Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

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Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

Ruth Vercoe

57 episodes

10 hours ago

Join us for the 2026 Family Preset from the 12-16th January. Jump on the waitlist here! If you'd love a ready-to-go cheat sheet with all the schema explanations and ideas from today’s episode, you can download the free Christmas Play Schema Guide at playschemas.com/free. Ever wondered why your child suddenly throws baubles across the room, moves everyone’s presents to the opposite corner, or mixes their entire Christmas lunch into one giant “experiment”? In this episode, we take the stress, c...

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Join us for the 2026 Family Preset from the 12-16th January. Jump on the waitlist here! If you'd love a ready-to-go cheat sheet with all the schema explanations and ideas from today’s episode, you can download the free Christmas Play Schema Guide at playschemas.com/free. Ever wondered why your child suddenly throws baubles across the room, moves everyone’s presents to the opposite corner, or mixes their entire Christmas lunch into one giant “experiment”? In this episode, we take the stress, c...

Show more...

Episodes (20/57)

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

056 From Baubles to Tantrums: How Play Schemas Can Transform Your Christmas Day with Toddlers

Join us for the 2026 Family Preset from the 12-16th January. Jump on the waitlist here! If you'd love a ready-to-go cheat sheet with all the schema explanations and ideas from today’s episode, you can download the free Christmas Play Schema Guide at playschemas.com/free. Ever wondered why your child suddenly throws baubles across the room, moves everyone’s presents to the opposite corner, or mixes their entire Christmas lunch into one giant “experiment”? In this episode, we take the stress, c...

1 week ago

15 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

055 Less Stuff, More Play: Creating a Connected Christmas

If your living room has ever looked like a toy shop exploded on Christmas morning, you’re not alone. The wrapping paper, the noise, the overstimulated kids… and that quiet thought in the back of your mind: “How did we end up here again?” In this episode of Demystifying Child’s Play, host Ruth Vercoe brings a fresh, reassuring perspective to the festive season, one that’s grounded in child development, play-based learning, and realistic expectations for busy parents. Less stuff. More play. Mor...

2 weeks ago

9 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

054 The Secret Language of Play: How to Read What Your Child Is Telling You

Have you ever watched your toddler throw toys, empty your handbag for the tenth time, or spin in circles until they fall over, and wondered, why on earth are they doing that? This episode will help you finally make sense of it, and trust your child’s play in a whole new way. In this episode of Demystifying Child’s Play, we’re diving into one of the most powerful, and often misunderstood, parts of early childhood development: play schemas. These are the repeated patterns of behaviour that todd...

3 weeks ago

6 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

053 Water Play + Play Schemas: 10 Ways Kids Learn Through Splashing, Pouring & Play

Why is your toddler obsessed with pouring, tipping, splashing, and carrying cups of water around the house? In this episode, Shelly from HapiTap and I dive into the world of water play through the lens of play schemas, so you can finally understand what your child is learning every time they head straight for the tap, bath, or puddle. If you’ve ever wondered “Is this normal?” or “Why does water play keep them so focused?”, this episode breaks it all down in a way that feels reassuring, pract...

1 month ago

28 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

052 A Playful Christmas: Understanding Your Child’s Play for Calm, Joyful Holidays

Is your toddler more interested in the box than the toy this Christmas? You’re not alone, and there’s a reason behind it! In this episode of Demystifying Child’s Play, we’re kicking off our festive three-part miniseries, A Playful Christmas, exploring how understanding play schemas can bring more calm, confidence, and connection into your holiday season. If you’ve ever wondered why your child throws, spins, hides, or moves things around, this episode explains exactly what’s happening in their...

1 month ago

9 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

051 Nourishing Nutrition for Mums: Preconception to Postpartum with Hannah Eriksen

How can mums nourish themselves through conception, pregnancy, and beyond? NZ dietitian Hannah Ericksen from oh Goodness Nutrition joins Ruth Vercoe to unpack nutrition for mums , the real, practical kind. From the “first thousand days” to postpartum recovery, discover how small changes can make a lifelong impact for you and your baby. You’ll learn: Why the first thousand days are so important for baby’s lifelong healthThe 3 food groups every mum needs more of (and how to make it easy)How to ...

1 month ago

26 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

050 Create a Connected, Calm, and Joy-Filled Christmas with Your Child

What Your Child Really Wants for Christmas (It’s Not What’s Under the Tree) This week on Demystifying Child’s Play, Ruth Vercoe is joined by Linda from The Thriving Home and The Connection Couple to explore what truly makes Christmas magical... connection. If you’ve ever felt torn between creating a picture-perfect holiday and actually being present with your kids, this episode will help you slow down, simplify, and reconnect. Linda shares her and her husband Matt’s Connection Firs...

1 month ago

20 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

049 Connect Before You Correct: Parenting Neurodiverse Kids with Compassion

Ever wondered how to truly connect with your neurodiverse child, especially when life feels like one long guessing game? In this episode of Demystifying Child’s Play, host Ruth Vercoe welcomes Sarah from We Are Equal — a mum of four, early childhood teacher, and passionate advocate for neurodiversity, to share the five powerful lessons she wishes she’d known going into parenting her autistic son. From navigating “safe foods” and understanding sensory overload to handling social pressur...

2 months ago

33 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

048 Dinovember, Dinosaurs & Play Schemas: Turning Toddler Chaos into Connection

Discover the Magic of Dino-vember, and the Hidden Learning in Your Child’s Play! What if your child’s love of dinosaurs could actually help you understand why they play the way they do? In this fun and insightful episode of Demystifying Child’s Play, Ruth Vercoe dives into Dino-vember, that magical month where toy dinosaurs mysteriously come alive overnight, and reveals how it’s so much more than a playful tradition. It’s a unique opportunity to connect with your child, understand their behav...

