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The experience will feature a variety of natural loose parts such as pine cones, leaves, stones, shells, driftwood, fur, and more arranged against a backdrop of soft fabric in an aesthetically pleasing manner to encourage exploration and creativity. To set the mood, soft background music featuring natural sounds will play, while the subtle scent of wood from an incense burner will further enrich the sensory experience. This will promote mindfulness, creativity, and a deep connection to the natural world.

They will be invited to sit on the carpet squares and encouraged to close their eyes and listen to the sounds of nature, reflecting on how everything they hear is part of nature’s story. It will be explained that trees, animals, water, and wind are all interconnected, just as they are. Through creative building, they will deepen their awareness of the natural world and their place in it as they explore these connections.

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This active meditative experience will deepen children’s understanding of interconnection with the natural world, while cultivating mindfulness, focus, and a peaceful mindset as described in Dadirri. It will support a holistic learning experience by incorporating movement, touch, and imagination, helping children develop self-awareness and creativity.

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The children used the materials in many imaginative ways, with each habitat reflecting their unique inventiveness and creativity. The carpet squares provided the perfect frame to showcase their creations. They carefully selected the materials they needed to represent their chosen habitats.

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This active meditation experience directly connects to my experience at the cemetery, where the natural sounds and elements wove together in a symphony of balance and interconnectedness. Just as the wind acted as a thread tying together the sounds of nature, this meditation draws upon the idea of natural rhythms as a form of communication and connection with both the past and the present (Wooten, 2013). Focusing attention on nature encourages children to become more grounded, fostering a sense of safety and belonging. (Wilson, 2018). This experience mirrors the deep reflection and connection I felt at the cemetery. It helps children understand their place within the natural world, encouraging them to see themselves as part of a bigger story of past present and the future (8 Ways, 2009)

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Eleni describing her habitat

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REFLECTION

This experience has reinforced the power of using natural and open-ended materials to foster creativity and critical thinking in children. In future practice, I will continue to create opportunities for children to engage with natural resources in imaginative, sensory environments. By providing more experiences where children can explore, create, and interact with nature, I can deepen their connection to the environment and enhance their ability to focus, plan, and create their ideas. The success of this activity also highlights the value of integrating mindfulness and sensory experiences into learning, supporting both emotional regulation and creative expression. Moving forward, I will continue to incorporate my active meditative program with loose parts. i currently offer it to children twice a week in 2 small groups. The response from families and children is so positive making it a highlight of their week

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The children will be shown how the vibrations of sound create movement in the water and encouraged to try to make the water 'dance'

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THE STORY

Once upon a time, long, long ago, in a world where the wind could speak, there lived the Wind Whisperers. These were magical, gentle beings who floated through the sky, bringing the sounds of nature to life. They were made of soft, swirling winds, with flowing hair that shimmered like sunlight and sparkling eyes that twinkled like stars.

Each morning, when the sun peeked over the mountains, the Wind Whisperers would awaken. They stretched their arms high up to the sky, just like trees stretching their branches. Then, they would fly through the air, carrying the whispers of the wind with them. The Wind Whisperers had a very special job: they helped the world hear the beautiful sounds of nature!

When they danced through the forests, the trees would sway and sing. The leaves would flutter and twirl, making soft rustling sounds, just like music. The Whisperers knew how to make the streams laugh as they flowed over rocks, and they taught the birds to sing their happiest songs. Even the grass would rustle when the Wind Whisperers flew by!

But sometimes, the winds would get a little too excited. One day, the wind began to blow harder and harder, turning into a big, swirling storm. The trees shook, the waves crashed, and the leaves almost blew away.  The animals were worried, and the birds flew to safety. The Wind Whisperers knew they had to help.

They gathered together and danced moving like waves in the ocean, spinning like the wind, and stretching tall like trees. With each movement, they calmed the wild winds and soothed the storm. Soon, the sky became peaceful again, and everything was quiet.

As the storm passed, the Wind Whisperers floated gently back to the earth. They sang a soft, sweet song, and the world returned to its gentle, happy rhythm. The birds chirped, the trees swayed gently, and the rivers whispered softly as they flowed.

And so, every day, the Wind Whisperers bring beautiful music with the sounds of nature making sure that the winds, the trees, the rivers, and all of nature dance together in harmony.  If you listen closely, you might hear them the next time the wind rustles through the trees

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Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar Early Learning Centre 8

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Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar Early Learning Centre 8

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The sensory engagement of using the soft fabric flowing over the children  links directly to the creative dance response, where I used a cape to represent the movement of the wind. Just as the cape became an instrument for the wind's whispers, the fabric over the children evokes the movement and flow of natural elements.

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IMPLEMENTATION

Start by inviting children to sit or lie quietly on the grass,  to close their eyes and focus on the sounds around them. Encourage them to imagine these sounds as if they were part of a dance. A large soft fabric , recreating the wind, floating over the children while they listen, will become a tangible item they can not only see but also feel. This deep listening will help the children connect to the natural world on a sensory level, making them more mindful of how nature communicates with them. Follow by encouraging children to interpret those sounds through movement, becoming the wind, birds, frogs or trees themselves using scarves.

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RATIONALE

This experience offers children an immersive way to connect with nature through movement, deep listening, and the use of scarves as an extension of their bodies. This activity will foster creativity, sensory awareness, while exploring the rhythms of nature. Children become connected with and contribute to their world by exploring and interacting with the natural environment through movement as outlined in outcome 2 of the EYLF

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REFLECTION

The children were enveloped in the natural surroundings, feeling the the grass beneath them as they listened to the sounds filling the air. The tactile delight of the soft fabric and the addition of scarves inspired them to emulate the sounds and rhythms of nature.

