OpenLittleDoors
81 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago -Play is POWERFUL! At OpenLittleDoors we share playful parenting strategies to help you look beyond your child’s behavior into his heart and understand what he truly wants and needs. We'll help you learn how to use play and storytelling, rather than lectures and punishment to teach and guide your young children. Please note that we're taking a long Holiday break. Look for new episodes in January of 2021!
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Episodes
Saying Goodbye, THE END
June 14, 2022 07:00 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBWe'd still love to help you use play and storytelling in your parenting. If you'd like to talk to us, please email us at [email protected]. We love hearing from you. Our website has tons of playful parenting ideas. It will remain online. You can visit our website at www.openlittledoors.com.
Strong Personalities-Too Much Sun
April 05, 2022 06:00 - 8 minutes - 8.16 MBWe'd love to hear from you, please email us at openlittledoors.com. For more ideas on using play, storytelling, and imagination, to help your child grow and make parenting easier visit our website at: https://openlittledoors.com/
Self-Love and the Running Dogs Story
March 01, 2022 16:15 - 10 minutes - 9.65 MBLike our podcast? Learn more at openlittledoors.com.
Ep 76. Expected and Unexpected Behaviors
February 01, 2022 07:00 - 7 minutes - 6.84 MBWhen children understand what behavior is expected and how unexpected behavior affects them and everyone else usually negatively, life is easier for everyone. This episode contains playful parenting ideas on helping children understand how their behavior affects themselves and others. It also contains a fun story idea. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, you can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ and sign up for emails or our Pla...
Ep 75. October Parenting Challenge Results
October 26, 2021 06:00 - 8 minutes - 7.21 MBIn this episode, we discuss our results for the October Parenting Challenge where we were supposed to create a story according to the needs of a child in our life and try it out with them. To know which stories were used, be sure to listen to the Joy's Squirrel Story and Kitty's Shower story before listening to these results. We have some exciting new things coming this January to OpenLittleDoors, and because we have some work to do to make these exciting things happen, we are going to tak...
Ep 74. Kitty's Shower Story
October 19, 2021 06:00 - 9 minutes - 7.93 MBToday's we've got another Doggy and Kitty story for you that focuses specifically on Kitty taking a long shower and ends up not having time to finish her art project. Listen to find out how she learns to take faster showers and is able to do her art project. This story is told by Mindy and we hope you enjoy. Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, you can check out ou...
Ep 73. Joy's Squirrel Story
October 12, 2021 06:00 - 7 minutes - 7.26 MBWe've got another story for you! Today's story is one created by Joy Goldberger, one of Maryl's mentors when she worked at Johns Hopkins Children's Center. This story has been used to train Child Life Specialists on using stories to help a child with medical challenges. Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, you can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.c...
Ep 72. The Nuts and Bolts of Storytelling
October 05, 2021 06:00 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBWe share a lot of stories on the podcast and even how to tell a story. Today we revisit this discussion on how to create a story and why it holds so much value in your parenting and your children's lives. Stay tune near the end where we tell you the parenting challenge for October! Fill out the parenting challenge survey here: https://openlittledoors.com/p/octparentingchallenge Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to le...
Ep 71. September Parenting Challenge Results
September 28, 2021 06:00 - 10 minutes - 9.92 MBIn today's episode, we discuss the results of the parenting challenge set for this month! Our parenting challenge this month was for you to think of one emotionally triggered behavior in your relationship with one of your children that you feel isn’t productive for your life and play about it and what happens from your play. We found that the challenge brought unexpected results... Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to...
Ep 70. Thoughts on Emotions
September 21, 2021 06:00 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBThere are various different thoughts we can have on emotions and in this episode, we discuss some of the thoughts we have about emotions and how you can teach them to your children. Access the PlayPrompts to use as a guide in playfully creating an emotions plan: https://openlittledoors.com/playprompts/emotions-section-2 Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, you ca...
