Biblically grounded insight for today’s early childhood professionals.
Brought to you by the Early Childhood Christian Network, Reimagine Childhood delivers practical strategies, expert advice, and faith-filled encouragement for teaching and caring for young children.
Each episode features conversations with trusted voices in early education, offering tools you can use right away—whether you’re in the classroom, leading a team, or supporting families.
Welcome to Reimagine Childhood brought to you by Early Childhood Christian Network—where we equip you with the tools you need so you can confidently care for and teach young children.
We know early childhood is prime time for all development and, yet, we often overlook our critical role in providing optimal learning experiences. In every episode, you’ll find seasoned experts sharing their passion and expertise in a way that is easily applied to everyday experiences in the classroom and anywhere else you’re involved with young children. We want to protect and celebrate early childhood in all its wonder and imagination, rather than rushing through it to get “prepared” for the next stage.
So….how will you reimagine your approach to early childhood? We’d love to invite you on this journey with us!
In this episode of Reimagine Childhood, brought to you by the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer engages in a heartfelt discussion with Kris Ramos, a former public school educator turned church-based preschool teacher, about the transformative power of play-based learning. Kris shares her journey from a structured educational setting to embracing a more flexible, child-centered approach focused on hands-on, joyful learning experiences. They delve into the foundational benefits of play for cognitive, emotional, and social development, the challenges teachers face in advocating for play-based education, and the role of educators in creating meaningful and developmentally appropriate learning environments. Tune in to discover practical strategies, inspiring stories, and the profound impact of nurturing curiosity and joy in early childhood education.
00:00 Introduction to Reimagine Childhood
00:49 Meet Kris Ramos: Journey to Play-Based Learning
04:25 The Importance and Impact of Play-Based Learning
14:44 Misconceptions and Defending Play-Based Learning
17:19 Regional Conference Promo
20:16 Understanding the Importance of Play in Child Development
21:29 Communicating the Value of Play to Parents
25:24 Practical Steps for Implementing Play-Based Learning
29:58 The Joy and Impact of Early Childhood Education
· Find Kris on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_inspired_llama/
· We have a discounted link for Amanda Morgan’s “Why We Play” letters to help you communicate the value of play-based learning to parents, teachers, and other community members. You must have an active ECCN membership to access the discount – https://earlychildhoodchristiannetwork.com/resources/#exclusive
· You can find more of Amanda’s resources at https://notjustcute.com/