Nurtured Noggins -- Adventures in Early Childhood with Ann McKitrick

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In today's podcast episode, we visit with parenting expert, coach, blogger, and podcast host of Parenting in the First Three Years, Ann McKitrick. Ann is an early childhood specialist. She has done training and coaching for schools. She also coaches new parents and caregivers, and her podcast is a delight. If you haven't started following it, please head over to nurturednoggins.com and check out all that Ann has to offer. 

[0:51] Tell us about your adventures in learning. How did you become an early childhood expert?

[02:24] What is Nurtured Noggins?

[3:35] What's the connection between curiosity and learning?

 I just think that everything children do leads to learning and it's how they manage themselves in the world. And I think that what happens oftentimes when they get to a certain point and it's probably different in different places, it just begins to be shushed a little bit and the curiosity becomes disruptive almost, and we have to look at it with a different mindset in order to encourage it.

[11:24] What do maker spaces look like for early learners?

[15:58] What's the difference between tinkering and playing?

[19:44] What are some good picture books to connect to making and tinkering?Boxitects, Rosie Revere Engineer, Iggy Peck Architect,  The Most Magnificent Thing, Fairy Science, and more

[21:19] What kind of household items make a good maker space for young learners?

[25:13] How do we set very young learners (ages 0-3) up for a successful life of tinkering, playing, and creating?

[26:48] What brings you hope in terms of parenting and families and early education?

You can contact Ann McKitrick via email: [e-mail]

Check out her webpage, nurturednoggins.com

You can also follow her on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and

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