Ep 69. Emotional Control
September 14, 2021 06:00 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBLife is full of many different experiences and emotions! Expressing and managing emotions in healthy ways takes time and practice. Our PlayFocus in PlayTogether this month focuses on using playful parenting strategies to help your child develop emotional control. In this episode, we discuss using play to help increase your child's healthy emotional expression. Access the PlayPrompts to use as a guide in playfully creating an emotions plan: https://openlittledoors.com/playprompts/emotions-s...
Ep 68. Unicorn's Emotions Story
September 07, 2021 06:00 - 7 minutes - 7.09 MBThis week we have a story to share with you instead of a discussion. This story is about a unicorn and all the emotions she feels as she goes through her day. Next week we'll be discussing how you can use play to help children with big emotions like anger, anxiety, and excitement. For this week, tell this story to your children and work on labeling all the different emotions that we feel each day. One of the first steps to developing emotional intelligence is being able to identify and labe...
Ep 67. Digital Safety
August 31, 2021 06:00 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MBSince everyone is headed back to school now we thought it would be a good time to revisit the conversation of digital safety with your children. We're resharing episode 21 where we were fortunate enough to have Kristen A Jenson as a guest. This is episode shares play ideas to use along with Kristen's best selling book, Good Picture Bad Pictures Jr. We also want to make you aware of the new digital curriculum that Kirsten's organization has produced called, "Brain Defense". It helps you tea...
Ep 66. Dandelion Fluff Story
August 24, 2021 06:00 - 7 minutes - 6.65 MBWe’re coming to the end of summer, and we all know what that means...school will be starting! Maybe your children have already started school or they are about to start school. But we’ve got a story that you can alter a bit to help your children when they are starting school for the first time or starting another school year. This story is told by Maryl and we hope you enjoy. Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn...
Ep 65. Growth Through Play
August 17, 2021 06:00 - 8 minutes - 7.52 MBToday we’re going to discuss how a child grows through play and why we changed our slogan from play, connect, become to play, connect, grow. Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, you can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challenge! If you have an...
Ep 64. Doggy and Kitty Whining Story
August 10, 2021 06:00 - 6 minutes - 5.8 MBToday we have a Doggy and Kitty story for you about Doggy and Kitty having a party where they invite a bunch of their animal friends over. While at the party though, every one of their friends had something to whine and complain about. You can listen to find out how Doggy and Kitty feel about their friends complaining. This is also a great story to discuss with your child about behavior choices and how to handle negative emotions. This story is told by Mindy and we hope you enjoy. Our PlayT...
Ep 63. Play in Parenting
August 03, 2021 06:00 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBAt OpenLittleDoors, one of our key objectives is to help you use playful parenting strategies as effective parenting tools. In this episode, we discuss how understanding the definition of play can help you make play more meaningful and enjoyable when you parent. Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, you can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to s...
Ep 62. Saturday Morning Clean-Up Story
July 27, 2021 06:00 - 6 minutes - 5.85 MBEver get frustrated when your kids don't clean up their room, do their homework, or practice a musical instrument? Today we’ve got a story you can tell to them about tackling responsibilities, following a car who has to clean up her garage before she goes to see her cousins. Listen to find out if the car will be able to get the motivation to clean up her garage. This story is told by Maryl and we hope you enjoy. Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/pl...
Ep 61. Tackling Responsibilities
July 20, 2021 06:00 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBTrying to get our children to do their chores or practice a musical instrument can be frustrating. In today's episode, we discuss ideas on how you can turn this constant battle into play. We've got a special offer on our PlayTogether program in July! Sign up with a friend rather than paying the full monthly price of $49, we’ll give you and your friend a 50% discount of $24 a month for as long as you are members. Email us to get this special offer. Sign up at https://openlittledoors.com/pl...
