Today, I’m joined by Beck Goodman who is an early childhood learning expert specializing in early literacy. Her company’s mission is to end the preschool power struggles around learning by equipping grownups with the tools they need to use play-based approaches that foster connection, not conflict. We discuss joy and child interest as the cornerstone to supporting early literacy development. 

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If you’ve ever wondered how to meet children where they are and embrace their interests and silliness, this episode is for you. Beck’s strategies will help you navigate the delicate balance between structured learning and free play, ultimately creating an environment where children feel empowered to explore language and literacy on their terms.

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Today, I’m joined by Jenn Zollinger from Play Before Pencils to talk about emergent writing and its deep connection to storytelling. As an early childhood educator and advocate for play-based learning, Jenn shares how she transitioned from a teacher-led, academic-focused preschool setting to a more child-led, developmentally responsive approach. We explore the magic that happens when children are given space to explore writing organically—through storytelling, play, and meaningful experiences.

Highlights:

If you’re tired of how limiting traditional literacy instruction is with worksheets and scripted small groups, tune in and find out how to create an environment where writing feels meaningful and accessible to all children. If you’ve ever wondered how to nurture early writing skills without forcing them or want to explore the magic of storytelling in your classroom, this episode is for you!

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Jean-Mari Dagarin, from The Early Childhood POV, joins me today to talk about a growing concern in early education: 'schoolification'—the push to bring formal academic practices into early childhood spaces. With over 30 years of experience as an early childhood advocate, administrator, college professor, and developmentally appropriate practice expert, Jean Marie has seen firsthand how these pressures impact young learners. Today, we’re unpacking what schoolification means, why it’s problematic, and, more importantly, how educators can combat it while staying true to developmentally appropriate practices. 

Highlights:

If you want to think deeper about early literacy, what’s often done wrong, and how teachers can nurture children’s natural literacy development through play, this episode is for you! So, grab a cup of coffee, get comfortable, and let’s jump into this eye-opening conversation with Jean-Mari.

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In this episode, I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Julia B. Lindsey, Ph.D., a leading expert in foundational literacy and the author of Reading Above the Fray: Research-based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills. With a wealth of experience as both an educator and researcher, Dr. Lindsey has made significant contributions to the field of literacy, including the creation of widely used knowledge-rich decodable texts. Together we simplify and break down all the different aspects of early literacy using research.

Highlights:

If you’re ready to start building in 5-7 minutes of explicit literacy instruction a day and aren’t sure where to start, this episode is for you. Find out how and why you should be doing this and what the current research says.

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Laura welcomes Dr. Jasmine Moses, an anti-bias early childhood educator dedicated to promoting anti-bias and anti-racist practices within early childhood education. Jasmine shares insights into how anti-bias education can help raise more aware, kind, and forgiving children. This chat covers the importance of addressing biases, involving the community in this collective effort, and using children's literature as a powerful tool to promote diversity, inclusivity, and critical thinking among young children.

Highlights:

If you’re ready to start being proactive rather than reactive when addressing topics of culture, race, gender, and more, this episode will help. Jasmine shares practical tips on selecting diverse books and offers an extensive list of recommended reads for both children and adults engaging in anti-bias education. Additionally, you’ll learn some places to start and how to start decentering yourself and centering this work.

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In this episode of “Stories That Stick,” Laura and Ms. Ashley chat about storytelling and how it supports children to learn about the world around them. Ashley is THE early childhood enthusiast and creator of Nguzo Babies. She’s dedicated to exposing children to new cultures and languages through storytelling and puppetry. Together Laura and Ashley explore how storytelling can build connections and teach important social concepts to kids.

Highlights:

If you have been looking for ways to build more cultures and social studies into your early learning environment, this episode is just what you need! Tune in to this episode to learn about Nguzo Babies and the ideas behind how puppetry and cultural exploration helps children to connect with diverse backgrounds and languages. 

Connect with Laura: @little.stories.that.stick & website 

Free guidebook ‘Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Storytelling’: Download here!  

Connect with Ashley: @NguzoBabies, Nguzo Babies YouTube Channel & Nguzobabies.com

Learn more on teaching Social Studies with Young Children: Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves by Louise Derman-Sparks 

In this episode of “Stories That Stick,” Laura and Nyetta chat about homeschooling with their children and how they understand the Science of Reading. Nyetta is the self-proclaimed Mom Playologist and founder of The Activity Playhouse. Nyetta shares about her journey as a stay-at-home mom and homeschooling parents that naturally learned the importance of play in children’s development. 

Highlights: 

If you have been hearing about the Science of Reading, but you’re not sure how it applies to you as an early childhood educator, tune in to this episode. Along with learning some practical ways to embrace literacy learning through child-led play, you may also be inspired to explore additional ways to support learning outside of the classroom.

Connect with Laura: @little.stories.that.stick & website

Free guide with 50 ideas to incorporate literacy into play: Download here! 

Connect with Nyetta: @TheActivityPlayhouse & website 

Check out Nyetta's podcast: Let Kids Play!

Tune in and listen as Laura shares part 2 to the story of Tea and Honey (listen to Tea & Honey: Part 1 first!)! She's fully invested in the family of robins that built a nest outside her kitchen window. Find out what happened after they built their nest.

If you’re ready to start telling stories of your own, but need a little nudge, you can grab some story cards here to help!

Follow Laura on Instagram: @little.stories.that.stick

Check out her stories on YouTube: Little Stories That Stick

In this episode, Laura welcomes Dr. Ben Mardell, a mentor who has profoundly influenced her understanding of storytelling and story acting. Dr. Mardell, the Atelierista and Pedagogista at the Newtown School, shares his extensive experience in early childhood education. Together they talk about the excitement and learning that storytelling brings to young children.

Highlights: 

Storytelling is essential in early childhood education. You need to incorporate it into your daily rhythms. You can start small and embrace all the imperfections of storytelling, practice leads to improvement and deeper connections with children! If you’re looking for some practical advice on embracing being a storyteller, or how to bring storytelling to life in your classroom, listen up!

Connect with Laura: @little.stories.that.stick & website

Learn more about Storytelling and Storyacting with this free handout

Download a PDF of the book “A Pedagogy of Play: Supporting playful learning in classrooms and schools” by Ben Mardell, Jen Ryan, Mara Krechevsky, Megina Baker, Savhannah Schulz, and Yvonne Liu Constant

This story is for one of "Stories That Stick" biggest fans. Enjoy Manu, thanks for all your support.

If you’re ready to start telling stories of your own, but need a little nudge, you can grab some story prompts here to help!

Follow Laura on Instagram: @little.stories.that.stick

Check out her stories on YouTube: Little Stories That Stick