Send us a textMeet Jessica Farmer, a former preschool teacher and current curriculum creator and Nashville improv comedy performer. We explore the importance of play -- for early childhood and for every day life -- in this episode. Full Show Notes*Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org[03:44] Childhood ambitions -- Jessica  wanted to be an actress from a very young age -- although she did consider running for US President in 8th grade.[06:44] Why is play important? A number of studies support the importance of play in early childhood learning:A New Path to Education Reform: Playful Learning Promotes 21st Century Skills in Schools and Beyond (2020).  Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Dr. Helen Hadani The Power of Playful Learning in the Early Childhood Setting (NAEYC 2022). Learning through ‘guided’ play can be as effective as adult-led instruction up to at least age eight:  University of Cambridge. (2022, January 12). ScienceDaily. Examples of Connecting Play and Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom12:04: Guided play (connecting literacy, writing, drama, math, and science) through Goldilocks and the Three Bears14:04:  Gingerbread Man fuels writing[21:07} Validating STEM/STEAM in early childhood classrooms/as a partner for guided play[22:32] Gingerbread Man and spatial reasoning/map making[24:07] STEAM engineering/creating a real house for the  Gingerbread Baby, plus other variations of the stories (Gingerbread Girl, The Musubi Man, The Gurabia Man, The Runaway Wok) for compare/contrast[26:44] Jessica's top 3 takeaways  for  successful learning through play. [34:27] Guided Play In Action -- Building connections with poetry, engineering, blocks, drama, “I Made a Mechanical Dragon” (The Dragons are Singing Tonight)37:06 Building Connections Through STEM/STEAM with Eric CBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launStart for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showSubscribe & Follow: Stay updated with our latest episodes and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and the Adventures in Learning website. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! *Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.

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