In this episode of Plant the Seed of Learning, Aimee Ketchum and Crystal Loose take a deep dive into the growing conversation around kindergarten redshirting. While many parents worry about whether their child is truly ready for school, especially with summer birthdays, the research tells a more nuanced story.

Aimee and Crystal explore what redshirting is, why families consider it, and whether it is actually becoming more common. They break down recent research showing that while redshirted children may experience short-term academic gains, those advantages often disappear by third grade. The episode also highlights important financial, social, and long-term considerations, including childcare costs and potential impacts later in adolescence.

This conversation helps parents move beyond fear and trends to make informed, individualized decisions. The key takeaway is that for most children, starting kindergarten on time is the right choice, but there are specific situations where waiting may be beneficial.

In this episode of Plant the Seed of Learning, we continue our Kindergarten Readiness Series with elementary school counselor and former kindergarten teacher David Trout. With nearly two decades of experience in early childhood and elementary education, David brings clarity and reassurance to parents navigating kindergarten registration this spring.

We explore what truly matters when preparing your child for kindergarten, with a strong focus on social skills, confidence, and emotional readiness. You will learn what early literacy and math actually look like in today’s classrooms, how writing skills develop, and what a typical kindergarten day includes.

We also discuss the return of purposeful play, the benefits of full-day kindergarten, and what parents can expect during the registration process.

If you are enrolling your child in kindergarten right now and feeling unsure about how to prepare them, this episode will give you practical guidance, realistic expectations, and peace of mind.

Because kindergarten readiness is not about perfection. It is about connection, confidence, and a strong foundation for learning.

What does it really take to help children thrive from birth through the early years?

In this episode, hosts Dr. Aimee Ketchum, pediatric occupational therapist, and Dr. Crystal Loose, early childhood educator, walk listeners through the key ideas in their book The Early Childhood Promise: Sparking Change for Parents, Early Childhood Professionals, and Policy Makers.

Chapter by chapter, Aimee and Crystal discuss the most important issues shaping early childhood development, kindergarten readiness, play-based learning, and family support. They also highlight practical tips from the book designed specifically for parents, early childhood professionals, policymakers, and community leaders who want to improve outcomes for young children.

Throughout the episode, they share real-world strategies and actionable ideas that anyone can use to support healthy development, strengthen early learning environments, and advocate for policies that put children first.

Whether you are a parent, teacher, therapist, childcare provider, healthcare professional, or policymaker, this episode provides a clear overview of the ideas and solutions presented in The Early Childhood Promise.

Learn how small changes in homes, classrooms, communities, and policy decisions can make a big difference in the lives of young children.

Buy the book on Amazon:
https://a.co/d/0bA9n86n

Learn more about the book and resources:
https://www.earlychildhoodpromise.com/

In Part 2 of our Movement Series, we continue the conversation about why movement is a powerful driver of child development. Many parents hear the advice: “Just talk more to your child and they’ll learn to talk.” While modeling language and repetition are important, communication development is much more complex. Speech and language are deeply connected to a child’s movement, sensory processing, regulation, and attention.

In this episode, we speak with Helen Guntrip, Founder of Talk & Move, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, and preschool yoga teacher with over 22 years of experience supporting families and educators. Helen shares how her Talk & Move program combines whole-body movement with vocabulary, speech sounds, and phonological awareness to support the whole child.

Helen explains how movement helps children become more regulated, engaged, and confident, creating the brain-body connection that allows communication to develop more naturally. We explore why speech and movement are not separate developmental areas, early signs a child may need support, how movement can reduce challenging behaviors, and simple ways parents and educators can integrate movement into everyday routines to support language.

If you’ve ever wondered why some children communicate more easily when they are moving, playing, or regulating their bodies, this episode will help you understand the science behind it and give you practical ideas you can start using right away.

Website www.talkandmove.co.uk

Instagram www.instagram.com/talk.and.move

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/talkandmove/

Check out Helen's website for Talk & Move:

Is the trend toward Type B parenting just another viral idea, or is there real science behind it?

