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Wilson, R. (2007). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments. Routledge.

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🌱 My hands is moving like a wind blowing the leaves ad trees

🌱 Walking slowly on the grass, feeling it's texture under my steps

🌱 My humming inspired by the joy of the warm sun

🌱 The sound of birds, people talking, duck swimming

🌱 My hand is touching the cold of the water

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Encountering with the leaves, turns out playing a game..

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As the wind breeze, I reached out to touch some leaves, and just then the wind blew them away. It felt like they were shy and playing a little game with me. Not gonna lie that I laughed thinking how come it can happen?! but by that made me connected to the garden. I could hear people talking quietly in the distance and a water flowing in the background. That little game with the leaves reminded me that belonging is about noticing, responding and last is being included.

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Nothing beats the fresh morning air! As it felt so calm and peaceful. The earthy smell from the soil and plants is so special. I noticed birds chirping and dancing above me. Everything felt... real! Even though i'm just visiting, paying attention to the sound, smell and little movements around me made me feel like I belonged.

I also remembered that this is the land of the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. Thinking about that made me feel respect for the place and the stories it holds.

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The garden itself had its own music, the birds chirping like they're talking to each other, the leaves rustling. I started humming, almost without thinking, and it felt like I was joining the garden's song along with Mr.Sun warmth. Humming made me feel part of it.

I could choose when and how to do it, and that made me feel free! I realised that children can feel the same way when they are allowed to respond to what they notice and move on however they want. The combination of sounds, movement, and even the smell of the earth made it feel alive and playful.

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My new friend, Yellow Flower saying HI to me!

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As I walked, I found this bright yellow flowers that caught me. Seeing that flowers made me wanted to capture it, and so I tried to approach, and I notice that they were moving gently with the wind, and it almost felt like they were waving at me and I imagine them saying Hi to me! I couldn't help but smile at the thought. Over by the lake, ducks were swimming slowly across the water, and in my mind it looked a bit like they were dancing

I started making this little stories in my head about what I was seeing and it made the whole more special. Pretending the flowers saying hi or that duck were performing a dance, helped me feel connected to the garden in my own way.

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Second encounter to play a game with another leaves

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I could decide what I wanted to do, either following the ducks, listen to the birds or even watch the leaves moves, but I believe each choice felt small yet so meaningful. The mix of natural smells, the way everything move so gently and the soundscape made the whole place feel alive.

When I noticed the leaves moving shyly, somehow my sense of wonder deepened. I didn't need a plan or script just paying attention that created a play. Like Wilson suggested, it is this openness to notice and wondering that sparks the imagination. This remind on how important agency in play is. Wilson (2007) says children learn best when they can explore freely, and I felt that myself when exploring, no one told me what to do in the garden! These choices gave me freedom and ownership of my experience. By this, agency made the play meaningful, because it was mine, came from my body, and my imagination.

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💐 What Nature Teaches about Outdoor Play

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💐 What Nature Teaches about Outdoor Play

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Having this opportunity to explore reminded me of the importance of giving children the time, freedom and space in outdoor environment. I notice that outdoor play in ECE settings or even in my workplace (OSHC) treated as a break rather than a real learning. But what I felt in the Botanical Garden showed me that being outdoors is real learning, where all the imagination, music, movement and drama take place.

In my future practice, I want to try to create opportunitues for children to Imagine stories where trees, flowers, or ducks become a character, and how do they sounds like. By offering this experience, I believe I can support children's agency, by allowing them to make their own choices and create their own play, expressing themselves freely. At the same time I will try my best to nurture their sense of belonging, helping them to feel that they are not just a visitor but part of it, that connect with the place and the people.

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🛖 Not just visiting, but I belong here I guess?

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🛖 Not just visiting, but I belong here I guess?

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It comes to the sense that belonging didn't come from just walking in the garden for an hour but I realised that it came from noticing, moving and feeling part of it. The birds flying, the leaves moving, the flowers dance and even the sound of people talking around me all made me feel that I belong here.

I thought about children, I believe they feel the same way when they can do and interact freely. It came to a conclusion that belonging grows when you are a part of what's happening, not just present physically.

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My visit to the Botanical Garden was not just about observing nature, but also about entering into a playful relationship. Through touching, moving , listening and imagining, I felt a deep sense of belonging. The leaves, water, birds, flowers and ducks all became my friends in play.

Wilson (2007) describe the power of curiousity and wonder, and now I understand this is a very personal way. Place can affect us if we let it in. We can play, create and imagine with it.

As an educator, I want to carry this into my practice by giving children the same opportunities. I want them to not only see nature but to dance with it, sing with it and imagine with it. I believe, by doing this I can help children build both agency and belonging to express their own play, and belonging to feel part of the living world around them.