Untidy

In this episode of Untidy, Hannah and Matilda discuss what’s really happening in your child’s brain when they play. They’re joined by Dr Annette Henderson, a New Zealand child development expert and Professor at the University of Auckland. Specialising in how children develop communication, cooperation, and social understanding, Annette brings a deeply researched and reassuring perspective on why play is central to children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. She also offers easy tips for making the most of even a little bit of playtime with your kids, no matter how fast you’re juggling!
They explore how children’s brains are shaped through everyday play experiences, from building and imagining to rough-and-tumble and solitary play. Annette explains how play supports problem-solving, language development, emotional regulation, empathy, and executive functioning.
This conversation also tackles the things parents can worry most about:
– Why children gravitate toward certain types of play
– How preferences can be influenced by environment and experience
– How to support play without over-directing
– How to praise in ways that build confidence and curiosity
Whether you’re sitting on the floor building with LEGO® bricks, watching your child disappear into their imagination, or simply being there, ‘playing rock’, this episode will help you understand what actually matters and why you’re probably better at playing than you think. Happy listening!
This episode has been proudly brought to you by the LEGO® Group. SHE BUILT THAT – LEGO sets for creative storytellers.
Mentioned in the episode:
Learn more about Annette Henderson
If you’re enjoying Untidy, the best way to show your support is by tapping the ‘+ follow’ button in your podcast app and subscribing on YouTube! That way, fresh episodes will always be ready and waiting for you. Help us to keep building this supportive community – share an episode with a mate, and chuck us a 5-star review – it helps more people find our Untidy, unfiltered, and relatable chats. Thank you for listening, contributing and supporting this independent production! We’re grateful to have you here! – Hannah & Matty xx
Don’t forget! Untidy is made for YOU – the people right at the heart of this steaming hot mess! Follow the show and DM us on Instagram @untidypodcast or email [email protected]. Your stories and ideas to help shape the show! Find us online at Untidy podcast.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this mini-episode of Untidy, Matty and Hannah share highlights from their chat with podcaster, presenter and comedian, Hamish Blake. This Best Bits episode is for anyone who’s ever wondered what their kids will actually remember about growing up, and hope it’s the good stuff!
Hamish talks about presence, rituals, and why parenting isn’t about the activity, the advice, or getting it “right” but about showing up so your child feels like their world matters. From shared rituals and side-by-side time, to letting kids lead and playing the long game so they come to you later when it really counts, this conversation is warm, funny, and casually profound.
To hear the full episode with Hamish, head to:
How Hamish Blake ‘dads’ on Spotify
How Hamish Blake ‘dads’ on Apple
Listen to How Other Dads Dad on your favourite listening platform
If you’re enjoying Untidy, the best way to show your support is by tapping the ‘+ follow’ button in your podcast app and subscribing on YouTube! That way, fresh episodes will always be ready and waiting for you. Help us to keep building this supportive community – share an episode with a mate, and chuck us a 5-star review – it helps more people find our Untidy, unfiltered, and relatable chats. Thank you for listening, contributing and supporting this independent production! We’re grateful to have you here! – Hannah & Matty xx
Don’t forget! Untidy is made for YOU – the people right at the heart of this steaming hot mess! Follow the show and DM us on Instagram @untidypodcast or email [email protected]. Your stories and ideas to help shape the show! Find us online at Untidy podcast. Find Matilda at @matootles and get your copy of The Feel Good Guide. Find Hannah at @hannahedavison and her My Big Moments children’s books at @mybigmoments. Enter code UNTIDY at checkout for 10% off your order.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Untidy, Hannah and Matilda cover a veritable feast of topics from the big mistake behind the Beckhams' family feud, the devastating decline of the roadside boop-boop, and the time Matilda and Art got properly and painfully scammed.
They have teenagers on the brink of independence, dogs on the brink of demise, and households descending into full renovation chaos, soon to be followed by Matty's sensibilities ...
Hannah lifts the lid on caravan politics, there's a firm toilet brush advisory, and the girls deliver a little cultural commentary, you know, for balance. As always, thanks for being here!