In this episode of Plant the Seed of Learning, Dr. Aimee Ketchum and Crystal Loose explore the growing conversation around laid-back parenting styles and why a less structured approach may actually benefit children’s development. When parents allow more flexibility, unstructured play, and independence, children gain opportunities to build emotional regulation, resilience, problem-solving skills, and confidence.

To dive deeper into the role of play and movement in early childhood, Aimee and Crystal are joined by movement expert Darlene Koskinen, founder of MoovKids, an innovative program helping educators and families integrate meaningful movement into children’s daily routines.

With more children living increasingly sedentary lifestyles, Darlene explains why movement is critical for brain development, physical health, learning, and self-esteem. She shares practical strategies teachers and parents can use to build strong movement foundations that support attention, coordination, and emotional regulation.

If you’ve ever wondered whether kids really need more structure—or simply more opportunities to move, explore, and play—this episode will change how you think about childhood.

In our conversation with Darlene Koskinen we learn the importance of movement through gymnastics and karate. Darlene is the creator of Moov Kids moovekids.com and here is some more informatoin on her programs: https://vimeo.com/1133131215/ee67ec4eb5?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

In this research deep dive, we break down what the latest science says about how children learn to read—and why it matters more than ever. We explore the rise of structured literacy, a term introduced by the International Dyslexia Association, and how it connects to decades of research known as the Science of Reading.

Using a 2025 study from Reading Research Quarterly, we unpack compelling evidence that explicit, systematic instruction in foundational skills like phonemic awareness and phonics leads to significantly stronger reading outcomes in kindergarten and first grade. In fact, students in structured literacy programs showed dramatic gains—equivalent to months of additional learning—compared to traditional approaches.

We also walk through the five pillars of reading instruction—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—and explain how they work together using real-world examples parents can use at home.

This episode makes one thing clear: early literacy is not just an academic issue—it’s a life outcome issue. Children who are not reading proficiently by third grade are significantly more likely to struggle long-term. The good news? We now know what works.

If you are a parent, teacher, or therapist, this episode will give you practical insight and the confidence to support early readers the right way.

Article:

Citation: Lane, H. B., Contesse, V. A., Gage, N. A., & Burns, M. K. (2025). Effect of an Instructional Program in Foundational Reading Skills on Early Literacy Development of Students in Kindergarten and First Grade. Reading Research Quarterly (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 60(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.607

Effect of an Instructional Program in Foundational Reading Skills on Early Literacy Development of Students in Kindergarten and First Grade

Having a baby in the NICU can be overwhelming, especially when parents are flooded with conflicting information about newborn medications and vaccines. In this episode, we tackle common NICU myths and fears with evidence-based guidance from a multidisciplinary NICU team.

We start with a popular misconception circulating on social media: If a mother is healthy, her baby doesn’t need hepatitis B vaccination or erythromycin eye ointment at birth. Our experts explain why this is false, and why these medications are given as preventive protections during a newborn’s most vulnerable period, not because a parent is assumed to be unhealthy.

Joined by three experienced NICU nurses and a neonatologist, along with an occupational therapist who practices in the NICU, we walk families through:

• The most common reasons babies are admitted to the NICU

• What the first 24–48 hours in the NICU are really like, both emotionally and medically

• How families can mentally and practically prepare for an unexpected NICU stay

• The evidence behind vitamin K and the real risks of vitamin K deficiency bleeding

• Why hepatitis B vaccination is recommended at birth and how it protects infants

• Why erythromycin eye ointment is still used even when prenatal testing is normal

• How misinformation about newborn care spreads and how parents can evaluate it

• Ways parents can support their baby’s development in the NICU, even when they feel powerless

• Questions parents should feel confident asking their NICU care team

This episode is designed to empower parents with clear, respectful, science-based information while honoring the fear, uncertainty, and emotional weight of a NICU experience. Whether you’re currently in the NICU, expecting a baby, or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers clarity, reassurance, and practical guidance from professionals who care for newborns every day.