What is Play Talk?

In 2015, Dr. Kathleen Burriss received a Public Service Grant from Middle Tennessee State University to develop a series of radio spots describing the critical importance of providing children with a range of quality play experiences. Dr. Burriss, an internationally-recognized advocate for children’s play, wrote more than 60 narratives describing different aspects of quality play. Part of the grant funding was given to WMOT, the NPR/MTSU radio station, to air a year of programming regarding children’s play. The remainder of the public service grant was provided to David Naylor, her graduate assistant and well-known radio personality, to produce the scripts.
The programs reached tens of thousands of listeners throughout the Middle Tennessee region, and sparked numerous discussions among teachers, administrators and parents on the value of play in the social, physical and psychological development of the whole child.