
In this episode, I had the absolute joy of talking with Heather Bernt-Santy about her new book, How to Use Schema Play to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood. It’s packed with insight for anyone who wants to better understand how children learn and explore through schema play.
Heather shares her journey through the early childhood profession and how writing her first book was a full-circle moment. She breaks down what schema play really is and why it matters so much for child development, as well as how schema play connects to major developmental and educational philosophies. If you love geeking out about how children think, learn, and grow through play, this conversation is full of moments you’ll love.
You can now also find Not Just Cute: The Podcast on Spotify and Amazon Music!
Notes from the Show:
(*May contain affiliate links.)
Heather’s Book: Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood.
Read Heather’s article on schema play for Community Playthings.
Check out Heather’s podcast, That Early Childhood Nerd (and on YouTube).
Heather and I talked about my book on her podcast here.
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Show Highlights:
Heather’s Journey in the Early Childhood Profession
Book Writing
Defining Schema Play
Schema Play in Child Development
Connecting Schema Play to Developmental and Educational Philosophies
Meaningful and Iterative Play
More Topics to Nerd Out On