References mentioned in the episode:
The Spinoff article about Dommy the scammer
Sky News: Brooklyn Beckham's explosive statement
Untidy episode: ‘Do other people find this hard?’ on Spotify
If you’re enjoying Untidy, the best way to show your support is by tapping the ‘+ follow’ button in your podcast app and subscribing on YouTube! That way, fresh episodes will always be ready and waiting for you. Help us to keep building this supportive community – share an episode with a mate, and chuck us a 5-star review – it helps more people find our Untidy, unfiltered, and relatable chats. Thank you for listening, contributing and supporting this independent production! We’re grateful to have you here! – Hannah & Matty xx
Don’t forget! Untidy is made for YOU – the people right at the heart of this steaming hot mess! Follow the show and DM us on Instagram @untidypodcast or email [email protected]. Your stories and ideas to help shape the show! Find us online at Untidy podcast. Find Matilda at @matootles and get your copy of The Feel Good Guide. Find Hannah at @hannahedavison and her My Big Moments children’s books at @mybigmoments. Enter code UNTIDY at checkout for 10% off your order.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Untidy, Matilda and Hannah are ready to swing open the stable door, be slapped on the rumps, and gallop forth into 2026 for the year of the horse! They share their theme words for the year, vaguely remember what they promised themselves for the previous year, and are off on an ambitious trajectory, considering they're but a few weeks in. Slightly overwhelmed by being in a real-life studio, they recover to tidy up a bit of salutations housekeeping, Matty shares her first rant for the year, and a new cosy crime investigation is launched. What do you have to say for yourselves Warkworth??? (Any tips, leads, suspects or evidence to report? Email [email protected] or DM us immediately.)
Hannah high-fives a fellow butt-hose enthusiast and shares a 'chef's kiss' listener story of her petty revenge. As always, thanks for being here. It means the world! Send in your words of the year, petty dramas and revenge stories, and anything else you would like to report!
If you’re enjoying Untidy, the best way to show your support is by tapping the ‘+ follow’ button in your podcast app and subscribing on YouTube! That way, fresh episodes will always be ready and waiting for you. Help us to keep building this supportive community – share an episode with a mate, and chuck us a 5-star review – it helps more people find our Untidy, unfiltered, and relatable chats. Thank you for listening, contributing and supporting this independent production! We’re grateful to have you here! – Hannah & Matty xx
Don’t forget! Untidy is made for YOU – the people right at the heart of this steaming hot mess! Follow the show and DM us on Instagram @untidypodcast or email [email protected]. Your stories and ideas to help shape the show! Find us online at Untidy podcast. Find Matilda at @matootles and get your copy of The Feel Good Guide. Find Hannah at @hannahedavison and her My Big Moments children’s books at @mybigmoments. Enter code UNTIDY at checkout for 10% off your order.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this fan favourite episode of Untidy, Matilda and Hannah are joined by internationally renowned exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr Stacy Sims — a trailblazer on a mission to revolutionise how women train, eat, and perform.
Known for her viral TED Talk “Women Are Not Small Men”, bestselling book Roar, and over 100 peer-reviewed papers, Stacy has dedicated her career to closing the gender gap in sports science. In this conversation, she dives into the often-overlooked physiological and emotional challenges girls face during puberty — challenges that are too often misunderstood or ignored, causing many to lose confidence and drop out of sport.
With her new course NEXT GEN, Stacy is focused on educating coaches and parents to better support developing girls. She explores how puberty impacts performance, confidence, and injury risk, and why it’s crucial to rethink how we train and talk to our daughters. From the damaging effects of language like “girl pushups” and “sissy squats,” to the ripple effects of diet culture and uniform design, Stacy highlights the changes we need to make — and how to do it.
This episode is a rallying cry to shift the culture around girls’ health, sport, and self-image — and to give them the tools, language, and support they deserve.
Links and resources discussed in the show:
Dr Stacy Sims – Courses & Resources
Follow Dr Stacy Sims @drstacysims.
Book: Roar by Dr Stacy Sims
Book: Welcome to Your Period – Yumi Stynes & Dr. Melissa Kang
Where to watch: Girls Can’t Surf – Documentary
Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival On Demand
If you’re enjoying Untidy, the best way to show your support is by tapping the ‘+ follow’ button in your podcast app and subscribing on YouTube! That way, fresh episodes will always be ready and waiting for you. Help us to keep building this supportive community — share an episode with a mate, and chuck us a 5-star review — it helps more people find our Untidy, unfiltered, and relatable chats. Thank you for listening, contributing and supporting this independent production! We’re grateful to have you here! — Hannah & Matty xx
Don’t forget! Untidy is made for YOU — the people right at the heart of this steaming hot mess! Follow the show and DM us on Instagram @untidypodcast or email [email protected]. Your stories and ideas to help shape the show! Find us online at Untidy podcast. Find Matilda at @matootles and get your copy of The Feel Good Guide. Find Hannah at @hannahedavison and her My Big Moments children’s books at @mybigmoments. Enter code UNTIDY at checkout for 10% off your order.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.