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Learn Play Thrive The Podcast
Welcome to Learn Play Thrive: The Podcast! Join us for expert insights and interviews, practical tips and inspiring stories in Early Childhood Education. Whether you are an educator or leader in the sector, this podcast is your go-to resource to discover strategies to foster learning, promote play and empower young minds to thrive.
Episodes
97 episodes
Intentional Scaffolding: From Vygotsky to Today
Are you ready to transform your intentional teaching and learning practices? Join us for an essential discussion with Kate Hodgekiss, owner of Engaging Curriculum Solutions and a powerful advocate in the early childhood sector for over 25...
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Season 1
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Episode 96
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26:43
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Play Provocations #2: Pretend Play
In this episode of Play Provocations, hosts Linda Harrison and Lindsay Laing unpack the power of pretend play. Learn how inventing roles and narratives is the highest form of symbolic thought in early childhood, directly activating the prefront...
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Season 1
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Episode 96
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14:05
The Magic of Mark-Making
How do we unlock the joy of meaningful mark-making for every child? This week, we host Dr. Gai Lindsay, Senior Lecturer and long-time early childhood expert, whose research is dedicated to empowering visual arts learning. Drawing inspir...
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Season 1
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Episode 95
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29:52
Navigating the NQS #2: Standard 1.2 - Practice
This exciting monthly mini-series, Navigating the NQS, continues with host Simone Brand who draws on 15 years of exceeding-rated leadership experience. In this episode, we explore Standard 1.2 – Practice, focusing on how educators facilitate an...
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Season 1
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Episode 94
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12:17
2025 ECA National Conference: Exhibiter Insights.mp3
We're hitting the floor at the Early Childhood Australia (ECA) National Conference 2025 in Perth! Host Simone Brand dives into the bustling Exhibition Hall to chat with the innovators, creators, and resource providers who are driving change in ...
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Season 1
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Episode 93
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29:20
Little Dreamers #6: A Transport Journey to Calm
Welcome back to Little Dreamers, the enchanting mini-series designed to bring calm and creativity to a young child's world! This month, get ready for an adventure as we climb aboard for a mindful journey about transport. Your preschooler will b...
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Season 1
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Episode 92
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11:12
2025 ECA National Conference: Educator Voices
We're taking you live to Perth for the Early Childhood Australia (ECA) National Conference 2025! Learn Play Thrive host Simone Brand grabs the mic and dives into the heart of the sector, capturing the vibrant energy and vital conversations from...
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Season 1
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Episode 91
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24:33
Little Library #7: The Christmas Tree Catastrophe
Ready to bring the magic of picture books into your early learning practice this festive season? Join Linda Harrison on Learn Play Thrive's Little Library as she talks with award-winning author Emma Bowd about her joyful new picture book, The C...
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Season 1
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Episode 90
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25:08
Empowering Young Children Through Hands-On Disaster Preparedness
Get ready for an eye-opening chat with Dr. Sharleen Keleher about disaster preparedness. Drawing from her extensive research and hands-on work with communities recovering from floods, fires, and cyclones, she shows us that disaster resilience e...
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Season 1
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Episode 89
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29:24
Play Provocations #1: Messy Play
Get ready to get playful with our brand-new monthly mini-series, Play Provocations, dropping once a month on Tuesdays! Join your hosts, Linda Harrison and Lindsay Laing, two experienced Early Childhood Education teachers and consultants, as the...
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Season 1
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Episode 88
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13:11
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Nurturing Sensory and Motor Development in Preschoolers
Join us as we talk to Amanda Bacon, a highly experienced Paediatric Physiotherapist and designer of the Targeted Motor Control (TMC) Screening Tool. Amanda shows us that small, early interventions in motor and sensory development create exponen...
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Season 1
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Episode 87
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23:13
Navigating the NQS #1: Standard 1.1 - Program
This exciting new monthly mini-series, Navigating the NQS, is hosted by host Simone Brand! Drawing on her 15 years of experience as an educator, leader, and Approved Provider, Simone shares valuable insights into operating two exceeding-rated L...
