We're back!! Ben and Ems are back and they're pumped for it! People Who Play have returned with a bang and they get stuck in - Are hobbies that take a lot of time selfish? - Do men expect more play time than women? - Is nostalgia good for us? - The joy of taking a creative pause - Money might you happy afterall if it gives you time to create The first week of every month of this podcast is freeeee! If you want weekly episodes hop along and join Emma's substack and you'll get an ad free ep EVERY WEEK! https://theplayfulden.substack.com/

Emma speaks to Canada based Kara Latta aka the Playful Warrior who works with groups, individuals and businesses to help heal perfectionism and self-doubt through play. Kara supports people in their return to play - something that can be a lot more difficult than it sounds - and shares tips for how to reconnect with your inner joyful child through play based activities. Follow Kara @theplayfulwarrior

Ben and Ems are back and this week Ben has decided he would like to be Batman. Emma has had meltdown after a change in routine meant she had to do morning school runs and the couple discuss wether to 'burn all social media to the ground'. follow @playful_den and @benflyingretro Email the show hellopeoplewhoplay@gmail.com

Ems and Ben are back catching up on their old segments: Retro rewind - Ben sneaks Phoenix into the cinema to watch Aliens Overheard at home - Emma discusses how older siblings means he can now fart on demand Stumbled across some research - Emma shares what science has been saying about the 'runners high' and how to get it Listener question - how to keep dreaming and using your imagination when your head is full of life admin Read about research into the runners high discussed here: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/apr/09/chasing-the-runners-high-the-elusive-buzz-scientists-are-still-figuring-out Follow Emma @playful_den Follow Ben @benflyingretro Email the show hello@peoplewhoplay.com

Emma and Ben are back and excited to have their first proper conversation since the Easter holidays. Discussed in this episode: - Climbing up Snowdon - Free movement play and building physical agility - Utopia and dystopia - how to parent in an uncertain world and future - The Witch Trials of JK Rowling podcast - Rewriting the curriculum for the current world and why is everyone so obsessed with maths? - Deep rest and privacy as a mental health need Follow Emma @playful_den Follow Ben @benflyingretro

Ben and Ems are back and catching up and reflecting on Emma being away for work. Emma wants to know why Ben seems to like it when she goes when she goes away which leads to a conversation comparing full control versus blurred responsibilities. Ben has also responded to a recent 'badgering' resulting in buying a teenagers desk planner. He hasn't written on it yet but Emma remains hopeful. Follow Emma @playful_den Follow Ben @benflyingretro

On a mission to change the narrative of Special Educational Needs by going right to the top of Government and legislative level; Jo supports children with additional needs, their Parents and Professionals to navigate the health and education systems. Self advocacy and acceptance lie right at the heart of it. Jo is an award winning Consultant Children’s Physiotherapist, Author of number 1 best seller, Equipping SEN Children for Life, and SEN Advocate. She has seen and experienced the barriers to support for SEN children first hand as Mum to Autistic, ADHD children. She runs a hugely successful and pioneering non profit organisation that provides fun, back to nature opportunities for therapy, play and learning. These take place in the great outdoors with a team of gorgeous therapy ponies to enrich children's experiences and enhance development. Jo is a seasoned public speaker featured on stage at national events such as EPOP Early Years Festival, Nursery World Exhibition, the global Bee Inspired event and through national charities such as the Riding For Disabled Association. Her book has supported hundreds of families and professionals to change their approach to the Special Educational Needs Narrative. Instagram: @jo_mc_sen_physio Get a free SEN Parent Toolkit here: https://www.senstorycic.com/opt-in-SEN-toolkit Buy the book: Equipping SEN Children for Life: Changing the Neurodiversity SENStory®️ : McMeechan, Jo: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Ben and Emma are back and catching up on eachother's playtime. Ben has been deep diving into RPG and spending part of his life on an alien ship. Emma is thinking about role modelling healthy relationships as the tween and teen are discovering romantic feelings and relationships. In this episode: - Kids and reading - Imagination in adulthood - Toddlers and letting go - Parenting mindset - Role play and empathy Follow Emma @playful_den Follow Ben @benflyingretro

Adam Lewis is a social entrepreneur and changemaker focused on using play and sport to drive social justice and build equitable communities around the United States. Adam is currently serving a 3-year term as an Appointed Advisor to the Portland, OR Parks and Recreation Bureau Board. Prior to that he founded and served as the Managing Director of Street Soccer USA-Portland, oversaw strategy at the USA’s largest athletic club, led the social impact legacy strategy for INEOS at the World Athletics Championships OR22 and was selected as a Fellow with the New Leaders Council. As an advocate for the power of play, Adam has ‘talked’ about play and empathy at TEDx, delivered a Keynote Address at the 2022 NLC Convention, was the Major League Soccer Portland Timbers Community MVP Award winner, the Multnomah Athletic Foundation Impact Award winner, and has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today and the Oregonian. Website: https://www.adam-lewis.co/ Insta: @adamisador

