Play often gets misunderstood. Parents and educators alike may measure it by activities or outcomes, thinking learning and play sit on opposite sides of a line. Play isn’t one thing - and understanding the different forms can lift the pressure parents and educators feel. In this episode, I explore free play, guided play, games, and adult-led learning, and how each shapes children’s growth.

✨ Play Happens is hosted by Jessica Degenhardt - Primary Educator, Masters in Special & Inclusive Education and passionate play advocate.

Follow Jess on Instagram: ⁠@playhappensau⁠

🎧 Subscribe or Follow Play Happens Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

💌 Share this with anyone who wants to see that learning can happen everywhere - even in mud, trucks and dress-up.

Have a question, story or topic you’d love covered this season?
Send a message or DM - this podcast is shaped by real families and real childhoods.

In this episode of Play Happens, I share five tiny play experiments that parents and educators can try this week - no special materials, no planning, no pressure.

These simple shifts invite deeper curiosity, creativity and independence, while reminding us that play isn’t just fun - it’s fundamental.

Perfect for tired adults who want meaningful play without the overwhelm.

✨ Play Happens is hosted by Jessica Degenhardt - Primary Educator, Masters in Special & Inclusive Education and passionate play advocate.

Follow Jess on Instagram: ⁠@playhappensau⁠

🎧 Subscribe or Follow Play Happens Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

💌 Share this episode with someone who thinks they should be doing more - when actually, doing less might help.

Have a question, story or topic you’d love covered this season?
Send a message or DM - this podcast is shaped by real families and real childhoods.

What happens when risky play doesn’t disappear because parents are afraid - but because environments decide risk itself is the problem?

In this episode of Play Happens Podcast, I zoom out to explore how playground rules, policies and reactions to injury are slowly designing risk out of childhood. From flattened play spaces to calls for playgrounds to be removed after an accident, we unpack what fear looks like when it turns into policy and what it can cost children in the long run.

This episode builds on earlier conversations about risky play and parent fear.

You can listen to those episodes here:
→ EP 2:Risky Play - Why Kids Need It
→ EP 3: Parent Fears & Risky Play 

✨ Play Happens is hosted by Jessica Degenhardt - Primary Educator, Masters in Special & Inclusive Education and passionate play advocate.

Follow Jess on Instagram: ⁠@playhappensau⁠

🎧 Subscribe or Follow Play Happens Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

After a long school day, kids aren’t just tired - they’re juggling movement, learning and social challenges. In this episode, I share why the hours after school matter and practical strategies for resetting your child’s mind and body using connection, snacks, rest and play.

✨ Play Happens is hosted by Jessica Degenhardt - Primary Educator, Masters in Special & Inclusive Education and passionate play advocate.

Follow Jess on Instagram: ⁠@playhappensau⁠

🎧 Subscribe or Follow Play Happens Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

💌 Share this episode with someone who needs an after school reset!

Have a question, story or topic you’d love covered this season?
Send a message or DM - this podcast is shaped by real families and real childhoods.

When kids’ calendars are jam-packed, everyone feels it - including parents. In this episode, I explore how too many structured activities can quietly steal rest, free play and creativity, and why slowing down might be the best gift for your family.

✨ Play Happens is hosted by Jessica Degenhardt - Primary Educator, Masters in Special & Inclusive Education and passionate play advocate.

Follow Jess on Instagram: ⁠@playhappensau⁠

🎧 Subscribe or Follow Play Happens Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

💌 Share this episode with someone who juggles multiple kids, activities and a never-ending calendar.

Have a question, story or topic you’d love covered this season?
Send a message or DM - this podcast is shaped by real families and real childhoods.

Free play is disappearing and it matters more than we realise.
In this opening episode of Season 2, I explore why children have less freedom to play than ever before, what free play actually builds in the developing brain and how families can gently reclaim it without adding more to their plates. Because play isn’t extra - it’s fundamental!

✨ Play Happens is hosted by Jessica Degenhardt - Primary Educator, Masters in Special & Inclusive Education and passionate play advocate.

Follow Jess on Instagram: ⁠@playhappensau⁠

🎧 Subscribe or Follow Play Happens Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

💌 Share this episode with someone who might appreciate a gentle reminder that play can be simple and still deeply meaningful.

Have a question, story or topic you’d love covered this season?
Send a message or DM - this podcast is shaped by real families and real childhoods.

We’ve reached the end of Season One of Play Happens Podcast!

In this episode, I reflect on what it means to protect play - for children and for ourselves. From messy moments to quiet creativity, from letting go of control to guarding time for imagination, this finale brings together the big lessons of the season.

You’ll also hear a bit of the behind-the-scenes journey of starting the podcast - how it began as one small idea and the hope that it’s made a difference in how we see play.

Connect with Jess on Instagram → @playhappensau

Share your Season 2 ideas, reflections, or play stories!

Play Happens Podcast - where play isn’t just fun, it’s fundamental.

Play is how families bond, build trust and rediscover joy together. In this episode, I explore how shared play strengthens relationships, lowers stress and helps families reconnect in simple, meaningful ways.

✨ Play Happens is hosted by Jessica Degenhardt — Primary Educator, Masters in Special & Inclusive Education and passionate play advocate.

Follow Jess on Instagram: @playhappensau

🎧 Subscribe or Follow Play Happens Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

💌 Share this episode with a fellow parent who might need a reminder that connection doesn’t come from perfection - it comes from play.

Play isn’t just for kids - adults need it too!
In this episode, I explore why play is essential for grown-ups - not just for fun, but for connection, creativity and mental health. From laughter to letting go of the to-do list, this episode is your reminder to make room for joy again.

✨ Play Happens is hosted by Jessica Degenhardt - Primary Educator, Masters in Special & Inclusive Education and passionate play advocate.

📲 Follow Jess on Instagram: @playhappensau

🎧 Subscribe or Follow Play Happens Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

💌 Share this episode with a fellow parent, teacher or carer who might need a reminder that play isn’t a luxury - it’s a life essential.

When kids play outside, they’re not just getting fresh air, they’re learning, growing and recalibrating.
In this episode, I explore how nature invites imagination, builds courage, restores balance and connects us - both children and adults - in ways no classroom or screen can.

✨ Play Happens is hosted by Jessica Degenhardt - Primary Educator, Masters in Special & Inclusive Education, and passionate play advocate.

Follow Jess on Instagram: @playhappensau

🎧 Subscribe or Follow Play Happens Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

💌 Share this episode with a parent, teacher or carer who might need a reminder that sometimes, the best kind of classroom has no walls!