Ep 40 | Stop ’Splaining the Play: Lisa Murphy on Trusting Kids
What if play didn’t need a lesson plan? Or an outcome? Or a grown-up standing nearby explaining what’s supposed to happen next?
In this episode of the Play Nature Podcast, Rusty Keeler sits down with longtime early childhood educator, author, speaker, and unapologetic play advocate Lisa Murphy to talk about what children really need in order to play: time, choice, trust, and adults willing to get out of the way.
Lisa has spent more than 30 years helping educators understand that play isn’t something extra we squeeze in after the “real learning.” It is the foundation underneath it.
Rusty and Lisa are talking about why freely chosen, open-ended play matters, what happens when children (and adults) haven’t had enough of it. Curiosity might be one of the most important things we can protect, so let’s evaluate the danger of chopping a child’s day into twenty-minute pieces. Because play has its own speed.
This conversation is also a rallying cry for educators. Know what you believe. Own it. Stop apologizing for play before anyone has even questioned it. Play doesn’t need an agenda. Sometimes the best thing we can do is give it space and see where it goes.
Top 3 Takeaways from Lisa Murphy:
- Give play time. Real play needs enough room for choosing, negotiating, experimenting, changing course, and deciding when it’s finished.
- Protect curiosity. Children (and grown-ups) need opportunities to wonder, explore, get messy, and follow ideas without always knowing where they’ll lead.
- Know your values. When educators are clear about what they believe about children and play, it becomes much easier to stand confidently behind their practice.
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