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Season 1
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Episode 86
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11:16
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Montessori in Action: Practical Strategies for your ECEC Setting
We're excited to welcome back a very special international USA guest to the Learn Play Thrive podcast, early childhood educator and social-emotional learning expert, Cara Zelas! Cara, the founder of the educational platform Big World of Little ...
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Season 1
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Episode 85
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26:26
Raising the Bar: A Guide to Thriving in the A&R Process
The Assessment and Rating (A&R) process doesn't have to be a source of stress! This episode of Learn Play Thrive is here to transform your perspective. We're joined by the brilliant and innovative minds behind The National Quality Framework...
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Season 1
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Episode 84
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40:40
The Pedagogical Artistry of Shared Thinking
In this inspiring episode, we welcome back the conversation from last week and dive into the newly released book, Redefining Planning and Assessment: Seeing Children Through Pedagogical Documentation. We're sitting down with David Gilk...
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Season 1
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Episode 83
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21:14
Redefining Planning and Assessment: Seeing Children Through Pedagogical Documentation
We’re thrilled to bring you an incredibly insightful episode of Learn Play Thrive, recorded at the REAIE conference in Adelaide! This week, we're joined by three of the early childhood sector’s most respected experts and authors - Dr. Alma Flee...
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Season 1
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Episode 82
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18:41
Little Dreamers #5: Bubbles
Get ready for some calm and quiet time with a brand new episode of Little Dreamers, our monthly mini-series of mindful stories from Learn Play Thrive! This month's theme is "Bubbles," a gentle tale designed to help preschoolers relax, connect w...
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Season 1
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Episode 81
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10:21
A Day In The Life of a Centre Manager
Step into the inspiring world of early childhood education on this episode of Learn Play Thrive, where we're joined by the incredible Ashleigh Waugh. With nearly 25 years of experience spanning teaching, management, and leadership across Austra...
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Season 1
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Episode 80
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52:12
Little Library #6: The Bug Book
Dive into a buzzing new episode of Learn Play Thrive's Little Library! This week, we're joined by award-winning author Tania Ingram to chat about her wonderful new picture book, The Bug Book. This rhyming, vibrant story is an ideal introduction...
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Episode 79
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37:15
Who is the Atelierista? The Heart of Creativity in Reggio Emilia
In this episode of Learn Play Thrive, we’re joined by Caterina Pennestri, an atelierista at St Peter’s Girls Early Learning Centre. Caterina brings a wealth of experience from Italy, having studied Contemporary Arts and Art Educa...
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Season 1
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Episode 78
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9:22
The Be You Buzz: Educator Wellbeing Matters
Welcome to The Be You buzz! In this episode, we're joined by Paola Mercado, a consultant from Be You at Early Childhood Australia.Paola shares her expertise on why educator wellbeing is so crucial, exploring how to create a genuinely su...
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Season 1
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Episode 77
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32:29
Little Dreamers #4: Dinosaurs
Welcome to Learn Play Thrive's mindfulness stories for preschoolers! Settle into a gentle movement and mindfulness episode crafted for young listeners. Little Dreamers offers a simple yet effective tool for promoting relaxation, body awareness,...
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Season 1
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Episode 76
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10:54
Supervision in Action: Strategies for a Safe and Engaging Environment
On this episode, host Simone Brand has an essential conversation with early childhood consultant Tracey Yeomans. With over 35 years of experience, Tracey unpacks the concept of intentional supervision, moving beyond simply "watching" children.<...
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Season 1
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Episode 75
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42:01
Early Learning Matters Live: A Central Coast Celebration
This week, we're taking you to the heart of our Early Learning Matters Week celebration! Join us as we share a special episode recorded live at the Central Coast Early Childhood Educator Network group breakfast.We were absolutely buzzin...
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Season 1
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Episode 73
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42:53
Little Library #5: Spiro
Welcome to the Learn Play Thrive Little Library! In this episode, we dive into the award-winning Australian picture book, Spiro, authored and illustrated by Anna McGregor, and published by Scribble. This heartwarming tale of a determined little...
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Season 1
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Episode 73
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15:45
