Words Grow Minds Parent Podcast

In a world full of screens and endless entertainment options, books remain crucial to the human experience, sparking imagination, curiosity and connection. So how do we ensure we are raising the next generation of readers? 

Kate and Amelia sit down with Ali Durham, children’s picture book author, illustrator and early childhood educator. Ali shares her passion for nurturing early literacy and the magic of storytelling, showing how reading aloud can boost communication, cognitive skills, and even strengthen parent–child bonds. 

Ali has plenty of practical tips for making reading fun for energetic little ones, choosing age-appropriate books and incorporating stories into daily routines, even for parents who don’t feel confident as readers themselves.  

Follow Ali Durham on Instagram 

Words Grow Minds has plenty of practical advice on how to read to your child every day.

Thanks for listening to the Words Grow Minds Parent Podcast! We love hearing from you, so please subscribe, rate and review this episode. 

For tools and tips to support your child’s development visit wordsgrowminds.org.au and follow us on Facebook and Instagram 

Thanks to PodBooth for producing this episode. 

We acknowledge this land that we record on as the traditional lands for the Kaurna people and that we respect their spiritual relationship with Country. We acknowledge the Kaurna people, as the custodians of the Adelaide region and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living First Nations people today. We extend this respect to the cultural authority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from other areas of Australia and elders past and present.

It’s one of the biggest buzzwords in early childhood, but what does attachment really mean? In this powerful episode, Kate and Amelia are joined by clinical psychologist Rachel Samson to unpack why parent-child attachment matters so much in the early years and how it shapes a child’s emotional and psychological development. 

Rachel shares achievable ways to foster secure attachment, gently reassuring parents that connection doesn’t have to be perfect, and that everyday moments offer meaningful opportunities to build strong, lasting bonds. 

Rachel is a clinical psychologist with more than a decade of experience working with children and families, specialising in family relationships and the law, parenting, child development, women’s health and infant care. She is an author, media contributor and a board member of the Australian Association of Psychologists. Through her platform Australian Psychologist, she shares clear, evidence-based insights with a growing community of more than 147,000 followers. 

Get in touch with Rachel here  

Thanks for listening to the Words Grow Minds Parent Podcast! We love hearing from you, so please subscribe, rate and review this episode. 

For tools and tips to support your child’s development visit wordsgrowminds.org.au and follow us on Facebook and Instagram 

Thanks to PodBooth for producing this episode. 

We acknowledge this land that we record on as the traditional lands for the Kaurna people and that we respect their spiritual relationship with Country. We acknowledge the Kaurna people, as the custodians of the Adelaide region and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living First Nations people today. We extend this respect to the cultural authority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from other areas of Australia and elders past and present.

Music matters, especially for growing brains. In this episode Kate and Amelia chat with Dr Anita Collins, a neuroscientist, award-winning music educator and author of The Music Advantage.  

With a PhD in neuroscience and music education, Anita shares the extraordinary ways music supports language, cognitive development and emotional growth in young children, priming the brain for learning.  

From practical tips for parents who think they can’t sing to exploring how music can be woven into everyday life, Anita explains why music isn’t just fun, it builds brains.  

Follow Dr Collins on Facebook

Words Grow Minds has lots of free resources on how you can add more music into your child’s life visit Words Grow Minds - Sing! 

Thanks for listening to the Words Grow Minds Parent Podcast! We love hearing from you, so please subscribe, rate and review this episode. 

For tools and tips to support your child’s development visit wordsgrowminds.org.au and follow us on Facebook and Instagram 

Thanks to PodBooth for producing this episode. 

We acknowledge this land that we record on as the traditional lands for the Kaurna people and that we respect their spiritual relationship with Country. We acknowledge the Kaurna people, as the custodians of the Adelaide region and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living First Nations people today. We extend this respect to the cultural authority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from other areas of Australia and elders past and present.

Is your toddler stuck in the notorious ‘beige phase’? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! In this episode, Kate and Amelia are joined by Anna Ritan, an accredited pediatric dietitian and nutritionist with over a decade of experience, to chat all things food, nutrition and child development. 

Together they explore why nutrition in early childhood is so crucial and how a balanced diet supports cognitive growth, oral health and even language skills. 

Anna explains what really counts as a fussy eater, why the ‘beige phase’ happens and when it’s time to seek professional guidance.  

Anna also shares her strategies for encouraging healthy eating habits that are family budget friendly. 

Get more tips from Anna on Instagram  

Thanks for listening to the Words Grow Minds Parent Podcast! We love hearing from you, so please subscribe, rate and review this episode. 

For tools and tips to support your child’s development visit wordsgrowminds.org.au and follow us on Facebook and Instagram 

Thanks to PodBooth for producing this episode. 

We acknowledge this land that we record on as the traditional lands for the Kaurna people and that we respect their spiritual relationship with Country. We acknowledge the Kaurna people, as the custodians of the Adelaide region and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living First Nations people today. We extend this respect to the cultural authority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from other areas of Australia and elders past and present.

Parenting babies is a universal experience, but every country and culture does it a little differently. What can we learn from different ways of raising children, especially when it comes to creating the supportive ‘village’ many of us crave?  

Global early childhood policy powerhouse Ana Nieto takes Kate and Amelia on a trip around the world, exploring some of the incredible ideas other countries are implementing, what we do well here and what more is needed to help parents and children thrive.  

Ana has 20 years’ experience working at the highest global policy levels for children’s agencies and foundations including UNICEF Headquarters, Plan International and Dubai Cares.  

She’s now based in Perth as Director of Early Years at the Minderoo Foundation, which has been successfully advocating why the early years matter and working to improve outcomes for all children in Australia.

Some of the international programs Ana mentioned:  

Too Small to Fail  

Urban 95 

Paid grandparents leave in Sweden 

Thanks for listening to the Words Grow Minds Parent Podcast! We love hearing from you, so please subscribe, rate and review this episode. 

For tools and tips to support your child’s development visit wordsgrowminds.org.au and follow us on Facebook and Instagram 

Thanks to PodBooth for producing this episode. 

We acknowledge this land that we record on as the traditional lands for the Kaurna people and that we respect their spiritual relationship with Country. We acknowledge the Kaurna people, as the custodians of the Adelaide region and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living First Nations people today. We extend this respect to the cultural authority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from other areas of Australia and elders past, present and emerging.