This experience provided valuable insights for future practice, particularly in enhancing storytelling and balancing creativity with focus. The dance activity with scarves allowed children to express nature's rhythms and movements, offering benefits such as increased body awareness, creative expression, and a deeper connection to natural elements.

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As they lie with their eyes closed, the natural sounds become part of the narrative, guiding their imaginations.

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Aligned with the 8 Ways Pedagogy, this dance experience promotes learning through collaboration and visual exploration. As the children move, they watch and learn from each other’s interpretations, sharing their ideas and creating a collective story of nature’s rhythms. (8 Ways, 2009) Each child's movement tells a story about the natural world, encouraging them to think critically and creatively about how they understand and interact with nature.

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Just as Wooten emphasises the idea that music is a language, this dance activity allows children to "speak" through their movements, using their bodies to communicate the elements of nature. (Wooten, 2013). The language of the land was felt by my reflective moments in the cemetery as the wind acted as a bridge between past and present.

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RATIONALE

Introducing The Wind Whisperers story will allow children to explore the natural elements through sound and imagination, providing an immersive experience that engages their senses and emotions. Children are invited to let the forest "speak" to them, building suspense, engagement, and a deeper connection to the world around them.

The story will be narrated whilst children are sitting or lying down incorporating nature sounds played at specific moments of the story adding drama and ambience

As they lie with their eyes closed, the natural sounds become part of the narrative, guiding their imaginations.

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WOVEN THREADS

This storytelling experience connects deeply with the Wurundjeri story of Bunjil, (Bunjil the Eagle , 2014) who watches over creation from above, symbolising the watchful presence of nature and the balance between seen and unseen. The Wind Whisperers story, invites children to imagine themselves as part of a world where humans and nature are interconnected.

This story highlights the importance of maintaining harmony and balance in our relationship with the environment. 8 ways pedagogy states the importance of integrating oral traditions, collaboration, and connection to land. (8 Ways, 2009)

This sensory immersion mirrors my own experience at the cemetery, where I closed my eyes and allowed the natural environment to take over. In that quiet moment, the sounds of nature wove together like a symphony, a balanced, interconnected expression of the land and life. The wind was not just a sound but a living force that touched everything, bringing a sense of continuity between the physical world and something greater, much like how Wooten speaks of music as a language. (Wooten, 2013).

My cemetery experience highlighted the power of nature to connect the physical and spiritual realms and bridge past and present. Just as the wind carries memories and life in that reflective setting, it serves as a powerful symbol in this storytelling experience, allowing children to feel part of something much larger than themselves

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REFLECTION

Storytelling has always been a core part of my practice, and the children have come to eagerly anticipate these moments, filled with wonder and excitement. The Wind Whisperer story offered the children an opportunity to immerse themselves in new concepts and stories. They sat quietly, listening to the sounds, as if transported to a world where magical creatures maintain harmony and balance.

This experience has shaped my future practice by highlighting the importance of sensory engagement and interaction in storytelling. Seeing how the children responded to the sounds of nature and the immersive environment showed me the value of blending storytelling with sensory elements to deepen their connection to the narrative. In the future, I will incorporate more interactive components, such as having the children create their own nature sounds using natural materials. This approach fosters active participation, enhances their understanding of the natural world, and encourages imaginative exploration, enriching the storytelling experience further.

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Splashes in the water, transforming stillness into movement. These movements represent the living, breathing energy that connects all things. The singing bowl sound vibrations imitating the wind that swept across the pond in my reflective experience at the cemetery.

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CONCLUSION

My cemetery experience has altered my understanding of temporal languagest In the cemetery, I was in tune to the sounds, rhythms, and silences of nature in a way I hadn't fully appreciated before. Inspired by Wooten’s idea of music as a universal language, has deepened my perception of how we connect with the world around us, both physically and spiritually.

By weaving this understanding into my educational practice, I now understand the importance of fostering children’s relationships with the natural world through both sensory and creative experiences. The temporal languages of nature, offer a form of communication that goes beyond human language, allowing for deeper connection and understanding. Incorporating nature into the learning environment, as Wilson (2018) states, nurtures creativity, imagination, and emotional regulation in children, and offers them a language through which they can express their relationship with the land and each other.

As educators, we can guide children in learning how to listen to, interpret, and express natures rhythms. Through the activities I  provided, children were given opportunities to tune into these temporal languages.

Ultimately, my perspective has shifted from seeing nature as merely a backdrop for learning but an active participant in the learning process. I will now approach teaching with a greater awareness of how temporal languages, whether through the whisper of the wind, the flow of water, or the flight of birds, can deepen children's sense of belonging, creativity, and respect for the more than human world.

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8 Ways. (2009). 8 Aboriginal ways of learning. 8 Ways. https://www.8ways.online/

The Indigenous People of Australia. (n.d.). http://www.dadirri.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Dadirri-Inner-Deep-Listening-M-R-Ungunmerr-Bauman-Refl1.pdf

Mutton Bird (2008). (n.d.). Bangarra. https://www.bangarra.com.au/learning/education-resources/classroom-resources/mutton-bird-2008/share=copy

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

Wooten, V. (2013). Music as a Language: Victor Wooten at TEDxGabriolaIsland [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zvjW9arAZ0

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Using puppets of Bunjil and Waa to fly around the room above the children, whilst singing the song, brings these significant figures from Aboriginal Dreamtime stories to life.