The Everything ECE Podcast

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla Ward sits down with Heather Bernt-Santy, better known as That Early Childhood Nerd, to explore the fascinating world of schema play.

Heather shares how recognizing schemas helps educators move beyond simply managing behaviour and instead see the learning, curiosity, and development taking place through play. From transporting and trajectory to enclosing and enveloping, these repeated patterns offer valuable insight into how children make sense of their world.

Together, Carla and Heather discuss:• What schema play is and why it matters• How schemas help us understand behaviour differently• Why curiosity is one of an educator's greatest superpowers• Practical ways to support children's learning without limiting their exploration• How schemas strengthen conversations with families• Why free play deserves a central place in early childhood education.

Whether you're just discovering schema play or have been exploring it for years, this conversation will leave you seeing children's play—and your role as an educator—in a whole new way.

Heather is also the author of Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood, a must-read for educators looking to deepen their understanding of play.

HEATHER BERNT- SANTY

Heather Bernt-Santy, M.A. Ed., also known as That Early Childhood Nerd, has been working with children, their families, and their caregivers for over 30 years and has loved very-nearly-almost every minute. She is a believer in children's right to play and in the science that tells us play IS right. As That Early Childhood Nerd, she offers consulting and webinars, and hosts a podcast. 

LINKS

Website: www.thatearlychildhoodnerd.com 

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Podcast

YouTube

Book: 

(Canada) Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood

(US) Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood

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In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla explores why critical thinking begins long before children enter elementary school and how everyday moments in our classrooms shape children's confidence as problem-solvers, question-askers, and curious learners.

From open-ended play and educator language to productive struggle and reflective practice, this conversation will challenge you to look differently at the small interactions that happen every day. Because sometimes the most powerful thing we can do isn't give children the answer—it's give them the space to discover it themselves.

Whether you're an early childhood educator, student, or leader, this episode will leave you reflecting on how we can create environments that nurture curiosity, resilience, and independent thinking from the very beginning.

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

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In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla Ward sits down with award-winning speaker and trainer Chris Danilo to explore the skills that technology can't replace.

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the workplace, many educators are asking the same question: What makes humans irreplaceable?

Together, Carla and Chris dive into the human skills that will matter most in the years ahead, why emotional intelligence may become one of the most valuable professional assets we have, and what leaders and educators need to be focusing on right now.

This conversation might challenge some assumptions, spark a few questions, and leave you thinking differently about the future of our profession.

Because in an AI-powered world, being more human may be the advantage we need most.

CHRIS DANILO

Chris is an award-winning speaker and trainer for the early childhood workforce. He trains ECE leaders and educators on Human Skills like compassionate detachment, self-management, and emotional intelligence that make a real difference in how teams work together.

He uses high-energy, roll-up-your-sleeves, experiential workshops to make professional development turn into action.

He's worked with organizations in Child Care Aware and Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) groups around the US.

LINKS

Website: chrisdanilo.com/newsletter 

Instagram

LinkedIn

YouTube

Seed Training

Books

Emotionally Charged: How to Lead in the New World of Work — Dina Denham Smith & Alicia A. Grandey Oxford University Press · Penn State announcement · Author site Co-written by Penn State psychology professor Alicia Grandey (one of the world's leading researchers on emotional labor) and executive coach Dina Denham Smith. Equips leaders with evidence-based tools for emotional skills at work: emotional labor, authenticity, stress and recovery, emotion regulation, self-compassion. Includes the authors' BRAVE technique (Breathe, Recognize, Accept, Verbalize, Engage) and frameworks like compassionate detachment drawn from caring professions. Especially relevant for ECE directors and center owners managing emotional load on their teams.

Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ — Daniel Goleman Amazon ·The 1995 book that introduced the concept of emotional intelligence to a mass audience. Goleman argues that EQ matters as much as IQ for success in relationships, work, and well-being, and outlines five core skills — self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills — that can be taught and cultivated.

Researchers & Authors

Dr. Alicia Grandey — Penn State Penn State faculty page · Workplace Emotional Labor and Diversity Lab Professor of Psychology at Penn State and one of the original architects of the modern research literature on emotional labor — the work of regulating your emotions on the job. 25+ years of peer-reviewed research, with multiple papers in the top 1% for citation impact. Co-author of Emotionally Charged. Essential reading for anyone trying to understand why caregiving work — including ECE — is so emotionally taxing.

