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Sound/Music Activity: Listening Map of the Park

Materials:

Paper and markers (optional)

The natural sounds of the park

Steps:

1. Ask children to sit quietly for half a minute and simply listen.

2. Draw their attention to where sounds come from — above, behind, or nearby.

3. Model responding with body percussion (e.g., clap when a bird calls, tap a foot when leaves rustle).

4. Invite children to join in, creating their own sound responses.

5. Option: sketch a simple map showing where different sounds were heard.

6. Reflect: “What do these sounds tell us about this place?”

EYLF Link: Supports Outcome 2, as children begin to notice, respond to, and connect with their world through its soundscape (DEEWR, 2009).

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A short summary of music/ sound experiences

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A short summary of music/ sound experiences

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When I first entered this unit, I discovered that everything around me carries its own sound, and these sounds can be understood as musical instruments. Even something as simple as clapping two branches of a tree together creates a rhythm. This realization showed me that making sounds was not as difficult as I once thought. Before this unit, I believed music was something distant from me, something I had no natural sense for. However, through these experiences, I began to feel like a music producer, creating some of the most wonderful sounds of my life. I especially appreciated the way the teacher encouraged us and respected the process of experiencing music, which gave me the confidence to explore freely. Now, I recognise that music is everywhere—particularly in nature and in my surroundings. By slowing down and listening carefully, I can truly understand the beauty within these everyday sounds.

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While working on Assessment 2, I became more aware of how sound shapes experience. The breeze moving through the rosemary, the distant hum of an airplane, and the quiet presence of my cat all combined into something that felt like music. This made me realise that musical expression can come from the ordinary world, not only from instruments. Such encounters reminded me of children’s capacity to turn everyday soundscapes into opportunities for listening, imagining, and experimenting creatively.

Wilson (2018, p. 10) highlights that the natural environment is filled with unpredictability and sensory richness, making it an ideal place for exploration and play. In practice, this suggests that children can use the sounds around them as a starting point for creating and interpreting music. This idea connects with EYLF Outcome 5, which encourages children to make meaning from diverse “texts.” Here, sound itself becomes a text, offering space for imagination and musical growth.

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A short summary of dance/ movement experiences

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A short summary of dance/ movement experiences

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Similar to my experience with music, I initially felt that I had no natural sense for movement. Learning, however, simplified the process and made it easier for me to try. I began step by step, lifting my left leg forward, turning to the right, gently shaking my body. This made me realise that even these small actions could be called dance, and that I was, in fact, dancing. One class discussion also changed the way I thought about movement. At first, I believed that having no direction would allow me to be more creative, so I sided with the idea of simply moving freely. Later, I came to understand that gentle guidance can be valuable: it is not about telling someone the “correct” way to dance, but about offering hints that spark the first step. From there, new dancing ideas naturally come.

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As I engaged in my On Country Visit, I noticed how movements in the environment carried their own meanings. The rosemary swaying in the wind brought calmness, my cat’s back-and-forth pacing created urgency, and the airplane’s slow arc overhead directed my thoughts. These small actions reminded me that movement is not only physical activity but also a way of shaping emotions, attention, and connection with place. This reinforced my belief that even the simplest actions—walking, swaying, stretching—offer children powerful ways to learn and express themselves.

Zini (as cited in Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 2011, p. 331) explains that children develop their senses and identities through active engagement with their environment. Movement is one of the languages through which this development unfolds. This perspective aligns with EYLF Outcome 3, which emphasises children’s physical wellbeing and self-confidence. Providing natural, open spaces allows children to explore movement as both discovery and personal expression.

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Movements Activity: Pathways of the Park

Materials: Pathways, grassy areas, and open spaces within the park

Steps:

1. Guide children to observe how different spaces invite different movements.

2. Demonstrate moving tall along a path, stretching wide under a tree, or rolling gently on the grass.

3. Encourage them to invent their own movement pathway using places in the park.

4. Combine these movements into a playful group sequence.

5. Reflect: “How did the park shape the way your body moved?”

EYLF Link: Connects with Outcome 3, as children strengthen their physical wellbeing and confidence by exploring how movement is influenced by the environment (DEEWR, 2009).

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Different from dressing up and role-playing, drama in this unit gave me a new definition. It was introduced as a temporal art, created through meaning-making and storytelling about the things around us. I came to see that everything can be imagined as a character with its own story. Learning drama gave me the chance to observe nature more carefully, and I realised that if I want to create meaning or tell a story, I must be truly aware of what surrounds me. Every gesture of nature could suddenly be seen in a dramatic way: the slight swing of leaves, the rush of the wind, or the chirping of a bird—all of them became possibilities for creative stories. By understanding these details more deeply, I also began to feel a stronger sense of belonging to the place where I live.

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Through Assessment 2, I came to see drama woven into the everyday world. My cat pacing became a character with intent, the rosemary moving in the wind resembled part of a stage set, and the airplane overhead shifted the scene like a backdrop change. These observations reminded me that drama exists beyond theatres; it emerges when imagination transforms ordinary details into stories.

The Raising Children Network (2019) explains that imaginative play helps children explore feelings and practise social interactions, often by creating characters or giving life to objects. In a similar way, children can dramatise nature—turning plants, animals, or weather into actors in their own narratives. This idea links with EYLF Outcome 5, which values multiple forms of communication, including dramatic storytelling. Supporting children to use natural environments for role play can encourage creativity, a sense of belonging, and stronger connections with the world they live in.

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Drama Activity: The Park Tells a Story

Materials:

Natural objects: stick, leaf, stone, flower

A clear space in the park

Steps:

1. Choose one object and introduce it as part of the park’s story.

2. Give it a role — for example, a leaf as a dancer, a stick as a wise elder, or a stone as a resting animal.

3. Act out a short scene showing how these “characters” belong to the park.

4. Invite children to select their own objects and create short stories.

5. Reflect: “What story did your object tell about this place?”

EYLF Link: Aligns with Outcome 5, as children use drama and imagination to communicate and create meaning from their surroundings (DEEWR, 2009).

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I chose the park near my house. That was a wonderful park, suit comepletly for my video

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I was sitting down and listening deeply to the place.

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During my movement and sound activities at the park, I was surrounded by a bright sky, gentle wind, the humming of airplanes, a flowing river, and the cheerful sound of birds. These natural elements met my expectations and inspired me. However, the crowded park made me feel self-conscious while recording, and I was disappointed not to see any birds on the ground as I had hoped. Reflecting on this, I realised that next time I could express my ideas more clearly, such as stepping firmly on the grass to imitate a bird’s walk or clapping in rhythm with bird calls. This growth will shape my future practice as an early childhood educator, as I can design activities where children respond to sounds, dramatise natural elements, or use movement to tell stories. Engaging with the unit has deepened my perspective, showing me that music, movement, and drama are powerful ways to spark creativity and belonging.

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Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. (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

Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. (2011). The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia experience in transformation (3rd ed.). Praeger. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/reader.action?docID=820317&ppg=330

Raising Children Network. (2019). Imaginary friends. https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/play-learning/imaginary-play/imaginary-friends

Schafer, R. M. (1994). The soundscape: Our sonic environment and the tuning of the world. Destiny Books. https://www.nfb.ca/film/listen/.

Wilson, R. A. (2018). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781315148533/nature-young-children-ruth-wilson.