Tiny Talks on Early Learning
Welcome to "Tiny Talks on Early Learning," a podcast committed to exploring the world of early childhood education. I am your host, Jessica Stinson. Join me, along with my colleagues and special guests, as we break down the complexities of child's play and lift up the professionals who teach our youngest learners. Whether you're seeking parenting wisdom, professional growth, or simply a deeper understanding of the early learning landscape, "Tiny Talks on Early Learning" promises engaging discussions that resonate with both the heart and the mind. Click the "follow" button and join us on a journey to empower the next generation through knowledge, empathy, and thoughtful guidance. Together, we're shaping the dialogue and embracing the power of learning.
Episodes
Episode Description
Why do some children crave spinning, climbing, and jumping while others avoid those same experiences? And what does movement have to do with attention, self-regulation, and school readiness?
In this follow-up to our conversation about the eight sensory systems, Jessica and Venay welcome GRECS colleague Vicki Giles back to Tiny Talks on Early Learning for a deeper look at two often-overlooked senses: vestibular and...
Early literacy is about much more than recognizing letters, practicing sounds, or learning to hold a pencil. Before children can become confident readers and writers, they need opportunities to move, talk, play, explore, build relationships, and make meaningful connections to the world around them.
In this episode, Jessica and Venay welcome early childhood author and speaker Stacy Benge, author of The Whole Child Alphabet: How Young...
Episode Description
Early childhood work can be heavy. The expectations. The responsibility. The emotional investment. The constant pull to give just a little more—even when there isn't much left to give.
But there is beauty here, too.
Recorded live at the Gulf Coast Early Childhood Summer Symposium, this conversation wasn't exactly the one we planned—and we're so glad it wasn't. Leadership consultant Krystal Hard...
It’s easy to encounter a child who is angry, disruptive, withdrawn, hungry, or struggling and focus on the behavior in front of us. But what happens when we ask a different question: What might this behavior be telling us about the child?
In this special Tiny Talks and UNrattled Cross-Talk episode, Jessica and Venay are joined by Joshua Jones, Director of the HALO Program at USA Health, for a personal conversation about childh...
What happens when we put the word “just” in front of our work?
Recorded live at the Gulf Coast Early Childhood Summer Symposium, Jessica and Venay sit down with educator, speaker, and advocate Rachel Giannini to unpack one small word with a surprisingly big impact. Together, they explore why early childhood professionals often minimize their roles, how language shapes the way we value our profession, and why recognizing ...
Welcome back to Tiny Talks on Early Learning for Season 4!
As we begin a new season, Venay and Jessica reflect on the current landscape of early childhood education, the challenges families and educators are navigating, and the opportunities we have to better support young children during their most critical years of development.
Together, they discuss the themes that inspired this season's conversations and why topics such as childr...
What if parent-teacher conferences became opportunities for real connection instead of rushed conversations? In this special Cross Talk episode of Tiny Talks on Early Learning and UNrattled: A Podcast for Parents, we're joined by Dr. Tricia Shelton and Paula Reese to explore practical strategies for building stronger partnerships between educators and families....
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 m...
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 continu...
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 m...
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 power...
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 a...
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.
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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 an...
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 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 touch to constantly seeking movemen...
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 ...
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...
In Digging In: Cultivating Curiosity Through Gardening and Biodiversity, we explore how everyday experiences in nature—from planting a garden to discovering bugs in the soil—play a powerful role in children's learning and development. Recorded on site at Gulf State Park's Learning Campus and designed for both parents and early childhood professionals, this episode highlights how hands-on outdoor experiences ...
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