The Play Well Podcast

Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg MBE is an award-winning Early Years author, trainer, product designer and lifelong advocate for play. After a decade as a headteacher, he set up ABC Does to support schools, settings and educators to create exciting, child-led environments where play is central to learning.

He’s the author of 28 books on Early Years pedagogy and practice and has worked as an advisor on various film and television projects. He delivers training and consultancy across the UK and internationally, working with schools, nurseries, local authorities and families to help bring curiosity, creativity and developmentally appropriate practice to life.

His latest project is The PLAYlist , a research-backed platform packed with content for Early Years professionals. From articles and activities to video training and guest features, it’s all about helping practitioners make informed decisions about how they teach and why.

Alistair has a Doctorate in Education with a focus on Early Years and was awarded an MBE in 2025 for services to the sector. When he’s not knee deep in playdough, water trays or writing deadlines, he’s at home with Fee, enjoying family life as a dad to three grown-up boys and grandpa to two small (and very energetic) grandchildren.

Margaret Fordyce (P1–3) and Kerry Nicholson (P6/7) are teachers at Baltasound Junior High School, Britain’s most northerly school. As a Play Pedagogy Award Pilot school, they are exploring ways to embed play into learning, sharing their journey and insights into how play enriches children’s experiences across the primary years.

In this episode, our CEO, Mary Ramsay, speaks to Sue Atkins.

Sue Atkins is an internationally recognised Parenting Expert, Broadcaster, Speaker and Author of the best-selling books “Parenting Made Easy – How to Raise Happy Children’ & ‘Raising Happy Children for Dummies’ one in the famous black and yellow series, as well as the ‘Can Do Kid’s Journal: Discover your Confidence Superpower’ & ‘The Divorce Journal for Kids’.

Sue is the Parenting Expert for Disney Family and regularly appears on the award-winning flagship ITV show ‘This Morning,’ Good Morning Britain, ‘Jeremy Vine on 5 ’ and ‘The Vanessa Feltz Show.’ She is also the parenting expert for numerous BBC Radio Stations around the UK.

Sue is also the global spokesperson for World Digital Detox Day and the Host of ‘Navigating the Digital Jungle with Sue Atkins and Friends’ Podcast, Patron for Mama Academy the UK’s Safer Pregnancy Charity, and Trustee of the charity ‘Technology Books for Children.

In this episode, our former CEO, Marguerite Hunter Blair, speaks to Dr Myae Han.

Dr Myae Han is a professor of early childhood education at the University of Delaware. Her research focuses on play and early literacy learning, play-based curriculum, professional development for early childhood teachers, and culturally and linguistically diverse children.

She is a recipient of the Brian Sutton-Smith Award from The Association for the Study of Play (TASP) (2025), Doctor of Play Award from the International Play Association USA (2024), and the Edgar Klugman Award for Leadership and Research in Play (2020) from the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Play Policy Practice Forum. 

Dr. Myae Han served as a past president of The Association for the Study of Play (TASP) (2013-2014), a past Chair of the Early Education/Child Development (EECD) SIG at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) (2020-2022), and a past president of the Literacy Development in Young Children (LDYC) SIG at the International Literacy Association (ILA) (2013-2017). She was the first Asian president in each of these leadership positions

In this episode, our Play Pedagogy Award Officer, Fiona Kirkland speaks to Leanne Sweaton.

Leanne is the Principal Teacher in Woodmill and Dunfermline Cluster in Fife supporting schools to close the poverty related attainment gap. She has been teaching for 25 years and began her play journey began back in 2016. Since then, she has revolutionised her practice and have never looked back. She runs the popular Facebook page 'The Play Piece'. Her work has been spotlighted by HMiE and Education Scotland and she has spoken nationally on this topic.