Dina Denham Smith — executive coach and leadership consultant DinaDSmith.com · Book site Founder and CEO with 20+ years coaching senior leaders at companies like Adobe, Netflix, and Stanford. Co-author of Emotionally Charged with Alicia Grandey, bridging the academic research on emotional labor into practical leadership tools.

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

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The ECE Latte Lounge

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Self-care is often reduced to bubble baths, spa days, and treating yourself, but true self-care goes much deeper than that.

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla Ward shares a personal story about how years of ignoring her own well-being led to a panic attack that landed her in the hospital. Through honest reflection and practical insights, she explores why self-care is not a luxury for educators. It's a necessity.

Carla breaks down the five essential types of self-care

Whether you're an early childhood educator, teacher, leader, or parent, this episode will help you identify which area of self-care may need your attention and offer simple ways to begin prioritizing yourself again.

Topics Discussed:

• Why self-care is more than bubble baths

• The consequences of ignoring your own needs

• Boundaries and professional self-care

• Emotional wellness for educators

• Building sustainable self-care habits

• How self-care impacts children, families, and teams

  
  

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

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Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

#243: Why Movement Comes Before Mindfulness with Lisa Danahy

In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla Ward sits down with educator, author, yoga therapist, and founder of Create Calm, Lisa Danahy, to explore the powerful connection between movement, emotional regulation, and learning.

Together, they discuss why movement is often the pathway to mindfulness, how educators can support their own regulation before helping children, and why calm and compliant are not the same thing. Lisa shares practical strategies that can be implemented immediately in early childhood settings while challenging traditional ideas about behaviour management and mindfulness.

In this episode, you'll learn:• Why movement fuels brain development and emotional regulation• The difference between mindfulness and mind control• How educator regulation impacts classroom dynamics• Why connection must come before correction• Practical strategies to support co-regulation and well-being

LISA DANAHY

Lisa Danahy (C-IAYT, YACEP, MS) is an educator, author, and leader in social-emotional learning focused on supporting emotional regulation, resilience, and well-being in early childhood and school communities. Through her nonprofit, Create Calm, she has helped facilitate meaningful cultural shifts in hundreds of schools nationwide, supporting students, educators, and families since 2016. With advanced training in yoga therapy, psychology, and over 30 years of experience in education and SEL curriculum development, she creates accessible, evidence-based practices that support whole-child development. Lisa specializes in working with neurodiverse, disabled, and underserved children and partners with educators and caregivers to bring sustainable self-care and regulation tools into early learning environments.  

LINKS

Website: createcalm.org

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Book: Creating Calm in Your Classroom

Radiant Child: www.childrensyoga.com 

Monday Mindfulness: www.MondayMindfulness.com 

INA Wellness: www.INAwellness.com 

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If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

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The ECE Latte Lounge

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What if the music we grow up around shapes more than just our memories?

In this reflective solo episode, Carla Ward explores the powerful role music plays in childhood development, emotional regulation, identity formation, and the environments we create for children. From Linda Ronstadt and Carole King to Cher, Madonna, and the Spice Girls, Carla reflects on the soundtrack of her own childhood and asks an important question:

What are children absorbing from the music around them today?

This episode dives into:

• music as part of the learning environment

• emotional associations and memory

• identity and self-expression

• nervous system regulation

• classroom atmosphere and intentionality

• why music is far more than background noise

Whether you are an educator, parent, or someone reflecting on your own childhood soundtrack, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about the songs shaping children’s worlds.

RESEARCH & REFERENCES

Saarikallio, S., & Erkkilä, J. — The Role of Music in Adolescents’ Mood Regulation https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0305735607068889 

Effects of the Educational Use of Music on Children’s Emotional Development https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350545306_Effects_of_the_Educational_Use_of_Music_on_3-to_12-Year-Old_Children's_Emotional_Development_A_Systematic_Review 

North, A. C., Hargreaves, D. J. — Music and Adolescent Identity https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232523022_Musical_Preference_and_Taste_in_Childhood_and_Adolescence 

Janata, P. — The Neural Architecture of Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memories https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2758676/ 

Routledge, C. — Research on nostalgia and psychological connectedness https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/nostalgia

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

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The ECE Latte Lounge

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This week on The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla sits down with Laurent Li, an educator working both on the frontline with children and in post-secondary education, preparing future ECEs entering the field.

Together, they have an honest and reflective conversation about the growing gap between graduating and actually being classroom-ready, authentic inclusion culture, mentorship, onboarding, advocacy, and the basics we cannot afford to lose sight of in early childhood education.

