Right Moves: A LiiNK Center for Healthy Play Podcast

Dr. Rhea brings on colleagues and collaborators, Dr. Catherine Ramstetter and Dr. Robert Murray, to discuss their work in promoting play and recess, and their perspective on the importance of recess on children’s health.

Dr. Cathy Ramstetter is a School Health Consultant with Successful Healthy Children, assisting schools with wellness initiatives and recess implementation, to protect recess for every child everyday and to foster children’s healthy growth and development. Dr. Ramstetter is the co-author of AAP’s Policy on Recess with Dr. Bob Murray. She serves on the Board of Directors for DePaul Cristo Rey High School in Cincinnati, where she is a member of the Academic Committee. In April, 2020, Dr. Ramstetter was a founding member of the Global Recess Alliance, academic leaders from the US, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia, which guides schools to rethink policies and practices for recess.  In October of 2022, the International Play Association-USA conferred the Doctor of Play to Cathy in recognition of her lifetime achievements in advocating for the child’s right to play.

Dr. Robert Murray spent over 20 years in the field of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition in the Ohio State University School of Medicine. For 5 years, he served as the director of the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition, offering medical and surgical treatments for child and adolescent obesity. Dr. Murray also was the pediatric medical director for Abbott Nutrition from 2003-2006. For over a decade Dr. Murray was an executive committee member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on School Health, serving as chair in the final 4 years. He is a Board member of Action for Healthy Kids as well as of the Children’s Hunger Alliance, and previously served on the Board of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation. Dr Murray is a past President of the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

Crucial role of recess (2010) – Ramstetter and Murray; peds20122993 183..188 (silverchair.com)

Time to Play: Recognizing the Benefits of Recess, By Catherine Ramstetter and Dr. Robert Murray, American Educator, Vol. 41, No. 1, Spring 2017, AFT

Pellegrini; The Role of Recess in Primary School. (apa.org)

What should we be focused on in our childhood and youth to decrease risk of chronic disease as we age? Dr. Rhea brings back Dr. John Medina for part 2 of their discussion on factors that affect memory and overall health. This time, they focus on stress and the brain-body connection.

Dr. Medina is a developmental molecular biologist focused on the genes involved in human brain development and the genetics of psychiatric disorders. He has spent most of his professional life as a private research consultant, working primarily in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries on research related to mental health. Medina is an affiliate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Medina was the founding director of the Talaris Research Institute, a Seattle-based research center originally focused on how infants encode and process information at the cognitive, cellular, and molecular levels. Medina is also the author of the New York Times bestseller “Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work” and the national bestseller “Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five”.

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

Jon Kabat-Zinn – Mindfulness 8-week Course

Bodrova, Elena & Leong, Deborah. (2019). Tools of the Mind: The Vygotskian-Based Early Childhood Program.

Mediterranean Diet

Brain Rules

Dr. Rhea visits with biologist, researcher, and author Dr. John Medina, to discuss the process of memories and what lifestyle factors effect memory the most. This is part one of a two-part series with Medina. Dr. Medina is a developmental molecular biologist focused on the genes involved in human brain development and the genetics of psychiatric disorders. He has spent most of his professional life as a private research consultant, working primarily in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries on research related to mental health. Medina is an affiliate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine. 

Medina was the founding director of the Talaris Research Institute, a Seattle-based research center originally focused on how infants encode and process information at the cognitive, cellular, and molecular levels. Medina is also the author of the New York Times bestseller “Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work” and the national bestseller “Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five”.

Pat Rumbaugh, better known as the Play Lady, joins Dr. Rhea to share her experiences as a community play advocator. Hear how she got started, her journey to becoming an author, and many fun stories from her annual Play Days! Pat Rumbaugh, with an M.A. in Sports Psychology, taught physical education and coached children’s sports for 30 years. From this experience, she learned that everyone could benefit from unstructured play. In her new identity as The Play Lady, she has conducted over 150 play events since founding a play committee in 2009.  The play committee led to the development of the non-profit Let’s Play America (http://www.letsplayamerica.org) that embodies people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds with play days, streets closed to play, and other play events. See her website for upcoming events, books she has written, and TED talks she has presented. 

