Stories from the Mat, with Jan.

Short episodes. Warm stories. Practical ideas.

Helping families make reading time feel calm, connected and confidence building from the very beginning.

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New episodes weekly. available on Sundays at 9am BST

About Jan

I’m Jan Falconer — children’s author and creator of Jan Time reading rituals. I help families and early years settings make reading time feel calm, connecting, and confidence-building — from the very beginning.

Series 2

Featuring Linda Murphy Children's Author -Helping Children Understand Value (#Episode 9)
How do children learn what really matters?
Following her conversation with children's author Linda Murphy, Jan reflects on Olli's Cave of Treasures and the gentle lessons it offers about gratitude, possessions, financial literacy and recognising when we already have enough.
Together they explore how stories help children—and adults—think differently about value, contentment and the conversations that happen when families read together.

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Coming Next

What Does Enough Really Look Like? (#Episode 10)

After speaking with children's author Linda Murphy, I find myself reflecting on a surprisingly simple question: What does enough really mean?

Inspired by Linda's picture book Olli's Cave of Treasures, we'll explores gratitude, possessions, financial literacy and the quiet lessons stories can teach children and adults alike. Drawing on Linda's background as an accounting teacher, alongside Carol Vorderman's work on financial literacy and Todd Rose's research on individual learning, the episode considers how children's beliefs about money, value and confidence begin forming long before adulthood.

Rather than prescribing answers, I invites listeners and viewers to pause, notice what truly matters and reflect on the difference between wanting more and recognising when we already have enough.

Featuring Laura Strachan Children's Author (#Episode 11)

In this episode of Stories from the Mat with Jan, I sit down with children's author Laura Strachan to explore the power of stories, imagination and the many ways children experience books.
Drawing on her background in teaching, Laura reflects on what children notice when they read, how illustrations often tell their own story, and why familiar books continue to capture young imaginations. She also shares the experiences that inspired her own writing and discusses the joy of creating stories that children want to return to again and again.
Our conversation is a gentle reminder that reading is about far more than words on a page. It's about curiosity, connection, confidence and the shared moments that stay with children long after the story has ended.

The Story Hasn't Changed (#Episode 12)

Following my conversation with children's author Laura Strachan, I began reflecting on a simple but important question: how do children become confident before they become confident learners?

This episode explores the role that familiar stories, repetition and shared reading play in helping children develop confidence naturally. Drawing on Laura's experiences as a teacher and author, alongside research from Jerome Bruner, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Roberta Golinkoff and Todd Rose, I consider why children return to favourite books time and again, and what adults can learn by paying attention.

Rather than rushing children towards the next milestone, perhaps confidence grows quietly through relationships, conversation and the reassuring rhythm of stories shared again and again.

Sometimes the greatest gift we can give a child is simply being willing to read the same story... just one more time.

Featuring Julie Benevento Ball - Wonder Begins with a Gecko (#Episode 13)

Children's author Julie Ball believes some of the biggest adventures begin with the smallest moments. In this episode of Stories from the Mat with Jan, we explore how a tiny gecko hiding behind a cinnamon broom became the inspiration for Tucker the Gecko and the Cinnamon Broom: Tucker's First Adventure.
Drawing on her years as a nanny and teacher, Julie shares why children are naturally curious, how stories help them connect with the natural world, and why following a child's lead encourages imagination, confidence and learning. We also discuss illustrations, bravery, wildlife and the joy of noticing the ordinary moments that so often become extraordinary stories.

Wonder Begins with Noticing (#Episode 14)

Following my conversation with children's author Julie Ball, I found myself reflecting on one simple idea: before children develop confidence or skills, they already possess something extraordinary—wonder.

Inspired by Julie's story of Tucker the gecko, this episode explores how curiosity begins with noticing the everyday moments that adults often overlook. Drawing on the work of Alison Gopnik and Rachel Carson, I reflect on why slowing down, spending time in nature and following a child's lead can nurture lifelong learning.

Perhaps wonder isn't something we need to teach children. Perhaps our role is simply to notice alongside them. Sometimes the smallest moments—a butterfly, a flower or a tiny gecko behind a cinnamon broom—become the beginning of a much bigger story.

