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Walking along the foreshore escaping the reality of knotted emotions drowning out the stress life is giving, eyes closed taking in the sounds of waves as they rush in from afar, the conversations and giggles of surrounding people, and the inter-winding songs from birds. Opening my eyes and seeing the friends and families spending time together, exploring making memories, the surfers riding the waves in that came from a far, seeing the little rock pools formed and being able to search for life within, the clear blue skies that offered the sun shining down bright and warm on my back, while the seaweed entangling together with my toes and the ocean as water splashed cool and refreshing over my skin. Seeing my foot prints imprinted in the soft flowing sand showing where I’ve been while the soft breeze occasionally blowing through my hair allowing the stimulation from different engagements over my body (Gano & Krull, 2020) and back to nature creating a multitude of settings complete and timeless like nature itself (Wilson, 2008) this has supported the ability to slow down and listen to my body (Gano & Krull, 2020) while it heals and nourishes inside from the beauty of nature (Wilson, 2008).

Being able to slow down within different environments is crucial, Teaching and incorporating relaxation gives your body a chance to understand itself and mindfulness to develop, while also learning self-awareness of one’s feelings and emotions (Steven, 2025). Incorporating my on Country visit and bringing the environment and atmosphere that I encountered at the foreshore would engaging children outside bare foot in a quiet open space with yoga and getting them to feel within themselves while listening and taking in what nature brings around us outside e.g. the birds singing, the trees blowing or the distant sounds of trains and cars. This is giving the children a chance to relax, clear their minds and connect with the environment around them within the centre they may be. It also gives the opportunity to experience different textures and temperatures through different bare skin which creates strong nerve connections (Gano & Krull, 2020).

Using all the different languages and senses within learning helps create an understanding of how things work. Like Piaget believed, children discover in diverse ways at different ages, being able to see, touch, taste, smell, move and hear what they are learning about helps the discovery and understanding throughout their research about their environment around them (Lorina, 2023). This experience has made me reflect and consider that every child is different and learns differently, being able to incorporate different senses within one experience gives the opportunity for many of children to engage and explore while developing their abilities through the sense that works best for them. I have always used exploration and imagination within my practices but giving the chance to look at using different senses within my teaching will help engage and grow more children that come into my classrooms giving me the ability to guide and nurture more children building foundational skills and a love of learning.

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Watching the waves roll in with the surfers riding in from a far.

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Showing the path a have walked and the challenges I have overcome and that i am now free.

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Gano, D., & Krull, S. (2020, July). Natural Sensory Learning. Retrieved from Community Olay Things: https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/natural-sensory-learning

Lorina. (2023, March 7). Child Theorists and Their Theories in Practice. Retrieved from Assie Childcare Network: https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/articles/childcare-articles/child-theorists-and-their-theories-in-practice

Steven, K. (2025). Creative Dance-Play for Early childhood. Retrieved from Dance Teaching Ideas, Creative Dance Activities: https://danceteachingideas.com/creative-dance-movement-for-toddlers/

Wilson, R. A.  (2008) Children, creative play, and the natural environment. Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (pp. 1-18). Routledge.

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The seaweed entangled within the ocean around my feet

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The seaweed entangled within the ocean around my feet

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The cool water splashing up while the seaweed inter wound with my feet, this aloud me to relax and become part of the free-flowing water around me

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This image reminded me how children playing and exploring can be spread around sometimes without them in that still within that moment but it could still be happening

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The laughter and happiness of the children within the waves

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The laughter and happiness of the children within the waves

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Sitting back listening to the children giggle and laugh as they tackle the waves as the roll in around their little bodies.

(please note these are my children and nephews and photo was consented to)

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Through listening to the sounds around me and taking in all the different senses of the beach i let go of my self-conscious and moved with the ocean and the different sounds and feelings i felt.