The Playful Lens

✨Shaping minds, connections and creativity through play, playfulness and playful learning for all✨
Welcome to The Playful Lens - the podcast where curiosity, creativity and coffee fuel big conversations about learning, wellbeing and play.
In this weeks episode, Cathy O Byrne discusses the significance of play in parenting and therapy, emphasizing its role in fostering connection between parents and children. She shares insights on how to reconnect with playfulness, trust children, and the importance of being present in playful interactions.
Cathy offers online Circle of Security Training and parenting support. You can find out more about her work here www.theswallowstrail.com
Hosted by Gillian (@the_glitter_and_coffee_teacher) and Helena (@experiential.wellbeing ), each episode explores how play shapes who we are: in classrooms, communities and beyond. Expect thoughtful chats, laughter and plenty of playful inspiration.
Follow the conversation on Instagram @the_playful_lens_podcast and subscribe wherever you listen.
We hope you enjoy.
Gillian and Helena
the.playful.lens.podcast@gmail.com

✨Shaping minds, connections and creativity through play, playfulness and playful learning for all✨

Welcome to The Playful Lens - the podcast where curiosity, creativity and coffee fuel big conversations about learning, wellbeing and play.
Hosted by Gillian (@the_glitter_and_coffee_teacher) and Helena (@experiential.wellbeing). 

This episode of The Playful Lens brings an inspiring conversation with Dr. Amanda Gummer. Amanda talks to us about the importance of a balanced play diet and gives us a new lens to view "just messing" through.

You can find out more about Amanda's work and access some of her incredible resources here:

Good Play Guide

Balanced Play Model

Play Partner Schools Programme (Free)

Follow the conversation on Instagram @the_playful_lens_podcast and subscribe wherever you listen!

the.playful.lens.podcast@gmail.com

We hope you enjoy 
Gillian and Helena

Shaping minds, connections and creativity through play, playfulness and playful learning for all.
Welcome to The Playful Lens - the podcast where curiosity, creativity and coffee fuel big conversations about learning, wellbeing and play.
Hosted by Gillian (@the_glitter_and_coffee_teacher) and Helena (@experiential.wellbeing).
In this episode, Dr. David Coleman shares his insights on the importance of play in children’s development, the role of risky play in building resilience and how parents and teachers can support children’s natural curiosity and growth. 
You can learn more about Dr. Coleman on his website https://davidcoleman.ie/ and follow him on Instagram @davidcoleman.ie
Tickets for his upcoming theatre tour Ready For Anything are available at https://davidcoleman.ie/tour/ 
Follow the conversations on Instagram @the_playful_lens_podcast and subscribe wherever you listen!
We hope you enjoy
Gillian and Helena
the.playful.lens.podcast@gmail.com

✨Shaping minds, connections and creativity through play, playfulness and playful learning for all✨

Welcome to The Playful Lens - the podcast where curiosity, creativity and coffee fuel big conversations about learning, wellbeing and play.
Hosted by Gillian (@the_glitter_and_coffee_teacher) and Helena (@experiential.wellbeing). 

This episode of The Playful Lens brings us together with Robbie O'Connell and Dr. Colman Noctor for a thoughtful discussion about homework in primary school. Robbie and Colman both challenge the idea that traditional worksheet homework should continue unchanged, arguing for more flexibility, better communication and learning that better fits children’s real lives.

In this conversation, we explore who homework helps, who it hurts and whether schools should be asking a bigger question: what is homework actually for?

You can find Dr. Colman Noctor on Instagram @noctorcolman and Robbie O’Connell also on Instagram @positiveprimaryprincipal 

Follow the conversation on Instagram @the_playful_lens_podcast and subscribe wherever you listen!

We hope you enjoy 
Gillian and Helena
the.playful.lens.podcast@gmail.com

✨Shaping minds, connections and creativity through play, playfulness and playful learning for all✨

Welcome to The Playful Lens - the podcast where curiosity, creativity and coffee fuel big conversations about learning, wellbeing and play.

Hosted by Gillian (@the_glitter_and_coffee_teacher) and Helena (@experiential.wellbeing). 

In the final episode of Season One, we welcome back Dr. Jacqueline Fallon to discuss the professionalism of teachers engaged in playful pedagogies. Jacqueline emphasises that play is often misunderstood as risky, mainly due to fears around professional reputation and perceptions of chaos. She explores the fact that the use of playful pedagogies highlight the importance of professionalism, knowledge and intentionality behind playful practices and learning experiences.

Dr. Fallon speaks about key professional skills including understanding affordances and sustained shared thinking.

The episode also discusses the significance of leadership support, especially principals acting as umbrellas in order to foster safe environments for encouraging playful and engaging learning experiences for all children. 

Follow the conversation on Instagram @the_playful_lens_podcast and subscribe wherever you listen!

We hope you enjoy 
Gillian and Helena
the.playful.lens.podcast@gmail.com