Featuring Ruth Don Shevlin - The Stories We Carry Through Life (#Episode 15)

Children's author and illustrator Ruth Don Shevlin has spent a lifetime creating stories inspired by family, teaching and imagination. In this episode of Stories from the Mat with Jan, we explore the experiences behind Rebecca's Dream That Wasn't and Esmeralda and the Lollipop Tree, discovering how childhood memories, puppet shows, photography and everyday family life became the foundation for her books.
Ruth reflects on creativity, illustration, teaching and the importance of encouraging children to imagine, explore and enjoy reading. Our conversation is a gentle reminder that the stories children treasure often begin with the ordinary moments that adults sometimes overlook.

Perhaps We're More Creative Than We Think (#Episode 16)

Following my conversation with children's author Ruth Don Shevlin, I began thinking differently about creativity. Inspired by Ruth's stories of family life, imagination and storytelling, this reflection explores whether creativity is something we practise every day without even recognising it.
Drawing on the work of Sir Ken Robinson and Lev Vygotsky, I consider how creativity grows through relationships, play and everyday experiences rather than extraordinary talent. From baking with grandchildren and painting an old wardrobe to sharing family traditions and favourite stories, perhaps creativity is found in the ordinary moments that bring joy and connection.
Maybe creativity isn't something we discover.
Perhaps it's something we finally recognise.

The Things We Come To Appreciate (#Episode 17)

When I began these reflections, I thought I was simply responding to conversations with four wonderful children's authors.
What I didn't expect was how much they would change the way I saw the world.
Linda Murphy encouraged me to think differently about what "enough" really means. Laura Strachan reminded me that children don't always need new stories – sometimes they simply need familiar ones read with love. Julie Ball showed me that wonder begins with noticing, and Ruth Shevlin helped me recognise that creativity often lives quietly in the ordinary things we do every day.
This final reflection isn't a summary of the series. It's a chance to pause, look back and consider the things we've come to appreciate along the way.
I hope these conversations have encouraged you to notice the confidence, wonder and creativity already present in your own family life.
Thank you for joining me on the mat this series.
And as Julie would say... here's to a little more - (you'll have to watch the episode!)

Start here with other episodes-

Series 1

Episode 1: What Learning Feels Like

Before five, children aren't just learning skills.

They're learning what learning feels like.

And that feeling shapes who they become as learners.

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Episode 2: Confidence Before Curriculum

Why confidence often comes before formal learning, and why feeling safe enough to try matters more than we sometimes realise.

[Watch on YouTube]

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Episode 3: Small Moments Shape Big Learners

How everyday moments quietly shape confidence, curiosity and learning.

[Watch on YouTube]

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Episode 4: Is My Child Ready?

One of the most common questions parents and carers ask is:

"Is my child ready?"

We explore readiness drawing on the work of Urie Bronfenbrenner, Carol Dweck, Howard Gardner and Todd Rose, I reflect on why development happens in context, why children grow in different rhythms, and why the "average child" may be far less useful than we imagine.

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Episode 5: More than Just a story

Why do children ask for the same story again and again? we explore what stories do for children, why familiarity can be just as powerful as novelty, and how favourite stories become active learning experiences..

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Episode 6: Why Repetition Builds Confidence

Why do children ask for the same story over and over again?

Perhaps it isn't because they've forgotten.

Perhaps it's because they're becoming more capable each time they return.

In this week's episode of Stories from the Mat, I explore how repetition helps children build language, confidence and understanding, and why familiar stories often become powerful learning experiences. Because the story stays the same. The child doesn't.

[Watch on YouTube]

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Episode 7: The Power of Ordinary Moments

In this episode we explore why ordinary moments matter and why family life offers so many opportunities for children to build confidence, responsibility and belonging.
Because learning isn't just about information.
It's about becoming.

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Episode 8: What are we really building?

Over eight episodes we've explored confidence, stories, readiness, repetition, relationships and the ordinary moments that shape childhood. And perhaps all of those conversations have been leading us towards the same idea.
Children are not simply learning facts.
They are learning what learning feels like.