From headcounts and visual schedules to connection, belonging, and what true inclusion really looks like beyond performative practices, this episode explores the heart of what it means to support children, families, and educators well.

This conversation is thoughtful, validating, and one every educator and leader should hear.

LAURENT LI

Laurent Li is a professor in the Faculty of Early Childhood Education at Seneca Polytechnic and an advocate for inclusive cultures and the creation of environments that support children with disabilities in demonstrating their capabilities. He is also a proud girl dad to two young daughters, ages 3 and 5, and, as a result, a devoted caffeine lover.

LINKS

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ljmli/ 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

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The ECE Latte Lounge

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In this episode of The Everything ECE Podcast, Carla Ward shares one of the most impactful reflective strategies she adopted in her career as an early childhood educator: using the 5 Ws and the H to better understand behaviour, play, emotions, environments, and classroom dynamics.

Instead of immediately reacting to challenging moments, Carla explores how slowing down and asking reflective questions can help educators become more responsive, intentional, and supportive in their practice.

This episode dives into:

• reflective practice in ECE

• understanding behaviour through curiosity

• the role of environment and timing

• schemas and observation

• supporting dysregulation

• studying what is working in the classroom, not just what is not

Whether you are navigating challenging behaviours, trying to better understand classroom dynamics, or looking to deepen your reflective practice, this episode will leave you thinking differently about what is really happening beneath the surface.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

CONNECT WITH CARLA

The ECE Latte Lounge

Email Newsletter: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠

Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece

Working with Wood in ECE with Pete Moorhouse

Woodworking in early childhood can feel like a big leap – for educators and for programs.

In this episode, I sit down with early years creative consultant, researcher, and author Pete Moorhouse to explore what woodworking can actually look like in practice – and why it matters.

With over 25 years of experience, Pete shares how hands-on experiences with real tools support children’s creativity, problem solving, focus, and confidence in ways that go far beyond what we often see in traditional classroom materials.

We dive into:

• Why woodworking is making a global comeback in early years

• How to safely introduce tools to young children

• The difference between risk and danger

• The role of the educator in open-ended, hands-on learning

• Why children need more opportunities to work with their hands

This conversation is both practical and thought-provoking – especially if you’ve ever felt unsure about introducing something new into your classroom.

PETE MOORHOUSE

Pete Moorhouse is an early years creative consultant, researcher, author and artist educator based in the UK.  He is an associate trainer for Early Education delivering training nationally and overseas and is also a Froebel Tutor for the Froebel Trust. His work in school is centred around nurturing children's creativity inspired by Froebelian principles and the approach in Reggio Emilia. Pete is a leading authority on woodwork in Early Years education and has written several books and journal articles, including ‘Learning Through Woodwork’ (Routledge) as well as books on outdoor learning. He is currently working his latest book – ‘Creativity in Practice: Nurturing creative and critical thinking in early childhood education’. He was awarded an honorary research fellowship from the University of Bristol and is currently researching creative progression in early education. Pete was also awarded a Churchill Fellowship to undertake international research into best woodworking practices in education. Pete won the national award (2019) from the Creative Learning Guild for his work promoting creativity in education and is Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

LINKS

Pete’s Website: https://irresistible-learning.co.uk/

Woodworking Course: https://irresistible-learning.co.uk/woodwork-cpd-online-course/ 

Woodworking Book: 

https://amzn.to/4d1vx0t (CANADA) 

https://store.northhouse.org/products/learning-through-woodwork-20acc (UK)

https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Through-Woodwork-Introducing-Creative/dp/1138071102 (US)

Books with positive roles of girls & women with tools: https://irresistible-learning.co.uk/resource/girl-power-tools-booklist/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrresistibleLearningEYs 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-moorhouse-72b36214/ 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

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The ECE Latte Lounge

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Scissors.

Such a simple tool… until it’s not.

In this episode, we’re digging into the hesitation so many educators feel when it comes to offering scissors during free play. Is it about safety? Trust? Or something deeper?

Because when scissors aren’t part of the environment, we might be holding children back in ways we don’t always see - from fine motor development to creativity and confidence.

This episode isn’t about forcing one way of doing things. It’s about asking better questions, shifting our language, and rethinking how we support children in building real skills.

If you’ve ever said “be careful” (we all have), this one’s for you.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more ECEs who are in the thick of it!. Thanks for tuning in to The Everything ECE.  See you next week! shape their early years.

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The ECE Latte Lounge

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Website: carlatheece.com

Instagram: @carlatheece