Kindergarten registration season often brings excitement—and anxiety—for many parents. But what does it really mean for a child to be ready for kindergarten?

In this episode, Crystal Loose, former kindergarten teacher and early learning specialist, and Dr. Aimee Ketchum, pediatric occupational therapist take a deeper look at what research says about kindergarten readiness and school readiness.

Drawing on a recent study from Early Childhood Research Quarterly, they explain why readiness is not just about knowing letters or numbers. Instead, children enter kindergarten with different combinations of early literacy, math, and social-emotional skills, and these readiness profiles can influence how children adjust and succeed in the classroom.

Aimee and Crystal discuss key findings showing that social-emotional skills—such as following routines, managing emotions, paying attention, and cooperating with peers—are some of the strongest predictors of kindergarten success. They also highlight the critical role that positive teacher–child interactions play in helping children grow academically and socially during the kindergarten year.

The conversation also explores practical ways families can prepare children for kindergarten using play-based learning, shared reading, conversation, and everyday routines.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why kindergarten readiness is multidimensional, not just academic

• Why social-emotional skills often matter more than early academics

• How high-quality classroom interactions help children thrive

• Why pre-teaching reading and writing is not the key to kindergarten success

• Simple strategies families can use to support language, literacy, and self-regulation

Aimee also shares how her Kindergarten Readiness Boxes help families build these foundational skills through play, while Crystal discusses the seven learning sessions and parent resources she provides to support early literacy and school readiness.

If you're a parent preparing for kindergarten, an early childhood educator, or a professional supporting young children, this episode will help you understand what truly matters when children take their first step into school.

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: