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A morning rushing to and after work through Flagstaff Garden, West Melbourne

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A morning rushing to and after work through Flagstaff Garden, West Melbourne

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The video records pieces of scenes of things I saw and heard on a day before and after work near Flagstaff Garden Melbourne. It was amazing that I witnessed the garden turned from golden to brown throughout fall and Winter times, and now it has become green and colorful with the blossoming plants. It is lively, vibrant and rejuvenised again with different sorts of living creatures co-existing on the land.

In this oasis amid the busy cosmopolitan, some wild animals (pigeons, seagulls, possums and some other native birds), domestic dogs and humans enjoy relaxing leisure time share this community space in harmony.

At the very beginning, the beeps of pedestrian traffic light were like the fast beatings of my heart. "The steady pulse underlying music is called the beat. The beat in music measures time in equal pulses, from the beginning to the end of a music piece(Hanna, 2017, P.83)."

The winds whizzed and echoed. Hark the different chimes from particular birds sounded like flutes and hand bells playing on high pitches, while the motor vrooming of
vehicles of the surrounding traffic played like horns and herds in an orchestra. I believe that I missed out some tiny pollinators contributing to this bio-diversity during my
observations.

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David, R., Marta U.(Ed.).(2013). The Book of Music and Nature: An Anthology of Sounds, Words, Thoughts. Wesleyan University Press.

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Hanna, W. (2014). A reggio-inspired music atelier: opening the door between  visual arts and  music. Early childhood education, 42, 287-294. DOI: 10.1007/s10643-013-0610-9

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Hanna, W. (2017). The children's music studio : A reggio-
inspired approach. Oxford University Press, Incorporated.

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Unknown. (2021,April 9). Imaginary Friends. raisingchildren.net.au
https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/behaviour/friends-siblings/imaginary-friends

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What are imaginary friends?

Imaginary friends are pretend friends that children make up in their imaginations. They're usually nothing to worry about.

Imaginary friends come in all shapes and sizes. They can be based on someone your child already knows, a storybook character or even a soft toy. Sometimes they come purely from your child's imagination. They're mostly human, but they can also be animals.

These friends might always be there, or they might come and go. They might exist only in certain spots like the cubby house or at the kitchen table. And they might appear and disappear for no apparent reason.

When do imaginary friends appear and how long do they last?

Children as young as 2½ years can have an imaginary friend. Children might sometimes have more than one imaginary friend.

Children usually stop playing with make-believe friends when they're ready to move on. Imaginary friends are most likely to be around for several months, but they could be a feature of your child's life for a few years.

Why do children have imaginary friends?

Your child's imaginary friend could be someone who:

listens to and supports your child

plays with your child

can do things that your child can't do

is special and belongs only to your child

doesn't judge or find fault with your child.

Your child is in charge of what the imaginary friend says, what the friend does and who the special friend can 'play' with. This could also be part of the friend's appeal.

Imaginary friends allow children to explore a make-believe world that they create all by themselves. In fact, children with make-believe friends might be more imaginative and more likely to enjoy fantasy play and magical stories.

The way children play with or talk about their friends can tell you a lot about how they're feeling. Make-believe friends give you insight into your child's inner world, and your child's likes, dislikes and tastes.

Children with imaginary friends can be more social and less shy than other children, and they might show more empathy in their play with other children.

When imaginary friends cause problems

Here are some ideas for times when your child's imaginary friend has become hard to handle.

Doing things for imaginary friends
You might find that you're being asked to hold open doors, fix snacks or make the bed for your child's imaginary friend. Rather than doing it yourself, encourage your child to hold the door open, set a place for the friend at dinner or make the bed. This way you're accepting the imaginary friend but also taking the opportunity to develop your child's skills.

Talking through imaginary friends
Some children insist on consulting with their imaginary friends all the time - for example, 'I have to ask Sammy first'. They might also ask you to speak to their friend, rather than directly to them. If this is getting frustrating, try saying to your child, 'I want to hear what you think - not what Sammy thinks'.

Blaming imaginary friends
Sometimes children will do or say something they shouldn't have and blame their imaginary friends. You can handle this by clearly telling your child that the imaginary friend could not have done this. Then follow up with an appropriate consequence, like making your child clean up the mess.

When to worry about imaginary friends

For a very small number of children, imaginary friends can be a symptom of other issues. If you're worried about your child's imaginary friend - for example, if your child has been through a traumatic event or the imaginary friend is being malicious or nasty - consult your GP or another health professional.

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Imaginary friends come from healthy imaginations. They help children express feelings and practise skills. Children usually grow out of imaginary friends.

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Re-imagining the reality (main artefact) in my dream (creative response)

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Re-imagining the reality (main artefact) in my dream (creative response)

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The on country visit video highlighted my realistic sights and mix-and-match soundscapes of the nature, animals and busy human activities in a leisure green area of Melbourne city, as conveyed in the first post.

The creative response is a remedial version of the on country visit at Flagstaff Garden, in which in-corporating footages of my wondrous encounters with quaking ducks, chiming birds, running spring water and participation in the Borealis night time show, during my weekend get-away to Daylesford. Being an aesthetic countryside suburb of European heritages, wildlife and natural waterways, images of Daylesford absolutely make up a fairyland in my heart. The grassy, cold air awakened my long-lost romantic senses. I bathed in the poetic rhythm which inspired me to a speech of rhyme, referring to the second post.

"Music also includes movement and drama. The body
naturally responds to music through movement and
because music often tells a story, there is a strong ‘‘makebelieve’’, dramatic play aspect to music and to many
musical experiences.(Hanna, 2014, P.292)" It is also how the creative response threads through the 3 languages.

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Aww it’s 20km/h south west wind that is shaking me away from the big brother tree.  Woohoo! Finally, I break free. Fairy Garden is where I would like to be.

Bye leafy. Wish you a safe adventurous journey, said the possum.

Ohh Wow. Hey mate, G’day. May you point out to me the way, which leads me to Fairy Garden today?

Nom Nom Yum Yum. That sounds very far away, I have never been to such a place. Ask the seagulls to show you the way, said the wallaby.

Hurry up leafy, we can take you just half-way. Ask the ducks in the lake by the end of the day.

Quak Quak Quak. Quak Quak Quak. Don’t be afraid. Go straight and you will get there right away.

Drifting, wiggling so carefree. Birdies are singing to welcome me.

Flowing in the river, sliding down the stream.

Oh no! Deep down in the drainage there’s nothing I can see. Spooky, smoky, making me feel dizzy.

(Alarm rings)

What? Wake up. It is just a dream.
Time to brush my teeth!

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Dramatic elements that inform my future practice

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Dramatic elements that inform my future practice

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"Imaginary friends come in all shapes and sizes. They’re mostly human, but they can also be animals.(Unknown, 2021)" In the adventure to Fairyland, Australian animals like a possum, wallaby, seagulls and ducks are humanised to communicate with, support and accompany me as the wandering Leafy.

By illustrating images and concepts of my imaginary friends to children, this "allow children to explore a make-believe world that they create all by themselves. In fact, children with make-believe friends might be more imaginative and more likely to enjoy fantasy play and magical stories.(Unknown, 2021)"

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Movements that inform my future practice

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Movements that inform my future practice

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In the creative response, Leafy and light and weightless. It was raged by the strong wind off the tree. It drifted gently in the breeze. It dances in the air in zig zag and random animated movements. It floats on the calm lake. It flows with the spring water. It falls with the stream. It multi-demonstrates different status of movements of itself, wind, water and smoke.

Speaking of movements of invisible winds, 'demeanors' of water and smoke, scarves and ribbons are commonly used to symbolise and visualise them in early childhood education, due ot their fluid-like variability.

These are substantial material for children to feel whilst 'controlling' the wind blows and water flow in order to express themselves. In such process, it liberates body movements, imagination and creativity.

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Musical element that inform my future practice

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Musical element that inform my future practice

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David and Marta (2013, P.4) stated that "Nature has always been a part of human music, and although humanity may have forgotten how to pay attention over the years, we have always been intrigued by the sounds that surround us."

Musical elements emerge from both videos secretly. Fast and slow "beats" are demonstrated by the pedestrian traffic lights. Rhythm comes from the rhythmic narrations. Seagulls scream out the high pitches while ducks hum the low pitches. Nature sounds hymn.

Therefore, apart from teaching structural musical skills in our curriculum, it is also important for children to nurture the musical interpretation of sounds from the nature, in conjuction with the connection with the nature.