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Title: Exploring Creativity Through Sound, Movement, and Drama: A Reflective Journey

Sound/Music Activity – Innay Pauna (Torres Strait Islander Lullaby)

In this activity I bring all children outdoor area and told them to close their eyes and listen the birds chirping and what they exactly hear, after that I provided the sticks and play the musical song Inanay Pauna and taught children how to tap the sticks, shaker and clap the hands. They followed my actions and tapped the sticks I exactly taught, other side children shake the instrument and some clap their hands. We talked about the song’s calm feeling and its link to sea and family. Children used soft instruments like sticks and shakers to make peaceful sounds. This session focused on listening, feeling rhythm, and respectful engagement with First Nations music.

Children voices:

I want to listen this song again

I want to learn how to clap the sticks.

Teacher, I know how to tap the sticks.

Teacher, I want the shake instrument to play.

I love this song, and child started dance as well.

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Movement/Dance Activity – Taba Naba (Traditional Torres Strait Islander Dance)

I setup the movement and dance activity outdoor place, when I played Taba Naba song, a lively and joyful traditional dance/song from the Torres Strait Islands. Children learned the movements that match the lyrics the meaning of the song rowing, diving, swimming and sitting in a boat and dance. We discussed what the words mean and how Torres Strait Islander peoples use dance to tell stories and connect with land and sea. Children danced in a circle, learning through repetition and collaboration. I played the wiggles Taba Naba song and children were so excited and energetic to dance and I felt this is the good opportunity for children to learn the land and sea through this song.

Children’s voices:

Child said, Komal put wiggles songs.

I love wiggles.

Child said the lyrics word “Taba Naba”.

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Drama Activity – “Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree”

I setup the drama activity outdoor area and print the five little Monkeys pictures and song lyrics  because I didn't have the puppets of the monkey so I created the pictures and create the little drama with children, first I showed children a small tree in our childcare Centre and said children feel how the tree leaves rustling slowly and after that I showed the birds on a huge tree and birds chirping and fly quickly.

Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree, a well-known children’s rhyme that tells the story of cheeky monkeys teasing a crocodile. The activity began with a brief conversation about the environment in the story — trees, rivers, and animals — and an Acknowledgement of Country, recognizing the traditional custodians of the land and the animal stories connected to Country.

We used the following props and roles:

Monkeys: acted out by children

Alligator: acted out by me and another child

Tree: represented with scarves and arm movements

River: created with blue fabric that children waved together

The children and other educator supported me and sing the song rhyme together, acted as monkeys swinging and teasing, then dramatically "snapped" as the crocodile came to life. Each time, one monkey was "caught," and we repeated the rhyme until none were left.

Children voices:

Child said, I want to play more.

Child said, don’t eat me.

No Komal, I am the Alligator you are the monkey.

Children laughed and said Alligator eat you monkey.

After this drama activity, I felt children love the little Darma stories in the childcare and when educator read the story book or create the drama with children, they are more curious to know the things and develop their emotional skills and get knowledgeable things.

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Rationale and Theoretical Justification

These activities were inspired by my Creative Response to Place (Assessment 2), where I spent time observing the country on visit. I was drawn to the rhythmic sounds of waves, wind the trees, chirping birds, movement and fly birds and the strong sense of story held in the land and sea. This emotional, sensory connection to place and I am always glad to live the Aboriginal   and Torres Island country and inspired me to design these experiences to help children build respectful, embodied relationships with Country and always connect to natural environment and use the natural resources to play.

I observed how engaging children with sound, movement, and drama facilitated their development across various domains. The music and sound activities helped enhance their auditory discrimination, fostering a deeper understanding of rhythm, pitch, and tone. The movement and dance activities contributed to physical development, particularly in motor skills and spatial awareness. The drama activities, on the other hand, promoted social-emotional development, as children collaborated in group settings and expressed themselves through storytelling and role-playing.

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Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)

Learning Outcome 2: Children relate to contribute to their world, as they build respectful relationships with Country and develop an awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, perspectives, and knowledge systems.

Learning Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners, supported through sensory engagement and creative exploration of sound, movement, and storytelling.

Principle – Respect for Diversity: Acknowledging and embedding First Nations perspectives into everyday practice supports children’s understanding of cultural identity and environmental responsibility (Australian Government Department of Education, 2022).

