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I want to acknowledge to the Traditional Custodians of land on which the Maribyrnong River flows, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and the Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation. I acknowledge their continuing connection to land, water and culture and pay my deep respect to their Elders past, present and future.

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The value of playing in outdoor environment 

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The value of playing in outdoor environment 

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The value of this kind of play is strongly supported by research. Wilson (2018) explains that "this type of play was freely chosen, engaged the senses, involved problem-solving and imagination, and motivated children to take risks". Similarly, the natural outdoor play spaces highlights that the environment fosters movement sand active engagement, offering children the freedom to test their physical abilities and creating in the play based. My movements such as spinning with the wind, leaping over branches, walking in a shelter reflected this freedom and demonstrated how movement emerges naturally from outdoor spaces.

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Inside the cozy hollow of an old tree, two parrots perch next to each other, their feathers brush against each other as they observe the world outside. The male parrot taps with his neb against the wooden wall, while the wind is whistling through the branches. At the same time, the female parrot ruffles her feathers and chirps in harmony, creating a duet with the rustling leaves. Their little home is alive with sound, movement which is like a stage for their daily play. As Wilson (2018) explains that “dramatic outdoor play cannot be found indoors,” and here the parrots turn wind, leaves, and trees into props for their performances.  In their playful interactions, parrots create this relational storytelling by using sound, movement, and drama to interact with the living spaces around them. This reminds us that every environment is a stage for connection, creativity, and learning.

This is a great example in education when children can use their imagination to view a couple of parrots are building their sweet home in a natural environment.

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I am a tree. I stand firmly on the ground, tall and sturdy. My arms are like branches, they are swaying as the wind blow through leaves, creating a melodious melody. The wind gives me a refresh feeling where I can feel through my skin. Birds gather around me, they are singing and swaying to the rhythm of the wind that echoes like a playful song. As Niland (2009) reminds me that “When children play, they use multiple ways of expressing their ideas as they move seamlessly from one mode of expression to another - dancing, dramatizing, singing, exploring sound, drawing, and making things”. The nature gives me a role to being a part of a Maribyrnong River.

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Standing by the riverbank, I grab a stick as if it were a fishing rod. I cast my imaginary line, feeling the pull of the current and the suspense of an unseen fish tugging at the end, moving my body in careful, deliberate motions. According to Wilson (2018), "a stick can become a wand", with me, the stick transforms into a fishing rod, and every movement and gesture becomes part of a playful performance, promoting children's imagination. The river, the wind, and the trees feel alive with possibilities, turning my imagination into a stage where sound, movement, and drama come together in a living story.

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This artefact demonstrates that I am pretending like a bird which is flying, enjoying the sky and having a break in a river trail.

As I spread my wings and glide across the open sky, I hear the rhythm of wing singing through leaves and branches. This makes me feel peaceful and comfortable with the song. I flap my wings, dive, spin and dive. My movements create a dance with the rhythm of wings through branches. All leaves, rocks, river under are my audience that are absorbed in my performance.  According to Wilson (2018), “the larger open areas and the variety of open-ended materials that seem to excite children’s imagination and invite them to take on new roles.”, I transform my surrounding into a stage where sound, movement, and drama merge into an expressive language.

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Niland, A. (2009). The power of musical play: The value of play-based, child-centered curriculum in early childhood music education. General Music Today, 23(1), 17-21.  https://research.ebsco.com/c/m7hw3i/viewer/html/nynftgtuev

Wilson, R. A. (2018). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/reader/read-online/5096b0f2-e978-444f-80b2-806bd7e3e4a4/book/epub?context=ubx

Wilson, R. A. (2018). Natural outdoor playspaces. Nature and young children: encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (3rd ed., pp. 18-32). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/reader/read-online/38dd7c8e-8ae3-4482-8b86-8e7ff2426f51/chapter/pdf?context=ubx