowing your kids to fulfill their need and want to test themselves helps them assess risks, learn their capacities, gain confidence and become more resilient. We talk about unstructured play and what a great play space looks like; garnering peer support from other parents; and the growing numbers of children who are anxious and depressed or out of control. You’ll learn why it’s vital that you expand your children’s horizons by weighing up the risks and benefits of being be a little less risk averse and a little more free range.

You can find Show Notes for this podcast episode at: http://nurtureinnature.com.au/rethinkingchildhood

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Welcome to Nurture in Nature Radio – the podcast aimed at connecting kids, families and people of all ages with nature.

This is Episode Number 009: The New Nature Movement and getting your regular, healthy dose of Vitamin N with Richard Louv

Today on the show, host Tania Moloney interviews one of the nature connection movements’ most active and passionate advocates, Richard Louv. Richard is an award winning author, visionary and Co-Founder and Chairman Emeruitus of the Children and Nature Network.

Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Children & Nature Network, Journalist and author of nine books, including Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age, and most recently Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life: 500 Ways to Enrich Your Family’s Health & Happiness.

Tune in as Tania and Richard chat about the ever growing worldwide movement to reconnect children, families and people with nature, his vision for a nature rich and nature smart future for our kids and our world, and how those in the movement can help inspire, nurture and support themselves and each other in the fantastic work they do.

Tania also challenges you to join her and Richard in a fun Special “Vitamin N” Edition of the Family Nature Bucket List!

At Nurture in Nature we love the Family Nature Bucket List AND we also love Richard Louv’s awesome new book, Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life. Combine the two and you get a powerful prescription for lots of healthy fun, learning and memory making with your family!

The book presents over 500 nature-oriented actions for families, organisations and communities and to help get you started, we’ve chosen 31 of them for a special Vitamin N edition of the Family Nature Bucket List.

The activities have been hand-picked for you by five nature loving kids as those they’d love to do first (they wanted to do them all but 500 pegs wouldn’t fit on one bucket … “unless we got a GIANT bucket” as was suggested by 7 year old Nash!) … and they’re asking you to join them in ticking the activities off this fun, family-friendly Vitamin N Edition of the Family Nature Bucket List!

You can find Show Notes for this podcast episode at: http://nurtureinnature.com.au/vitaminn

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Welcome to Nurture in Nature Radio – the podcast aimed at connecting kids, families and people of all ages with nature.

This is Episode Number 008: 7 Easy Steps to Making Your Family Nature Bucket List with Tania Moloney

Tania Moloney from Nurture in Nature Australia shows you how the Family Nature Bucket List can help inspire, motivate and encourage families, school groups and organisations to get outdoors and reconnect with nature and with each other.

WHAT IS THE FAMILY NATURE BUCKET LIST?

Tune in as Tania explains all about the Family Nature Bucket List and you can get access to a FREE downloadable copy of the “7 Easy Steps to Making Your Family Nature Bucket List” ebook.

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This is Episode Number 007: Get Connected with Family Nature Clubs

Today on the show, host Tania Moloney interviews Janice Swaisgood, Director Natural Families Network at the Children and Nature Network, and Co-Founder of Family Adventures in Nature, Family Nature Club.

Director Natural Families Network, Children and Nature Network; Co-Founder, Family Adventures in Nature, Family Nature Club

You can find Show Notes at: http://nurtureinnature.com.au/familynatureclubs

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Family Adventures in Nature (Family Nature Club) http://.familyadventuresinnature.org

• Nature Clubs for Families Toolkit, Children and Nature Network

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Welcome to Nurture in Nature Radio – the podcast aimed at connecting kids, families and people of all ages with nature.

This is Episode Number 006: The What’s, Why’s and How’s on Nature Pedagogy 

Today on the show, host Tania Moloney interviews Claire Warden, Educational and Experiential Pioneer in Nature Pedagogy.

Tania talks with Claire about the What’s, Why’s and How’s of Nature Pedagogy, unstructured play and Nature kindergartens. You’ll learn how nature is a powerful teacher, and what parents and teachers can do outside the home/classroom to help their children learn about themselves, others and the natural world. With some great ideas for equipping your family and students for outdoor fun, you’ll find that there is no bad weather, just poor planning and equipment. You’ll also take away lots of practical ideas for some really fun nature play activities for kids of all ages – 0 to 99+!

You can find Show Notes at: www.nurtureinnature.com.au/naturepedagogy

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Mindstretchers UK: http://mindstretchers.co.uk/

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Welcome to Nurture in Nature Radio – the podcast aimed at connecting kids, families and people of all ages with nature.

This is Episode Number 005: Nature and the Commonsense Raising of Kids

Today on the show, host Tania Moloney interviews Maggie Dent, Australia’s Queen of Commonsense when it comes to raising our kids!

Maggie is a champion for children and parents. In her endearing, and forthright manner, she shares with us practical advice, strategies and resources for a more ‘commonsense’ raising of our children, to help them get along in the world – and help us ‘survive’ and enjoy the journey of parenthood! We talk about the need for children to have real experiences with real people; the restorative powers of time in nature; how to help kids understand and manage their emotions (including grief); and how times of stillness, silence and mindfulness are vital for kids and parents alike.

You can find Show Notes at: www.nurtureinnature.com.au/commonsense

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

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Welcome to Nurture in Nature Radio – the podcast aimed at connecting kids, families and people of all ages with nature.

This is Episode Number 004: Nurturing Our Future Environmental Stewards with Dr Ron Swaisgood

Today on the show, host Tania Moloney interviews conservation biologist, nature connection advocate and nature loving Dad, Dr Ron Swaisgood.

In this episode, Tania chats with Ron about the importance of teaching our children to know and love the natural world to ensure we are nurturing environmental stewards for the future. You’ll also learn how Ron, his wife Janice and their two adventurous young boys make nature a part of who they are as a family and how family nature clubs can bring families and communities together. We weigh up the risks and rewards of nature, and you’ll hear how letting your kids get ‘off the trail’ to explore nature is often the right thing to do!

You can find Show Notes at: www.nurtureinnature.com.au/environmentalstewardship

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

'Family Adventures in Nature' Family Nature Club  http://quetallsd.wix.com/familyadventures

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Welcome to Nurture in Nature Radio – the podcast aimed at connecting kids, families and people of all ages with nature.

This is Episode Number 003: Passport to an Amazing Childhood with Griffin Longley

Today on the show, host Tania Moloney interviews one of Australia’s most passionate Nature Players, Griffin Longley.

GRIFFIN LONGLEY

In this interview, Griffin and Tania chat about the movement to reconnect people and children to nature in Australia, and how to give your kids a “Passport to an Amazing Childhood”.

Griffin encourages you to weigh up the risks and rewards of nature play, and we also talk about the potential risks of our kid’s not spending time playing outside.

You’ll learn how technology and nature can go hand in hand to encourage your tech-savvy kids to get back outside, and we chat about lots of practical initiatives and resources you can tap into including Nature Play WA’s “51 Things to do before you’re 12?” see how many can you and your kids tick off!

You can find Show Notes at: www.nurtureinnatureradio.com/passport

• NIN Radio Resource Link Ep 003 - Nature Play WA - 51 Things to do before you're 12

• NIN Radio Resource Link Ep 003 - Nature Play WA - Green Time vs Screen Time

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