What can water teach young children about science, curiosity, and caring for the planet? Author and educator Ann Gadzikowski, MEd, joins host Emily Garman to discuss her new book, Every Drop Counts: Exploring Water Science with Young Children in a Changing Climate (Gryphon House, 2025). Drawing on her collaboration with her daughter, a water scientist, Ann shares how educators can inspire scientific thinking and environmental stewardship—beginning with joyful, hands-on play.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How simple water play helps children develop curiosity, problem-solving, and early STEM thinking.

• Ways to introduce environmental awareness and stewardship through age-appropriate exploration.

• How the book aligns with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and Next Generation Science Standards.

• Strategies for addressing children's (and adults') eco-anxiety with reassurance and curiosity.

• Why play—and time outdoors—is the foundation for future scientific and environmental understanding.

• Practical classroom ideas for introducing water systems, the water cycle, and conservation through play.

Key Quote:

"Go outside and play as much as you can. Get wet, play in the mud, and get messy—that's the most important thing." — Ann Gadzikowski

Guest:
Ann Gadzikowski, MEd is an award-winning educator, author, and curriculum designer specializing in early childhood STEM and critical thinking. Her latest book, Every Drop Counts, empowers educators to teach science through wonder, play, and environmental care.

Learn More:
Explore Every Drop Counts: Exploring Water Science with Young Children in a Changing Climate at gryphonhouse.com.

In this inspiring conversation, author and educator Jani Kozlowski shares her personal and professional journey toward creating more inclusive early learning environments. Drawing from her own experience as a person with a disability—and as the parent of a child with a disability—Jani helps educators and families see that inclusion is not a place, but a culture of belonging.

She offers practical advice for educators who want to welcome every child, explains the importance of people-first language, and highlights how high expectations paired with support help all children grow and thrive.

Listeners will walk away with a renewed sense of confidence and compassion for creating classrooms where every child can fly.

• Jani's personal story and how it shaped her work in early childhood inclusion

• Why inclusion is a culture of belonging, not just a setting

• People-first language and how words shape perceptions

• How teachers and families can partner to support each child's success

• The benefits of inclusive classrooms for all children

• Balancing high expectations with appropriate support

• How educators can start building inclusive practices today

Jani Kozlowski, MEd
Author of Every Child Can Fly: An Early Childhood Educator's Guide to Inclusion and Empowering Your Child to Fly: A Parent's Guide to Inclusion (Gryphon House Books)

In this episode of Early Childhood Chapters, host Emily Garman sits down with Dr. Julie Tourigny, pediatric occupational therapist and author of Calm and in Control, Organized and Engaged, and her upcoming release, Alert and Attentive. Together, they explore why attention is not a fixed trait but a skill that can be taught and strengthened in early childhood. Dr. Tourigny shares practical strategies educators and caregivers can use to help children regulate emotions, sustain focus, and thrive in both learning and play.

Listeners will learn:

• Why attention and focus are developmental skills, not personality traits.
• How self-regulation and emotional control directly affect a child's ability to concentrate.
• Simple classroom environment adjustments that reduce distractions and support focus.
• The power of games, play, and routines in building attention span.
• How screen time has shifted children's ability to self-regulate and why boredom is essential for growth.