Ep 61. SPS: Tackling Responsibilities
July 20, 2021 06:00 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBTrying to get our children to do their chores or practice a musical instrument can be frustrating. In today's episode, we discuss ideas on how you can turn this constant battle into play. We've got a special offer on our PlayTogether program in July! Sign up with a friend rather than paying the full monthly price of $49, we’ll give you and your friend a 50% discount of $24 a month for as long as you are members. Email us to get this special offer. Sign up at https://openlittledoors.com/pl...
Ep 60. Doggy and Kitty: Grandma's Raspberry Bushes
July 13, 2021 06:00 - 6 minutes - 6.23 MBWe got a Doggy and Kitty story for you today that touches on Raspberries and Thorns, the topic we discussed last week. Doggy and Kitty go to Doggy's grandma's house to pick raspberries where they learn the metaphor discussed in our last episode. This is a great story you can tell to your children and discuss this topic, as well as thinking of raspberries and thorns in their lives. This story is told by Mindy and we hope you enjoy! Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://open...
Ep 59. SPS: Raspberries and Thorns
July 06, 2021 06:00 - 16 minutes - 14.6 MBIn today's episode, we discuss what the raspberries and thorns metaphor is, why it's important for children to learn, and how it applies in our PlayTogether program. We've got a special offer on our PlayTogether program in July! Sign up with a friend rather than paying the full monthly price of $49, we’ll give you and your friend a 50% discount of $24 a month for as long as you are members. Email us to get this special offer. Sign up at https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether. If you wo...
Ep 57. Helping Children Through Loss and Grief
June 29, 2021 06:00 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBAt some point in children's lives, they will go through some form of loss or grief, whether it's through a loved one passing away or simply a friend moving away. Listen as we discuss how children can move forward and focus on the good moments, as well as play strategies to help children through this grief. NOTE: We are not licensed therapists. We share ideas that have worked with us for children who go through general grief. If your child is dealing with a serious circumstance, we recommen...
Ep 58. The Princess and the Dragon Story
June 29, 2021 06:00 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBWe've got a bonus episode for you today! This is a story about a princess and a dragon who are great friends but have to be separated for a while. Listen to find out how the princess and dragon will be okay being separated. This story is a little different than most of our stories. In this one, Maryl’s daughters will be involved so you’ll listen to how you can tell and involve your children in a story. We hope you enjoy! Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoor...
Ep 56. The Superhero and the Bog Story
June 22, 2021 06:00 - 7 minutes - 6.7 MBWe've got another story for you! This one follows a superhero who finds a hiding spot in a bog even though he knows he's not supposed to go in the bog. He finds himself in a lot of trouble and can't get out. This story is an emotional parallel for lying. The story is told by Maryl and we hope you enjoy. Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our websi...
Ep 55. Honesty
June 15, 2021 06:00 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBEvery child will lie at some point in their life, it's a natural part of development. In this episode, we'll discuss the importance of honesty and how you can teach it to your children through play and stories. Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our Play...
Ep 54. Spot's New Lego Set Story
June 08, 2021 06:00 - 9 minutes - 8.64 MBWe've got another Doggy and Kitty story for you! Doggy and Kitty help their friend Spot feel better about the Lego set he will be receiving for his birthday. Listen to find out how they help him. This story is told by Mindy and we hope you enjoy! Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayW...
Ep 53. New Developmental Steps
June 01, 2021 06:00 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBAll children will go through transitions and new changes in their life and though it can be difficult for children to learn new skills, play and storytelling can help! Listen as we discuss the steps you can use to help children learn new skills. Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayW...
Ep 52. Bedtime for Bats Story
May 25, 2021 06:00 - 9 minutes - 8.46 MBDo you struggle to get your children to bed? We've got a story that could help with that. This story is about a group of bats who have a hard time getting out of bed to get ripe fruit and juicy bugs, and once they wake up, all the good fruit and bugs are gone because another group of bats gets up early to get them. Listen to find out how this group of bats are able to get up to get the fruit and bugs. This story is told by Maryl and we hope you enjoy! Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign...
