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This activity invites young children to explore different sounding objects such as tambourines, ribbons and xylophones. Children shake, tap, and swing instruments with their hands, feeling different rhythms and timbre. Some children played alone, while others made original interpretations of other people's sounds and spontaneously developed interactive music. The activities are child-led and open-ended, with each child participating in their own way. The goal of the activity is to support sensory exploration, sound identification and creative expression through music.

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This musical experience gives young children the freedom to explore a basket containing vocal instruments such as tambourines, xylophones and streamers. Children tap, shake and wave with their hands to explore different sounds and rhythms. The whole event was held in a relaxed and open environment, inspiring their sensory engagement and spontaneous musical expression.

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This sound and music activity is inspired by my field experience in Jells Park in Assessment 2. At that time, I noticed that the sounds of nature - birds, wind, footsteps and human voices - were interwoven to create a rich listening environment. In my podcast creative responses, I use imaginative language to guide listeners through these sounds. This activity encourages children to explore and create their own "soundscape" using real musical instruments.

The activity embodies Wilson's (2018) view that a sensory-rich environment promotes imagination and creative expression in children. Allowing children to freely experiment with rhythm, volume and timbre helps develop their auditory perception and musical thinking. Meyers and Berk (2014) point out that music and imaginary play can also support children's self-regulation, concentration, and social interaction. In this activity, some children played at their own pace, while others interacted with partners, demonstrating collaborative music creation.

This child-centered, open music experience is also highly aligned with learning Outcomes Four in the Early Childhood Learning and Development Framework (EYLF): Activities promote creativity, curiosity and problem-solving through play and sensory exploration.

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I began to ask the children to sit around the basket of instruments. Then guide the children and say to them, "Today we are going to play with sounds." Knock and shake, what do you hear?" Children are then encouraged to freely choose and explore instruments. Then guide them to describe and associate the sound: "This sounds like a bird!" I continue to encourage taking turns and listening to others' rhythms. Finally create a short group rhythm together.

The children showed a high level of involvement in the activity. Some children prefer to explore alone, while others imitate or respond to the voices of other children. Some children begin to repeat the rhythm, showing preliminary musical memory. The open format allows each child to express themselves in a different way. Next time I might include rhythm picture cards to help guide the group playing.

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This movement activity was directly inspired by my creative work "Whispers of Jells Lake" in my second assignment. In the park, I felt the wind blowing the shadows of the trees and the free state of birds taking off, which also aroused my exploration of "the body moving freely in nature". Therefore, this activity encourages children to engage in full-body movement through circles, allowing their body movements and rhythm to express the freedom of play.

Wilson (2018) pointed out that the open and multi-sensory experience provided by the natural environment for children is a key condition for stimulating creativity and physical development. The colorful circles here are given the characteristics of "loose parts" - children can use them to jump, rotate, roll, or even sit quietly, and it becomes an expression medium for their body language.

At the same time, this activity is also consistent with Outcome 3 of the EYLF: children gradually take responsibility for their own health and physical development. Through relaxed and enjoyable physical activities, we encourage children to enhance their coordination, self-confidence and body control during games.

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1. Invite the children to sit in a circle and place the colored circle in front of them.

2. First demonstrate several ways to play such as: holding high, jumping in and out, rolling on the ground.

3. Encourage your child to imitate or create new movements on their own.

4. Play music in the background to help them feel rhythm and coherence.

5. Allow time for free exploration and interaction with your child

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In this activity, children are invited to explore body movements in colorful circles. Some children waved circles in the air, some jumped in and out, and some rolled circles along the floor mat. They move freely, imagine, and interact with their peers, developing a sense of balance, coordination, and rhythm in the process.

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Children are very interested in hoops. They explore the hoops in a variety of ways - rolling, jumping, sitting in them, and even pretending to be a steering wheel. Some children are hesitant at first, observing others before they are willing to participate. Some children need more time and guidance before they are willing to actively use the circle. Next time, I'll include short stories or visual cues (such as imitating birds flying or the sun rising) to make it easier for children to connect action with imagination. This activity made me realize that it is very important to leave time and space for children to explore freely. In future teaching, I will continue to design more activities that support children’s autonomy and free exploration.

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In this activity, children are invited to create an imaginary space of a "natural kitchen" using clay, leaves, herbs and recycled materials. They stirred, poured, plated, and collaborated to "cook" imaginary food, immersing themselves in symbolic role-playing games. The activity takes place outdoors, where children are exposed to a variety of materials, smells and shapes from nature.

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This activity was inspired by my exploration of open and imaginative play in nature in Assessment 2. As Meyers and Berk (2014) pointed out, dramatic play can promote children’s social-emotional development and self-regulation. Through the use of natural materials, children are enriched with sensory stimulation and co-create stories in collaboration. Inspired by Wilson (2018), I consciously create an environment where the materials “invite” rather than “guide” play. This freedom of inquiry is the essence of children's play in nature - imaginative and spontaneous.

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The activity went very well, with the children fully engaged in material exploration and creativity through imaginary cooking and storytelling. Next time I will try to add sound elements such as using leaves to simulate the sound of frying to better connect with the sensory art language. This experience made me more convinced that children's drama play does not need a formal script, just space, curiosity and meaningful material.

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For this activity, I set up a "natural kitchen" outdoors, using low tables and a variety of open materials such as clay, leaves, herbs, paper cups, and recycled packaging. Children are encouraged to freely explore the textures and smells of materials and use their imagination to "cook," serve and describe their creations. I support dramatic play by modeling roles such as "chef" and "customer" and guiding the story with prompts such as "What are you doing?" or "Can I order?" Some children like to "cook" alone, while others collaborate and take turns playing roles. This flexible setting promotes social interaction, communication and creativity

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Wilson, R. A. (Ed.). (2018). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments(3rd ed.). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/reader/read-online/5096b0f2-e978-444f-80b2-806bd7e3e4a4/book/epub?context=ubx

Meyers, A. B., & Berk, L. E. (2014). Make-believe play and self-regulation. In L. Brooker, M. Blaise, & S. Edwards (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of play and learning in early childhood (pp. 84–95). SAGE Publications Ltd. https://vucollaborate.vu.edu.au/content/enforced/1816406-ECE2008-1-2023-HWB-151670/the-sage-handbook-of-play-and-learning-in-early-childhood%20(1)%20(1).pdf?ou=2150918

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). (2009). Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Commonwealth of Australia.

https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf