Play Nature Podcast

Think about this…the best thing we can do for children is…less and then more. Less directing. Less correcting. Less rushing to the rescue. More mud. More mess. More wonder!

In this episode of Play Nature Podcast, Rusty welcomes Stephanie O’Brien, longtime educator at the legendary Roseville Community Preschool, where the philosophy of beloved early childhood advocate Bev Bos is still going strong. With a background in occupational therapy and more than two decades at the preschool, Stephanie shares how this one-of-a-kind play space gives children the freedom to take risks, make choices, feel big feelings, and grow at their own pace. And how a school held together with zip ties, duct tape, and a whole lot of love can change the lives of children AND parents.

From the art of being an "unhelpful" adult to the importance of messy play and strong developmental foundations, Rusty and Stephanie explore what happens when we stop controlling childhood and start trusting children.

They talk about creating environments filled with possibilities, supporting big emotions without judgment, and making room for curiosity and discovery. Because childhood isn't a race to kindergarten readiness. It's about building the roots for a lifetime of learning, confidence, and joy. So slow down. Stand back. Let the magic happen!

Top 3 Takeaways from Stephanie:

Master the art of standing back. Give children the space to solve problems, take risks, and discover what they're capable of. Stay close, but resist the urge to jump in and fix everything.

Embrace the mess. All of it! Muddy clothes, spilled paint, big feelings, and even bigger frustrations are all part of growing up. Children need room to experience it all.

Build the foundation before the academics. Climbing, digging, crawling, wondering, and playing develop the physical, emotional, and social skills children need to thrive. Slow and steady. Childhood isn't a race!

Links:

rosevillecp.org



Learn More: rustykeeler.com | @rusty_keeler_designs

Rusty’s FREE Outdoor Loose Parts Guide

What if the answer to better learning, happier kids, and even easier classroom management is just outside the door?

In this episode of the Play Nature Podcast, Rusty talks with Dr. Megan Zeni about bringing play, learning, and a little healthy risk into the school day. No fancy outdoor classroom required. A tarp, a patch of grass, and a willingness to try can be plenty.

Megan shares what she learned from decades of teaching outdoors and helping other educators do the same. They talk all about why outdoor learning gives kids more room to move, regulate, explore, and actually engage with what they’re learning. They also look at the spectrum from adult-directed activities to guided play to child-led play—and how teachers can use all three to meet curriculum goals without squeezing the play right out of learning.

And then there’s risky play. Saws. Climbing. Mud. The good stuff. Megan explains how clear routines and strong relationships create the freedom kids need to explore. Her advice? Skip waiting for the perfect outdoor classroom. Take something you already do and move it outside. Start small. Go play.

Top 3 Takeaways from Dr. Megan Zeni:

Outside can make school work better. More room to move and explore can support engagement, relationships, and classroom routines.

Structure can create freedom. Teach the skills and routines first, then give kids the time and space to take the lead.

Start with what you already do. Read a book under a tree. Take a lesson for a walk. Put the Legos on a tarp. Going outside doesn’t have to be complicated.

Links:

meganzeni.com

@roomtoplay Facebook | Intsagram



Learn More: rustykeeler.com | @rusty_keeler_designs

Rusty’s FREE Outdoor Loose Parts Guide

What if play didn’t need a lesson plan? Or an outcome? Or a grown-up standing nearby explaining what’s supposed to happen next?

In this episode of the Play Nature Podcast, Rusty Keeler sits down with longtime early childhood educator, author, speaker, and unapologetic play advocate Lisa Murphy to talk about what children really need in order to play: time, choice, trust, and adults willing to get out of the way.

Lisa has spent more than 30 years helping educators understand that play isn’t something extra we squeeze in after the “real learning.” It is the foundation underneath it.

Rusty and Lisa are talking about why freely chosen, open-ended play matters, what happens when children (and adults) haven’t had enough of it. Curiosity might be one of the most important things we can protect, so let’s evaluate the danger of chopping a child’s day into twenty-minute pieces. Because play has its own speed.

This conversation is also a rallying cry for educators. Know what you believe. Own it. Stop apologizing for play before anyone has even questioned it. Play doesn’t need an agenda. Sometimes the best thing we can do is give it space and see where it goes.

Top 3 Takeaways from Lisa Murphy:

Give play time. Real play needs enough room for choosing, negotiating, experimenting, changing course, and deciding when it’s finished.

Protect curiosity. Children (and grown-ups) need opportunities to wonder, explore, get messy, and follow ideas without always knowing where they’ll lead.

Know your values. When educators are clear about what they believe about children and play, it becomes much easier to stand confidently behind their practice.

Links:

ooeygooey.com

@OoeyGooeyLady on Facebook | on Instagram | on YouTube



Learn More: rustykeeler.com | @rusty_keeler_designs



Rusty’s FREE Outdoor Loose Parts Guide

What happens when one kid climbs up the slide while another is coming down? Is going up the slide really dangerous? Or is it just one of those playground rules we’ve inherited without thinking too hard about it?

In this episode of the Play Nature Podcast, Rusty Keeler dives into one of the surprisingly spicy debates of early childhood play: Should kids go UP the slide?

Rusty shares stories from risky play conversations with educators, including a triumphant tube-slide climb, a former emergency room nurse who has seen more than her share of childhood injuries, and *content warning* a few genuine playground horror stories involving sticks, teeth, and yes, an eyeball.

The point isn’t to dismiss anyone’s fears. It’s to understand where those fears come from and ask whether a blanket “NO” is always the best answer.

This episode is really about more than slides. It’s about questioning old rules. Making room for different comfort levels and finding thoughtful ways to say yes to challenge without ignoring safety.

Top Three Takeaways:

Question the rules. Ask why they exist. Then ask whether they still make sense.

Make space for different perspectives. Our experiences shape how we see risk.

Find your way to yes. Safety and adventurous play don’t have to be opposites.

Get on the waitlist for Nature Play Academy: rustykeeler.com/the-nature-play-academy

Learn More: rustykeeler.com | @rusty_keeler_designs

Rusty’s FREE Outdoor Loose Parts Guide

What happens when children meet a muddy hill, a dangling rope, and a whole lot of possibility? They climb. They slip. They tumble. They try again.

In this episode of Play Nature Podcast, Rusty returns to Six Mile Creek and shares the story of Challenge Hill, where preschoolers in mud suits showed him just how capable, joyful, and determined children can be.

That wide-eyed moment is part of what inspired Rusty’s newest adventure: Nature Play Academy. After years of visiting inspiring play spaces, designing natural playgrounds, leading risky play conversations, and collecting stories from around the world, Rusty is ready to get all that goodness off his hard drive and into a living, growing community.

The Academy welcomes everyone from curious seeds to seasoned forests: teachers, directors, parents, grandparents, designers, playworkers, and nature play champions of every kind. Most of all, Nature Play Academy is a place to stop feeling alone. A place to ask questions. Share ideas. Grow confidence. Say yes more often. And go farther together.

Top Three Takeaways

Nature Play Academy is designed for everyone, from brand-new nature play beginners to experienced leaders growing the movement.

Community and practical support can help educators move through fears about risk, licensing, parents, and program expectations.

Small changes, shared ideas, and a little courage can create richer, wilder, more joyful play for children.

Get on the waitlist for Nature Play Academy: rustykeeler.com/the-nature-play-academy

Learn More: rustykeeler.com | @rusty_keeler_designs

Rusty’s FREE Outdoor Loose Parts Guide