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Wilson, R. (2007). Children, creative play, and the natural environment. In R. Wilson (Ed.), Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (pp. 1–18). Routledge.

Bangarra Dance Theatre. (2013). Mutton Bird [Video]. Bangarra Education Resources. https://www.bangarra.com.au/discover/education-resources/mutton-bird/ (Accessed August 29, 2025)

Wilson, R. A. (2018). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Kilby, J. (n.d.). The Parallaxis – A game of walking between worlds. https://www.the-parallaxis.com/

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It’s a bit chilly afternoon, but the sun is shining brightly. A gentle breeze is blowing, and the trees are softly whispering. The sky is mostly clear with just a few clouds. As I walk near the Werribee river, I see ducks floating quietly on the water. Some leaves are falling from the trees. With each step, I can hear stones and dry leaves crunching under my feet. The cool air feels fresh on my face, and I can smell the grass, lavender flowers, and the muddy smell of the river water. I can hear birds singing, a crow cawing in the distance, and people laughing and talking with their friends and family. Ducks are quacking, and the water in the river is gently splashing.

This peaceful moment helped me think about how nature can support children’s learning. When children play pretend games, they enjoy being in nature. Collecting and crunching leaves can be a fun and learning activity. As they walk around and pick up different kinds of leaves, they start to notice how the leaves change in different seasons bright green in spring, colourful in autumn, and no leaves in winter. This helps them learn about the life cycle of trees and understand more about nature.

As they collect leaves, children see that the leaves are different in colour, size, and texture. They can sort the leaves into groups by size, shape, or pattern which helps them build early maths skills. When they touch and feel the leaves, they are also using their senses and developing their sensory skills. The sound of leaves crunching when they walk or jump on them is exciting and helps with their physical development.

These outdoor activities give children a chance to connect with nature. They help children grow curious and interested in the world around them.

Children are busy people. They like to touch, taste, poke, dig, tear, shake, pull, push, and climb. They’re curious and eager to follow the path of curiosity. They’re observant and imaginative – often seeing patterns, shapes, and possibilities that adults rarely notice. Children are intense, sensitive, and highly competent. They’re also philosophical and spiritual (Schein 2017, Wilson and Schein 2017).

Studies of children in different types of environments show that children play more creatively (like pretend and fantasy play) in natural spaces like parks and rivers than in playgrounds or indoor play areas (Louv, 2006, as cited in Wilson, 2007; Moore & Cosco, 2006, as cited in Wilson, 2007).

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The different types of trees, leaves, and branches showed me different stages, movements, and characters. Some trees had tall, wide branches reaching to the sky, while others had thin, twisty ones that bent with the wind. The fresh green leaves felt full of life, and the dry brown ones looked quiet and still. Each tree looked like telling their own stories through its shape, colour, and the way it moved.

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Creative Response- Nature speaks, without words

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Creative Response- Nature speaks, without words

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Artefact- The tree that dances with the winds... Wyndham park, Werribee River

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Artefact- The tree that dances with the winds... Wyndham park, Werribee River

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As I walked through the colourful tree land in Wyndham Park, near the Werribee River, I heard birds singing happy songs. The trees were moving slowly, like they were dancing in the wind. Leaves in red, yellow, green, and brown were flying in the air, spinning like little dancers. The sound of the river, the wind, and the birds made everything feel calm and alive. It reminded me of The Parallaxis from Session 3. where get to know that, we can see beauty in everyday places if we take time to look. That’s how I felt in the park. I saw small things I don’t always notice, and it made me feel peaceful and happy.