Active Play, Every Day – Details, episodes & analysis

Feel like you should be doing more to stay active—but don’t have the time? This episode is your reset. Dr. Emily sits down with Terra Castro (16 Ironmans + 42 marathons!) to talk about what happens when you ditch extreme fitness and focus on something that actually sticks: joyful, everyday movement.

In this episode:
1. Why all-or-nothing fitness doesn’t work
2. What “workout snacks” are (and why they do)
3. Simple ways to get your whole family moving
4. How to make movement feel fun again

Where to find Terra Castro:
Instagram
Website

Where to find Dr. Emily:
Instagram
Website

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.

Episode 5 of Active Play, Every Day opens with a sobering reality: childhood obesity rates have tripled since the 1960s. 

Dr. Emily sits down with Sherry White, Executive Director of GO FAR, to explore how something as simple as running can transform far more than physical health. It builds confidence, reshapes mindset, and creates meaningful community connections, giving kids a stronger foundation for life.

Inside this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why running is simply the vehicle, and how it builds confidence, resilience, and goal-setting skills
• How the “1% better” approach keeps kids motivated and makes big goals feel achievable
• Why movement supports not just physical health, but mental health, focus in school, and stronger relationships
• What starting from zero actually looks like, even if your child (or you) doesn’t see themselves as a “runner”
• How community and shared experiences make active play stick for families

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.

Research shows the biggest factor in child development during play isn’t toys or square footage — it’s parent engagement.

In Episode 4 of Active Play, Every Day, Dr. Emily is joined by pediatric occupational therapist Brittni Winslow to talk about why playing with your kids matters so much for development, regulation, and connection.

They discuss how play helps children build real skills, why movement can help kids regulate after a long day, and what parents can do if playing doesn’t come naturally. You’ll also hear practical ideas for making active play easier at home, using simple prompts like “I wonder…,” and helping play stay fun without turning into chaos.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why play is the foundation of child development
• How movement supports emotional regulation and attention
• What to do if playing with your kids feels awkward or hard
• Easy ways to make play more engaging without overcomplicating it

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.

The importance of sleep and active play in children’s lives cannot be overstated. In today’s podcast episode, Dr. Emily talks with Dr. Sujay Kansagra, Pediatric Neurologist and children’s sleep expert at Duke Health, and inventor of the Lullabee, a smart crib mattress. They explore the crucial relationship between sleep, physical activity, and overall child development. 

Show notes and study links.

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.

Ever have one of those playground moments where you pause between “be careful” and letting your child figure it out?

That risky play matters more than you think! The climbing. The jumping. The speed.

In this episode of Active Play, Every Day, Dr. Emily Greenwald talks with Dr. Mariana Brussoni, a global leader in risky play research, about why these moments are not reckless play–it is essential play.

In this episode, we cover:

• What risky play actually is
• How it supports confidence, resilience, and emotional regulation
• The difference between risk and hazard
• Why “be careful” often backfires
• Dr. Emily's Active Play prescription for families learning how to step out of their comfort zone

Full episode notes

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.

The latest Active Play, Every Day episode, challenges the traditional sedentary school model and explores how embedding movement throughout the school day through action-based learning can transform focus, behavior, academic performance, and student well-being.

Imagine a school where academic performance soars, behavior issues dwindle, and mental health concerns diminish. This is not just a dream but a reality for many schools implementing active play strategies. In this blog post, we explore insights from the Active Play Everyday podcast, hosted by Dr. Emily, in which she discusses the transformative impact of action-based learning on children's education with Principal Paul Travers.

Resources, Supply List & Shownotes

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.

Our kids are moving less than ever before. That matters. It matters for their bodies, their brains, their mental health, and their confidence.

If you believe movement matters, but daily life, packed schedules, screen negotiations, weather, homework, and tired evenings often make it feel complicated, the Active Play, Every Day podcast is for you.

Active Play, Every Day is more than a podcast. It is a movement to reclaim active, joyful play in childhood. Play isn’t extra. It is essential.

Hosted by Dr. Emily Greenwald, a double-boarded pediatrician, mom of three, and childhood wellness advocate, this bi-weekly podcast explores how daily movement shapes kids’ physical health, brain development, emotional regulation, confidence, and resilience. Most importantly, it offers families a realistic path to 60 minutes of active play every day, without guilt, pressure, or impossible standards.

For show notes and resources, visit 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.

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.