Ep 51. Sharpening Parenting Skills: Bedtimes
May 18, 2021 06:00 - 15 minutes - 13.6 MBDo you feel it’s a fight to get your children to bed every night? In today’s episode, we dive into the first topic of our “Sharpening Parenting Skills” series which is BEDTIME. We give some fun play ideas on how you can help your child get to bed, along with examples of how this might look at different ages. Our PlayTogether program is LIVE! Sign up here: https://openlittledoors.com/playtogether If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our w...
Ep 50. Sharpening Parenting Skills
May 11, 2021 06:00 - 9 minutes - 8.02 MBToday we discuss how you can sharpen your parenting skills! We also have an exciting announcement. We are releasing our PlayTogether program this month. Listen to this episode to find out the details. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challenge! If you have any questions about what we discuss ...
Ep 49. Doggy and Kitty Too Crazy Kitty Story
May 04, 2021 06:00 - 11 minutes - 10.3 MBWe've got a Doggy and Kitty story for you today! This story talks about how Kitty likes to be funny and crazy to get attention. Well, she gets a little too crazy, and not very funny things begin to happen. This story is told by Mindy and we hope you enjoy! If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a chal...
Ep 48. Little Bee and the Daffodil Story
April 27, 2021 06:00 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBWe've got another story for you! This story is an emotional parallel to help children see the value of practice, even when it is hard and tedious. Little bee has been begging and begging for the special job of gather pollen from the daffodils. When the Queen Bee grants her wish, the little bee finds that gathering pollen from the daffodils is a difficult skill and takes lots and lots and lots of practice! Will she give up and quit, or find a way to persevere? If you would like to learn mo...
Ep. 47 Hidden Benefits of Play for Parents and Caregivers
April 20, 2021 06:00 - 8 minutes - 7.49 MBOften we think of play as being really empowering and therapeutic for children, but what about parents and other caregivers? Listen to us discuss how play can benefit you as the parent or caregiver. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challenge! If you have any questions about what we discuss he...
Ep 46. Doggy and Kitty Lying Story
April 13, 2021 06:00 - 10 minutes - 9.15 MBWe've got another Doggy and Kitty story for you today about Doggy wanting to go to Kitty’s house to play but his room isn’t clean and he lied to his mom about his room being clean. Listen to find out how he learns why it’s important to tell the truth. This story is told by Mindy and we hope you enjoy! If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our P...
Ep. 45 Hidden Benefits of Play for Children
April 06, 2021 06:00 - 14 minutes - 12.8 MBPlay has many benefits but there are a couple of hidden benefits that guided play brings to the forefront: self-regulation and confidence. Listen as we discuss how play builds these skills in children. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challenge! If you have any questions about what we discuss...
Ep. 44 Play Connect Become
March 30, 2021 06:00 - 10 minutes - 10 MBWe incorporated a small change to our slogan, but it is significant! Listen to us discuss why we changed the word "reach" to connect" in our slogan and why connection is important in play. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, you can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or to sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challenge! If you have any questions about what we discuss here ...
Ep. 43 Getting Lost Story
March 23, 2021 06:00 - 8 minutes - 7.58 MBIn continuation of the safety episode, we've got a story about how a sand crab learns what to do when he gets lost on the beach. This is a great story to tell to your children to teach them about what to do when they get lost. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challenge! If you have any questio...
Ep 42. Safety
March 16, 2021 06:00 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBPersonal and physical safety are important skills to help children develop. Today we discuss how you can use play, storytelling, and imagination to help children gain these skills. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challenge! If you have any questions about what we discuss here on the podcast, ...
Ep 41. Doggy and Kitty Jealousy Story
March 09, 2021 07:00 - 8 minutes - 7.33 MBWe have another Doggy and Kitty story! This one introduces a new character--Zebra--who plays with Doggy and Kitty and experiences some feelings of jealousy. Listen to find out how he handles these feelings of jealousy. This story is told by Mindy and we hope you enjoy! If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge u...
