Tiny Talks on Early Learning

Episode 6 of 6 - A Limited Podcast Series

In this final episode of Voices of Alabama Families, we look ahead—exploring the hopes, values, and changes families across Alabama want for the next generation. Through heartfelt reflections, contributors share a vision of a future where children feel safe, seen, and free to be who they are, while also emphasizing the importance of protecting what matter...

Episode 5 of 6 - A Limited Podcast Series

Some of the most important things children need to understand are also the hardest to explain. In this episode, Voices of Alabama Families explores how families across Alabama navigate conversations about difficult history—stories of segregation, integration, and racial injustice that are not just part of the past, but lived experiences that continue to ...

Episode 4 of 6 - A Limited Podcast Series

Raising children has never been something families were meant to do alone, and in communities across Alabama, it hasn't been. In this episode, Voices of Alabama Families explores what it truly means to "raise a child in a village"—through the neighbors, educators, family members...

Episode 3 of 6 - A Limited Podcast Series

Long before children can explain what they believe, they are already learning what matters—through the patterns, relationships, and traditions that surround them every day. In this episode, Voices of Alabama Families explores how faith, family, and cultural values shape early learning across communities in Alabama. Through powerful pe...

Episode 2 of 6 - A Limited Podcast Series

Long before children ever step into a classroom, they are already learning—through stories shared in everyday moments. Around kitchen tables, on front porches, and in passing conversations, children begin to understand who they are and where they belong. In this episode, Voices of Alabama Families explores storytelling not as something imagined, but as some...

Episode 1 of 6 - A Limited Podcast Series!

What we inherit shapes how we raise our children.

In this opening episode of Voices of Alabama Families, we explore how history lives on through families, communities, and everyday experiences—and how those stories become a child's first lessons in identity, belonging, and resilience.

From...

Supporting children on the autism spectrum takes collaboration between families, educators, healthcare providers, and communities.

In this special crossover episode of Tiny Talks on Early Learning and UNrattled: A Podcast for Parents, we sit down with Michelle McDaniel, Director of the USA Regional Autism Network, to explore what autism support looks like ...

Transitions—ending playtime, getting out the door, moving from one activity to the next—can feel like small moments to adults but huge emotional events for young children. In this episode, we unpack why transitions so often trigger meltdowns, especially for children under five. Through simple brain science, real-life examples, and practical strategies, we explore what's really happening beneath the tears and resistance...

Physical activity in early childhood programs is often treated as a break from learning—but what if it's actually the foundation for it?

In this episode of Tiny Talks on Early Learning, we sit down with Victoria Bolton to explore why movement is essential for young children's brain development, behavior regulation, and overall well-being. Together, we unpack the research behind the brain–body connection, c...

Young children experience the world through their senses—but when sensory input feels overwhelming or hard to interpret, behavior is often the first place it shows up. In this episode, we explore the eight sensory systems and how differences in sensory processing can shape a child's emotions, attention, movement, and daily routines. From avoiding noise or t...

The first few minutes of a child's day matter more than we often realize. Arrival time isn't just a transition—it's an opportunity to build trust, create connection, and establish a sense of safety that carries throughout the day.

In this episode of Tiny Talks on Early Learning, GRECS colleagues Jessica, Venay and Desira Keith ...

Policies and systems don't exist in a vacuum—they are designed by people, and often carry forward assumptions and imbalances. In this episode, Sterling Freeman and Kathleen Crabbs of OpenSource Leadership Strategies unpack how power, policy, and organizational systems shape uneven outcomes in early childhood education. They'll share insights from their work helping leaders and organizations build the skill sets, mindsets, and tool ...