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

Let’s PlayAmerica

Kaboom!

National Night Out

School of Rock

PlayDay Handbook

Changex.org

Dr. Rhea sits down with Kate Webb, another mentee and Ph.D. student doing research with LiiNK, to discuss her dissertation topic. She wants to know the effects of play on limb movement imbalances and neuromuscular control in children. Kate has developed an observational tool called the MPOT (Movement

Kate Webb graduated with a B.S. degree and Master’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science from Tarleton State University, worked as the Education and Retreat Director for Camp Eagle (Christian Adventure Camp in the Texas Hill Country), as a Biology/PE Teacher - Head Track/CC Coach at Wylie High School, and in the fitness industry.  As an educator, she completed the Principalship Certification in Educational Leadership at Dallas Baptist University and the Level 2 USATF Coach Certification. 

In the fitness industry, she taught group fitness classes, and traveled with MASHUP Conditioning as a coach/presenter at SCW conferences.  As a NASM Sport Performance Specialist, she worked with children on developing foundational fitness to improve stability/flexibility/mobility to aid in decreased body imbalances and injury.  Additionally, she created a free Summer Track and Field Program for k-12 that has just completed its fifth season.

Ph.D. candidate with the LiiNK Project, Daryl Campbell-Pierre, sits down with Dr. Rhea to discuss his three years of research dedicated to motor competence and postural balance in children through an assessment called the KTK. The first study examined the KTK to see if it was feasible to use it with U.S. children to determine motor competence abilities. The KTK is capable of detecting issues in typical and atypical developing children. The 2nd study examined the ability of teachers to use the KTK in their physical education classes. The 3rdstudy examined motor competence differences between children who have at least 60 minutes of recess daily with those who only have 20 or 30 minutes of recess daily.

Daryl Campbell-Pierre is a 3rd-year Ph.D. Candidate at Texas Christian University in Health Science. Daryl has been working with Dr. Rhea and the LiiNK project for the past three years, focusing his research efforts on the impact of recess on children's motor competence and postural balance abilities. Daryl is an Occupational Therapist by train before joining the LiiNK project. He has previous experience working with the pediatric population, helping them reach their development milestone through individualized treatment plans. He is a play advocate and believes that unstructured play is the key to helping children unlock their maximal potential. He has a set dissertation defense date schedule this spring and is expected to graduate with his Ph.D. in May 2023.

Dr. Rhea and Dr. Bauml are back for the third and final installment of their discussion on early childhood education and unstructured play. They’ve talked about not letting the weather stop you from getting outside as long as it’s safe, but what about when it isn’t? If we must stay indoors, there are still plenty of ways to create unstructured play environments for our kids and students that foster social/emotional, physical, and cognitive growth.   Dr. Michelle Bauml is the Clotilda Winter Professor of Education and an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning Sciences at TCU with an emphasis in social studies education. As a former elementary teacher, Dr. Bauml’s research and teaching reflect her beliefs that children need ample opportunities for creative expression, play, and meaningful instruction in today’s schools. She conducts qualitative research aimed at helping teachers navigate professional complexities to make thoughtful, effective curricular and instructional decisions in order to promote student learning. Prior to joining the faculty at TCU, Dr. Bauml taught at a Title 1 elementary school in the Houston area and coached beginning teachers in Houston ISD. She has extensive experience working with prospective and early career teachers, and she enjoys teaching undergraduate courses for the Early Childhood Education (EC-6) program and graduate courses in Curriculum and Instruction. In 2021, Dr. Bauml received a university Deans Teaching Award for excellence in teaching. She was also granted the Honorary Leon Jaworski Award for Teaching Excellence in Law Focused Education by the State Bar of Texas and Texas Young Lawyers Association in 2016.

