Get on the Early Childhood Bus

About Get on the Early Childhood Bus

Get on The Early Childhood Bus is a podcast from Erikson Institute hosted by Penny Smith, director of learning and impact, and features Erikson's Policy and Leadership team to dive into the trending headlines and hot topics to understand how children and their rights are being centered: finding the baby in every situation. Hear the stories and the science on why we need to prioritize the well-being of infants and toddlers.

Publisher

Erikson Policy and Leadership Department

Category

education · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Nov 2021

Latest episode

19 May 2025

Latest episodes

9 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   19 May 2025

   Episode 9: 2025 ECLA Summit

   Tandra Rutledge shares insights from the 2025 ECLA Summit, focusing on how early childhood leaders address Black youth suicidality and promote transformative change, in this interview episode.

2. 

   15 Sept 2023

   Episode 8: Finding the Baby: Food Justice, Part 2

   Atena Danner and Penny Smith interview Chef Greg Christian about food justice, exploring flaws in food distribution systems and policies to increase access to fresh, healthy foods for families.

3. 

   15 Sept 2023

   Episode 7: Finding the Baby: Food Justice, Part 1

   Atena Danner and Penny Smith discuss food security and culturally relevant nutrition for children, responding to Chef Greg Christian's insights on teaching kids about the connection between food and health in this interview episode.

4. 

   21 Oct 2022

   Episode 6: Special Edition - Healthcare Denied. Overturning Roe v. Wade

   Atena Danner and Verónica Cortez from Erikson Institute analyze the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, focusing on racial inequities and policy implications for babies and families in this interview episode.

5. 

   18 Aug 2022

   Episode 5: Special Edition - Mass Shooting, Trauma and the Black Community

   Illinois State Representative Sonya Harper and Jennifer Alexander discuss the impact of gun violence and strategies for addressing trauma within Chicago's Black community in this interview episode.

6. 

   13 Jun 2022

   Episode 4: Finding the Baby: Criminal Legal System

   Debra Vines, Founder and CEO of The Answer Inc., shares her personal experiences with the criminal justice system and its impact on families, highlighting the need for support for children and caregivers in this interview episode.

7. 

   28 Feb 2022

   Episode 3: Special Edition - Cultivating Early Childhood Leadership in Illinois

   April Janney, President and CEO of Illinois Action for Children, discusses the Maria Whelan Leadership Institute and Early Childhood Emerging Leaders Fellowship, which cultivates leadership in the early childhood sector in this interview.

8. 

   11 Jan 2022

   Episode 2: Finding the Baby: Health, Part 2

   Illinois State Senator Omar Aquino examines health-related legislation and its potential to improve outcomes for children and families across Illinois in an interview about early childhood health.

9. 

   12 Nov 2021

   Episode 1: Finding the Baby: Health, Part 1

   Dr. Diana Derige and Dr. Tina Sacks explore the crucial intersection of health, racial equity, and early childhood development in an interview.

Who has been a guest on Get on the Early Childhood Bus

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Tandra Rutledge
• Chef Greg Christian
• Verónica Cortez
• Sonya Harper
• Jennifer Alexander

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 6 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

11

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

Contact Get on the Early Childhood Bus

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.