
Play It Forward, A Wearthy Podcast
Hosted by international keynote speaker, educator and founder of Wearthy; Lukas Ritson, Play it Forward is an educational podcast about the importance of play. With the increase of technological advancement, it has never been harder to get kids playing outside…
Lukas interviews leading early education experts and play advocates to chat about how the next generation is being formed by play (and a lack of play.)
Play It Forward is full of practical takeaways for parents and early educators to support children in feeling fulfilled in their childhood and confident about their future. A future that is theirs and to which they can contribute.
www.wearthy.co
Latest episodes

Jun 12, 2024 • 1h 7min
Raising resilient kids with Michelle Mitchell
Lukas interviews author of Tweens, Michelle Mitchell.

Mar 12, 2024 • 47min
Nurturing relationships with Sarah R Moore
Lukas and Vanessa Ritson talk to Sarah R Moore from Dandelion Seeds Positive Parenting about how we can nurture and respond to the needs of our children. We also chat about play and it's role in child-related therapies. Learn more about Sarah and her book, Peaceful Discipline: Story Teaching, Brain Science, and Better Behaviour. www.Dandelion-Seeds.com

Aug 1, 2023 • 48min
The benefit of movement with Ant Morell
Welcome back to Season 4 of Play it Forward. We're starting the season with special guest, the co-founder of Bounce Inc., Ant Morell. Bounce Inc. is a fast-growing play movement taking the world by storm. Their indoor play experiences are enjoyed by toddlers through to adults, making a claim for not just healthier living, but more fun-filled enjoyment too. On today's podcast we discover how the creator of this innovative play phenomenon took bouncing from the backyard to the world. Episode 57

Nov 8, 2022 • 48min
Wild Play Feat. David Sobel
To borrow Richard Louv’s words in describing our guest today “David Sobel is one of the pioneering voices in the children and nature movement.” And you can easily see why, by simply looking at his contribution. David has made it his mission to educate and advocate for the preservation of children’s nature connection by sharing his experience as a father of two, his countless keynotes, articles and
seven books…including one of Lukas' all-time favourites, Wild Play.
In this compassionate chat about children and parenting, Lukas and David talk about the importance of dream life, how to best support childhood and authentically connecting with our children.
https://www.davidsobelauthor.com/about-david-sobel
https://paulhoweshepard.wordpress.com/
https://www.booktopia.com.au/magical-child-joseph-chilton-pearce/book/9780452267893.html

Oct 11, 2022 • 50min
Protecting childhood Feat. Dr Sandra Duncan
Dr Sandra Duncan wants children to experience the miracle and magic of childhood through intentionally designed indoor and outdoor play space environments. She is an international consultant, author of six books, and designer of two educational furniture collections. She has designed and taught university courses on early learning environments, collaborating with architects, interior designers and educators to create extraordinary places and possibilities for children and students of all ages.
In this lovely chat between friends, Lukas and Sandra talk about how childhood is an endangered experience, understanding the process of children’s exploration, creating environments that support a positive childhood experience, and so much more!
https://sandraduncan.com/
https://www.gryphonhouse.com/books/details/rethinking-the-classroom-landscape
http://erikachristakis.com/author/the-importance-of-being-little/
https://futurestrongeducation.com/kathryn
https://www.enspirement.co/

Sep 12, 2022 • 45min
Neglecting play Feat. Dr Stuart Brown
Dr Stuart Brown is the founder of the National Institute for Play, with an interesting background in researching homicidal, violent, and antisocial behaviours that link to play deprivation in childhood. He is a published author who speaks, consults, and educates organisations, corporations, universities, and public policymakers about the importance of play in our lives and the unexpected, serious consequences of neglecting play. In this charming and intriguing episode, we’re talking about play deprivation, increased mental health challenges in children and the major changes in generational play.
https://www.nifplay.org/
https://www.bookdepository.com/Play-Stuart-Brown/9781583333785
https://www.ted.com/talks/stuart_brown_play_is_more_than_just_fun

Jul 21, 2022 • 52min
Utterly unstructured play Feat. Andrew Daddo
Our next guest is one of Australia’s most personable and loveable personalities. Andrew Daddo is an actor,TV/radio and podcast host, celebrity speaker and maybe best of all, he is an accomplished author. One of 5 siblings, a father of 3, a fisherman and a golfer…Lukas and Andrew have an entertaining chat about unstructured play, the art of storytelling, parenting challenges and a whole bunch more.
https://www.andrewdaddo.com/
Scary Funny Play Research - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236986868_Scaryfunny_-_A_qualitative_study_of_risky_play_among_preschool_children
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/golf/id1534972519
https://www.subaru.com.au/great-australian-detour

Jun 30, 2022 • 54min
Freedom to play Feat. Kieran Brophy
Our next guest is the Assistant Director at Play Australia and loves helping people rediscover the value and power of play. Kieran Brophy has spent most of his career in the health promotion and sport industries, is a children’s book author and illustrator, and his favourite past time is playing at home with his three kids.
Lukas and Kieran catch up in a delightful and passionate play-makers conversation about the 1000 Play Streets Movement, overcoming the stigma of children playing in the streets, and practical steps in supporting a healthy childhood.
https://www.playaustralia.org.au/
https://www.playaustralia.org.au/1000-play-streets
https://playingout.net/
https://www.playgroundfinder.com/

7 snips
May 31, 2022 • 50min
Play, The Heart of Bluey Feat. Joe Brumm
In this engaging chat, Joe Brumm, the award-winning animator behind the beloved series Bluey, delves into the essence of playful parenting. He discusses the shift in childhood experiences, emphasizing the importance of play in development. Joe shares insights on how shows like Bluey encourage intentional parenting and creative exploration. He also reflects on the need for unstructured play in education, highlighting its positive effects on children's behavior. The conversation is rich with anecdotes and explores the universal themes that resonate with parents everywhere.

May 4, 2022 • 52min
Understanding neuro-differences Feat. Christina Keeble
In Episode 4, Season 3 of Play it Forward, Lukas welcomes Neurodivergent Consultant Christina Keeble into the Wearthy studio. With a strong interest in Autism, Christina has multiple degrees, is a published researcher and the co-founder of diagnostic and therapeutic services, National PEKE Centres. Christina’s mission is to empower and educate others to understand neuro-differences.
In this insightful episode, Lukas and Christina chat about supporting neurodivergent children and the community, the stigma around neurodiversity and meeting children where they are at.
https://christinakeeble.com/
https://www.pekecentre.com.au/