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Theoretical perspective learnt from the unit materials:

Wilson (2007) believes the importance of nature in supporting creativity and emotional development and how outdoor environments essential skills in children, including cognitive flexibility, problem-solving, and social interaction.

Reggio Emilia’s philosophy views the environment as the “third teacher,” encouraging exploration through sensory and natural materials. Children express their ideas through multiple “languages,” such as movement, sound, and role-play (Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 2012).

Indigenous pedagogy values learning that is relational, experiential, and place based. Learning on and with Country fosters ecological awareness, respect, and belonging (Martin, 2008; Dudgeon et al., 2014).

O’Hagan (2007) describes how a music atelier might be developed using a large spatial area with carefully selected and deliberately placed musical materials for problem solving and discovery-​ making.
In this unit materials I watched “The very cranky bear” drama and lady was used the hands to express the story and the deaf or hard to Hering children get chance to know the story and   how children can relate to the story which Is really great how children can learn with expressions.

Silent Storytelling: The Art of the Mime also showed how silent drama encourage children to create the drama with movement and little gestures.

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What Went as Expected:

Children were engaged with the repetition and rhythm of Innay Pauna and confidently used the instruments.

Children enthusiastically copying the actions and singing along.

Five Little Monkeys led to spontaneous storytelling and laughter, with many children wanting to retell and act out the story repeatedly.

Children love to listen the story of five little monkey.

What Did Not Go as Expected:

Some children initially struggled with the hand movements in Taba Naba and forgot the steps.

In Five Little Monkeys, a few children were reluctant to take on roles, preferring to watch instead.

The cultural context of Innay Pauna needed more time to explain than expected, requiring a deeper focus on meaning before singing and some children run to other place to play.

What Might You Do Differently Next Time?

Pre-teach movements in Taba Naba using smaller group modelling before group performance.

Include puppets or props in Five Little Monkeys to support shy children’s engagement.

Spend more time introducing the cultural background of Inanay Pauna through a story or visuals to strengthen cultural appreciation and context.

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How Might I Use This Growth in my Future Practice:

These experiences reminded me of the power of storytelling, music, and movement in shaping inclusive, joyful learning environments. In future practice, I will be more intentional about embedding cultural responsiveness and providing multiple entry points for expression and participation. I’ve also learned to better scaffold new concepts before expecting full group. Children want every time new activities to explore and I will try in future different activities related to music, movement, arts, dance, drama and many more.

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My perspective on music, movement, and drama in early childhood education has shifted from seeing them as “extra” activities to understanding them as core to identity, culture, and development. Engaging in this unit has highlighted how these expressive arts build connection, foster creativity, and give voice to children’s ideas and emotions. I now feel more confident in designing rich, arts-integrated learning experiences and will continue to advocate for their value in the early years. I appreciate the multifaceted role these creative activities play in supporting children’s development across cognitive, emotional, social, and physical domains. I now recognize how important it is to create opportunities for children to express themselves through various forms of creative expression, and how these experiences lay the foundation for learning in all areas of development.

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References:

1.      Australian Government Department of Education. (2022). Belonging, being & becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0). https://www.education.gov.au

2.      Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. (2012). The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia experience in transformation (3rd ed.). Praeger.

3.      Martin, K. (2008). Please knock before you enter: Aboriginal regulation of outsiders and the implications for researchers. Post Pressed.

4.      Hanna, Wendell. The Children's Music Studio: A Reggio-Inspired Approach, Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 2017. ProQuest E-book Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/detail.action?docID=4747980.
Created from vu on 2025-04-12 02:31:23.

5.      the very cranky bear (Auslan version) (04:36) (10 mins) =  https://youtu.be/0QsoglLzKtQ

6.      silent storytelling: the art of mime (4:22) = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDN0fxGByko

7.     a concert for the deaf (martin Garrix) (03:38)= https://youtu.be/vGF1KlaGa1E

8.    Wilson, R, 2007, Children, creative play, and the natural environment, in R. Wilson (edn) Nature and Young Children: Encouraging Creative Play and Learning in Natural Environments, Routledge. Ch 1, pp 1-18. Children, creative play, and the natural environment opens in new window