What if one of the most important parts of childhood was quietly disappearing from the school day?

In Episode 9 of Active Play, Every Day, Dr. Emily Greenwald sits down with Rachel Bush and Kathryn Truman, founders of Say Yes to Recess, to explore why recess is far more than just a break between classes.

Together, they unpack the science behind recess, the growing movement to protect it, and how one parent’s discovery about her daughter’s school schedule sparked a statewide movement that helped increase Tennessee’s daily recess requirements from 15 minutes to 40 minutes.

This conversation explores why unstructured play is essential for children’s physical health, emotional regulation, social development, creativity, and learning. The group also discusses why recess, PE, and classroom movement breaks are not interchangeable — and why many children still receive shockingly little free play during the school day.

You’ll also hear:

• Why recess supports brain development and academic performance
• How unstructured play helps children build resilience and social skills
• Why middle schoolers and teens still need movement breaks
• What makes an effective recess policy
• Practical ways parents and educators can advocate for change in their communities

This episode is for parents, educators, pediatricians, and anyone who believes childhood should include movement, joy, and play.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. It really helps the show reach more families.

This podcast is sponsored by Nex Playground, an active play gaming system that helps kids move indoors through full-body games that support learning, coordination, and joy.

This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

Have you ever found yourself marching around the kitchen like a dinosaur or jump, jump, pump it up, chipmunk at the gas pump? If so, you already know our guest!

In Episode 8 of the Active Play, Every Day podcast, Dr. Emily Greenwald sits down with the undisputed queen of children’s music, Laurie Berkner, to discuss how music truly gets you moving.

Inside this episode, listeners will learn:

• How Laurie discovered the magic of the human tempo, which prompts movement and aligns with your body's rhythm
• The importance of demonstrating the movement, and being a part of the experience (yes, you should dance!)
• Designing and building songs, playlists, and even concert playlists around a child’s development and behavior regulation to help with transitions or ramped-up energy
• How schools and educators can use Laurie Berkner Bytes and Breaks within their class planning to integrate music and movement in other parts of the day
• How you can use music to help you remember everyday things (like your bank account) and motivate others to change the mood or to move, even when they don’t want to

Where to find Laurie

• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Visit Laurie on tour
  
  ps: Laurie Berkner’s 18th album, Walking With The Penguins, is scheduled for release on June 26, 2026

Where to find Dr. Emily

• Instagram
• YouTube

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. It really helps the show reach more families.

This podcast is sponsored by Nex Playground, an active play gaming system that helps kids move indoors through full-body games that support learning, coordination, and joy.

This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

Dr. Emily Greenwald sits down with Jonathan Carone, host of the Healthy Sports Parents podcast, to tackle one of the most stressful environments for modern families: the hyper-competitive world of youth sports.

Inside this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why kids quit sports and how parents can support their experience
• Why the car ride home can be the most dreaded part of youth sports (and how to turn this around)
• How the 5-to-1 positivity ratio changes a child’s attitude, perception, and psyche
• Why winning actually ranks surprisingly low on the list of what makes sports fun for kids
• How to keep kids, especially girls, supported and safely engaged in sports as they navigate puberty and body image challenges

Where to find Jonathan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents/
Website: https://healthysportsparents.com/

Where to find Dr. Emily:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dremilygreenwald/
Website: http://activeplayeveryday.com

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. It really helps the show reach more families.

This podcast is sponsored by Nex Playground, an active play gaming system that helps kids move indoors through full-body games that support learning, coordination, and joy.

This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.