To be truly child-centered, we must move beyond theory. We must respond to the wisdom they show us every single day, but only if we’re brave enough to listen.
– Mike Browne

On December 5, 2025 over thirty presenters and thousands of participants gathered for an online conference, “Protecting Play.” People wrote in the chat, “We want to hear more.” One of the presenters, Heather Bernt-Santy, offered to continue the conversations on her popular podcast, “That Early Childhood Nerd.” So far three in-depth conversations with four presenters have been held. Here are the links:

Play is Literacy with Stacy Benge, author of The Whole Child Alphabet

Make Believe Play, Literacy, Resilience and Joy! with Stephanie Goloway, author of Happily Ever Resilient

Pretend Play IS Liberated Learning with Mike Huber, author of The Power in Pretend, and Kisa Marx, author of Rethinking Weapon Play in Early Childhood: How to Encourage Imagination, Kindness, and Consent in Your Classroom.

We’ll let you know when more conversations are ready.

Speaking of conversations, a recent discussion in the World Forum’s WoFo Global Café brought together Mike Browne, Stephanie Goloway and Heather Bernt-Santy from the Play Conference with two members of the World Forum international community, Priyanka Handa Ram and Jodie Riek, to discuss advocating for play around the world. Again, participants wished for more and added many questions to the chat that couldn’t be answered in the time available. To help address this need, the presenters will be gathering for a “writing party” to answer these questions. Their answers will become an article in an “Early Childhood Around the World” column in Exchange Community Voices on March 2. And watch for more WoFo Global Café play conversations in the Spring.

P.S. Tickets are available for the International Play Association USA Live and On-Demand Conference, happening February 15–22. Five presenters from the Exchange Protecting Play Conference, Michele Hemmenway Pullen, Heather Bernt- Santy, Mike Huber, Kirsten Haugen and Heather Fox, will also be presenting at this virtual event. Learn more at https://ipausa.org.