Emma and Ben are recovering from the kids having a stomach bug and reflect on their craving to be silly which emma has hunch is a new type of self-care that must be released! Ben accuses emma of using his ‘man conditioner’ and gets curious about Emma’s extensive and layered bedtime routine. Email Emma and Ben - hello@peoplewhoplay.com Follow @playful_den Follow @benflyingretro

Sydney Piercey is a mother of three who worked as an au pair and a nanny in Paris before having her own children. A passionate advocate for living a slower, more sustainable life, she set about creating toys for her children from the abundance of cardboard that modern living provides. The joy of exploring and creating with her children - and her growing online community - bloomed into her first book, published in May 2022: ‘Sustainable Play: 60+ crafts and games for an Earth-kind home.’ Sydney’s creative cardboard art, and sustainable but stylish approach to life, has seen her garner a dedicated online following. She writes for the well-known parenting blog Babyccino and has been interviewed and featured in Domino Magazine, My Modern Met magazine, and Bored Panda. Online, Sydney’s content is a window into a world of slow living. She emigrated to rural southern France with her husband and children in 2020, and often talks about how a change of pace - and a leap of faith - can be just what we all need. Follow Sydney on IG @sydney.piercey Check out Sydney's book here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sustainable-Play-cardboard-crafts-earth-kind/dp/1529416647/ref=asc_df_1529416647/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=570430330025&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17700237108063973659&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045715&hvtargid=pla-1636311200333&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

This week Ben and Ems are recording from Miami where they are celebrating Emma's 40th birthday! Ben asks Emma about feeling feelings about turning 40 and Ben reminisces on watching Miami Vice. Follow @playful_den Follow @benflyingretro Follow @emmaworrollo

GUEST EPISODE Emma chats to LA based professional toy photographer Mitchel Wu. Mitchel pivoted his career multiple times before landing on toy photography where he has carved out a dreamy creative profession working for global brands. Using photography as his medium, he uses toys and special effects and create his art and tell stories. Emma and Mitchel chat about finding work that fires you up creatively, how to pivot and why toy photography is so joyful and imaginative. They also explore themes of scale and why it makes us curious and why it it feels so satisfying to observe characters we know and love doing something completely unexpected. Find Mitchel on IG @mitchelwuphotography and on his website https://www.mitchelwutoyphotography.com/ Follow Emma @playful_den and @emmaworrollo

In this weeks instalment Emma and Ben face up to the fact that ‘slow weekend mornings’ with a 3 year old are an illusion. They discuss a new action plan for trying to have a weekend that doesn’t end in tears and fears for the next one. Covered in this episode: Retro Rewind - middle school discos! Stumbled upon some research - what will be the things we cringe about in the future? Overheard at home - Scout gets told off for ‘not passing Daddy his pants’ Email Emma and Ben - hello@peoplewhoplay.com Follow @playful_den Follow @benflyingretro Article discussed: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/30/learning/what-do-we-do-today-that-will-make-us-cringe-in-the-future.html

Emma and Ben sit down for another weekly catch up and to discuss their playful approach to family life. This weeks episode covers: - Emma's up to date career advice for generation Alpha kids - Ben's return to the world of Transformers - Some data on how going to museums and art galleries makes you less stressed - Listener questions: can you have too many toys? Follow @playful_den Follow @Benflyingretro Follow @emmaworrollo Research mentioned in this episode https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-mind-collector/202206/can-visiting-art-museum-help-reduce-stress

Emma and Ben are back and are committed to putting 'Blue January' in the bin. They share what they've been playing this month - Ben has rediscovered snowboarding on the dry slope and Emma can't stop reading. They also talk about why younger generations love friends and a fringe movement of teens who are taking flip phones to parties.

Ben & Ems are back! Emma is stepping up and into some family leadership and Ben is trying to keep up. The two parents discuss the trappings of english schooling and discuss how they will support kids' options and choices and dig into some research which suggests 'respectful parenting' is the answer to helping kids follow their dreams. Emma also tries to help Ben with his Christmas Cherry Cola addiction.

Emma and Ben discuss the Christmas build up and recall that time when they did a real life Home Alone and left a child at home

Well it's a weird and loud one. Strap in folks. If Emma ever manages to get a word in, this weeks episode the co-parents / 90s kids discuss all of the below: - Elf on the Shelf and why Ben doesn't know about trends - Ben asks Emma if he can quit work - Ben has tracked down a walkman and is listening to Now 08 - but will his shorts fall down? - Ben guesses Emma's favourite wrestler - Emma has been working on her small talk and it's not going well - CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Follow Emma @playful_den Follow Ben @benflyingretro

Emma chats to Lu - a '52 year old accidental influencer who is ageing disgracefully'. Lu is in the middle of her tour in her RV Susie travelling the US giving talks to women about self love and masturbation. Emma asks for a heads up on the 40s and Lu discusses her divorce and middle aged rebellion. Follow Lu @luinluland Follow Emma @playful_den