Episode 85: Making the Case for Joy in Playful Early Learning

Joy is one of those concepts that everyone understands until you try to define it. And yet, the research is remarkably clear about what it does. In this episode, we explore what joy actually is, why it matters so profoundly for young children, and what it looks like in the early childhood classroom. From the neuroscience of how joy changes the brain’s chemistry and learning capacity, to the relational dimension of shared delight between children and the adults who care for them, this episode grounds joy firmly in both science and practice.

If you work with young children or advocate for play-based learning, this episode will give you the research and the language to protect joy in your program — and a compelling reminder of why that work matters. Part two of a two-episode series with Episode 84 on agency.

Because Play = Agency + Joy

Catch the deep dive on Agency in the previous episode.

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Notes from the Show:

(*May contain affiliate links.)

“Joy is the Oxygen” podcast episode

On Fairy Stories by JRR Tolkien, and the creation of the term, “Eucatastrophe”.

Links to Citations:

Dermody, C., & McCoy, D. (2025, February 2). The magic of childhood: How curiosity, creativity, and joy empower children to thrive. Centre for Early Childhood. https://centreforearlychildhood.org/news-insights/guest-essays/the-magic-of-childhood/

Gordon, N. S., Burke, S., Akil, H., Watson, S. J., & Panskepp J. (2003). Socially-induced brain “fertilization”: play promotes brain derived neurotrphic factor transcription in the amygdala and dorolateral frontal cortex in jevenile rats. Neuroscience Letters, 341(1), 17-20.

(Great video about this study here.)

Little, C., & Karaolis, O. (2024). The lost art of joy in early childhood education. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 49(1), 81-90.

Willis, J. (2014, July 18). The Neuroscience Behind Stress and Learning. Edutopia.

Yogman, M., Garner, A., Hutchinson, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2018). The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children. Pediatrics, 142(3).

Zosh, J. M., Hopkins, E. J., Jensen, H., Liu, C., Neale, D., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Solis, S. L., & Whitebread, D. (2017).
Learning through play: a review of the evidence (white paper). The LEGO Foundation, DK.

Not Just Cute: How Powerful Play Drives Development in Early Childhood

Want to go deeper? My book, Not Just Cute: How Powerful Play Drives Development in Early Childhood, covers agency, joy, and the full research case for powerful play — written to be accessible, practical, and worth sharing with your whole team. Find the book, a free study guide, and more here.