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

Starpoint (Lab school at TCU)

Recess kits

Has the desire to go outside in the rain – or at all – dwindled in recent generations? Dr. Rhea is back with Dr. Bauml to discuss how weather can affect play, and why it shouldn’t always stop you from heading outdoors. Listen as they reminisce on childhood memories of soggy shoes, puddle jumping, and making the most of the weather.

Dr. Michelle Bauml is the Clotilda Winter Professor of Education and an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning Sciences at TCU with an emphasis in social studies education. As a former elementary teacher, Dr. Bauml’s research and teaching reflect her beliefs that children need ample opportunities for creative expression, play, and meaningful instruction in today’s schools. She conducts qualitative research aimed at helping teachers navigate professional complexities to make thoughtful, effective curricular and instructional decisions in order to promote student learning.

Prior to joining the faculty at TCU, Dr. Bauml taught at a Title 1 elementary school in the Houston area and coached beginning teachers in Houston ISD. She has extensive experience working with prospective and early career teachers, and she enjoys teaching undergraduate courses for the Early Childhood Education (EC-6) program and graduate courses in Curriculum and Instruction. In 2021, Dr. Bauml received a university Deans Teaching Award for excellence in teaching. She was also granted the Honorary Leon Jaworski Award for Teaching Excellence in Law Focused Education by the State Bar of Texas and Texas Young Lawyers Association in 2016.

Dr. Rhea sits down with friend and colleague, Dr. Michelle Bauml, to discuss unstructured or child directed play vs. structured or adult directed play in the school setting through the lens of early childhood development and education.

Dr. Michelle Bauml is the Clotilda Winter Professor of Education and an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning Sciences at TCU with an emphasis in social studies education. As a former elementary teacher, Dr. Bauml’s research and teaching reflect her beliefs that children need ample opportunities for creative expression, play, and meaningful instruction in today’s schools. She conducts qualitative research aimed at helping teachers navigate professional complexities to make thoughtful, effective curricular and instructional decisions in order to promote student learning.

Prior to joining the faculty at TCU, Dr. Bauml taught at a Title 1 elementary school in the Houston area and coached beginning teachers in Houston ISD. She has extensive experience working with prospective and early career teachers, and she enjoys teaching undergraduate courses for the Early Childhood Education (EC-6) program and graduate courses in Curriculum and Instruction. In 2021, Dr. Bauml received a university Deans Teaching Award for excellence in teaching. She was also granted the Honorary Leon Jaworski Award for Teaching Excellence in Law Focused Education by the State Bar of Texas and Texas Young Lawyers Association in 2016.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Kinderplatz Fort Worth

Headstart

UN Children's Right to Play (Article 31)

Dr. Rhea, Jill Wood and Amanda McMickle, are back to continue their discussion with guest moderator, Sarah Mercado, from KPICD, on unstructured play in schools. This time, they compare various play-focused school settings, the models behind them, and how to garner parental and school staff support.

Jill Wood founded Adventure Play at The Parish School in 2008 and has operated it since. Every year she grows towards a better understanding of play by: listening to children; reflecting on her own adult privilege; and being humbled by what is possible when you give children time to create their own space and culture. She founded Bayou City Play in 2013, a collective of artists, therapists, and librarians who advocate for play in the Houston metro area. She is also a school librarian.

Amanda McMickle is the Vice President of Education at the Cibolo Center for Conservation in Boerne, Texas. She has been a leader of nature-based schools ranging from public to private, early childhood to Kinder-6th grade. Amanda is the founder of NEST - Nature-based Education Support in Texas which is a regional group that meets monthly to discuss nature-based philosophy, best practices, and advocacy. Amanda currently sits on the leadership board of Natural Start Alliance and the governing boards of Families in Nature and International Play Association-USA Chapter. Amanda is working on her Ph.D. in a program at the University of the Incarnate Word entitled Adult Education, Social Innovation, and Entrepreneurship.

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

PlayWork