Ep 40. Jealousy
March 02, 2021 07:00 - 14 minutes - 13 MBThis episode discusses jealousy and how to use play, storytelling, and imagination to help children learn to recognize jealous thoughts and feelings and shift them to feelings of appreciation. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challenge! If you have any questions about what we discuss here on ...
Ep 39. Magical Mishaps Story
February 23, 2021 07:00 - 5 minutes - 5.11 MBWe’ve got a story for you this week about a Fairy King and Queen who take on the anger issues in their kingdom. This is a great story because it allows your children to think through what they can do when they feel angry, as well as what type of responses will be most helpful from you. This story is told by Maryl and we hope you enjoy! If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for Wednesday...
Ep 38. Love at Home...Including Siblings
February 16, 2021 07:00 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBTune in today as we talk about how you can use play, storytelling, and imagination to model self-regulation skills, connect with your children individually, and coach children through conflicts--even siblings fights--without being a judge or referee. A few of the concepts we mention come from the 3 in 30 podcast and Dr. Laura Markham's book Happy Siblings: How to Stop the Fighting and Raise Friends for Life. 3 in 30 Podcast: https://3in30podcast.com/ Happy Siblings: How to Stop the Fighti...
Ep 37. Doggy and Kitty Yelling Story
February 09, 2021 07:00 - 12 minutes - 10.9 MBWe've got another Doggy and Kitty story for you! This one is about how Doggy's little brother learns a strategy to control his anger and not yell. We hope this strategy Little Doggy learns can help your child who may be prone to yell when he gets angry. This story is told by Mindy and we hope you enjoy! If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our ...
Ep 36. Connection
February 02, 2021 07:00 - 9 minutes - 8.4 MBWe're kicking off the new month by talking about connection! In this episode, we cover why play, storytelling, and imagination is effective at connecting with children and how you can make play a more meaningful way to connect. To learn more on how you can build a better connection with your child, check out our FREE 10 Minutes of Fun course: https://openlittledoors.com/parentingcourses/10minutesoffun If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check ou...
Ep 35. A Twist on a Classic Tale
January 26, 2021 07:00 - 8 minutes - 8.12 MBWe've got another story for you! This one is a twist on the story of Bunny Foo-Foo. This story is great to tell to your child if he has a bad habit that needs to be broken, especially if it involves him with other children. This story is told by Maryl and we hope you enjoy it! If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Cha...
Ep 34. Praise vs. Encouragement
January 19, 2021 07:00 - 12 minutes - 10.7 MBWhat do you think when you hear the word "praise"? Tune in to our discussion on why praise gets mixed reviews from parents and professionals, and how play and storytelling can be used to make praise an effective means of encouragement and positive reinforcement. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with...
Ep 33. Doggy and Kitty Clean-Up Story
January 12, 2021 07:00 - 7 minutes - 7.26 MBWe've got a story for you this week! This one is told by Mindy about doggy and kitty as they have fun coloring together. Listen to find out what happens when things get a little messy... If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challenge! If you have any questions about what we discuss here on the po...
Ep 32. Setting Expectations
January 05, 2021 07:00 - 11 minutes - 9.5 MBHave you ever thought about how rules and expectations impact your family? In today's episode, we discuss why it's important to set expectations with your children, and how you can use play and stories to help children understand and meet expectations. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challeng...
Ep 31. Using Play to Help Children Set Goals
December 29, 2020 07:00 - 21 minutes - 18.4 MBTune in as we talk about how you can help children set goals. We discuss how you can use play, stories, and imagination to help your children understand what goals are, why they are important, what challenges may arise, and more. If you would like to learn more on how to incorporate our play strategies, can check out our website at https://openlittledoors.com/ to sign up for WednesdayWisdom emails or sign up for our PlayTogether program. Challenge us with a challenge! If you have any que...