2 months ago

10 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

047 Why Knowing Your “Normal” Could Save Your Life

What if prioritising your own health could be the most important thing you ever do for your children? In this powerful and deeply honest conversation on Demystifying Child’s Play, Ruth Vercoe talks with Tamara Milne, a radiographer and mum who was just 33 and weeks away from welcoming her second baby when she received a life-changing diagnosis: breast cancer. Tamara shares how knowing her normal and performing regular self-checks quite literally saved her life, and how every parent can ...

2 months ago

17 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

046 How Play Builds Language: The Secret Link Every Parent Should Know

Did you know your toddler’s everyday play is secretly building the foundations for language and communication? If you’ve ever worried about whether your child is talking “enough,” or wondered how you can best support their speech and confidence, this episode will give you the reassurance and practical strategies you’ve been searching for. As parents, we often look for ways to help our children learn—but the truth is, the most powerful tool is already happening right in your lounge, at the par...

2 months ago

23 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

045 Everyday Moments Matter: Turning Daily Routines Into Language-Rich Opportunities

How does play shape your child’s speech and language? If you’ve ever wondered whether those endless games of peek-a-boo, block towers, or toy tea parties actually do anything for your child’s speech development, you’re not alone. In this episode of Demystifying Child’s Play | Play Schemas, we’re unpacking the fascinating connection between play and speech, and how understanding this link can help you feel more confident in supporting your child’s growth with Paige O'Dwyer from Talk First Word...

3 months ago

22 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

044 From Mess to Meaning: Baking and Child Development with Play Schemas

Ever felt like baking with your toddler is more mess than magic? You’re not alone. But what if I told you that the flour on the floor and the endless stirring are actually signs of learning in action? In this episode of Demystifying Child’s Play, I share the 10 main play schemas and how they show up while baking gingerbread with your little one. From pouring flour (trajectory) to lining up cookie cutters (positioning) to covering cookies in sprinkles (enveloping), every “chaotic” moment is fu...

3 months ago

11 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

043 Baking with Kids Made Easy: Create Memories, Not Stress

Ever thought about baking with your toddler but stopped yourself because of the mess, the chaos, or the fear it’ll all go wrong? You’re not alone. Many parents love the idea of baking with their kids but find the reality overwhelming. Flour on the floor, sticky fingers everywhere, and a kitchen that looks like a tornado hit... sound familiar? Baking with children isn’t just about producing perfect cupcakes. It’s about connection, learning, and making memories that last far longer than the coo...

3 months ago

15 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

042 Five things I wish I knew about Birth and Postpartum with Jade from Your Mama Journey

Feeling overwhelmed after birth? You’re not alone. In this week’s episode of Demystifying Child’s Play, I’m joined by Jade from Your Mama Journey. A mum, an accredited mental health social worker, and the creator of beautiful guided journals designed to help women reflect on their birth and postpartum journeys. Like many of us, Jade expected her birth to go one way… and then it went another. An emergency C-section changed everything, and while she held her healthy daughter in her arms, she wa...

3 months ago

24 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

041 Do Twins Really Need to Share Everything? 5 Insights for Twin Parents

Parenting twins is a beautiful gift but, it can also feel overwhelming. From double nappies to double tantrums, everything feels doubled. And when it comes to sharing, many parents wonder: Should twins always share? What if they’re constantly fighting over the same toy? How do I teach fairness without endless meltdowns? In this episode of Demystifying Child’s Play, I’m joined by Smadar, a New Zealand–based twin specialist and founder of Twinful Life. With more than 15 years of experience supp...

3 months ago

22 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

040 5 Messy Play Tips Every Parent Needs with Sam from Messy Mates

Messy play can feel like chaos… but what if it’s actually one of the best things you can do for your child’s learning, confidence, and connection? In this episode, I sit down with Sam, founder of Messy Mates, to talk about the hidden magic of messy play and how parents can make it easier (and less stressful!) to bring into everyday life. What we cover: Why messy play is a developmental goldmineHow it boosts creativity and confidenceThe surprising role messy play has in parent–child connection...

4 months ago

14 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

039 New Baby, New Balance: How to Care for Yourself While Caring for Your Baby

Bringing a new baby into the world is magical, but it can also feel overwhelming. Between sleepless nights, adjusting to life as a bigger family, and trying to find time for yourself, it’s easy for mums to feel stretched thin. That’s why this week, I’m joined by Ally from @EntwinedParenting, who shares her 5 top tips for welcoming a newborn into the family, with a big focus on looking after yourself as a mum. This episode is all about making those early days feel a little lighter and mo...

4 months ago

22 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

038 Welcoming a New Baby? Help Your Toddler Adjust with Less Stress & More Connection

If you’re a parent of a toddler or preschooler and you’ve got a newborn on the way, you already know it’s about to be a season of big feelings, big changes, and a whole lot less sleep. Between preparing the cot, stocking up on nappies, and navigating your own emotions, it’s easy to wonder: How will my little one cope when the baby arrives? In this practical episode of Demystifying Child’s Play | Play Schemas, I’m sharing exactly how I’m preparing my two children (almost 2 and 4) for the arriv...

4 months ago

10 minutes

Demystifying Child's Play | Play Schemas

037 Sibling Conflict & Play Schemas: A Guide for Parents of Toddlers

Is your home filled with cries of “Muuuum, he took my toy!” or “She wrecked it again!”? If so, you’re definitely not alone and you’re absolutely in the right place. In this episode of Demystifying Child’s Play Through Play Schemas, we’re diving deep into a topic every parent of more than one young child knows all too well: sibling conflict. But instead of seeing these daily dust-ups as something to avoid or “fix,” we’re reframing them as one of the most powerful learning tools in your child’s...

4 months ago

8 minutes