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My AT 2 explored the park near my home as a space of sound, movement, and imagination—trees casting shadows, birds calling, and children kicking footballs. These familiar images were reimagined in creative ways for children to explore through:

1. Music (Birdsong Soundscape): Children created layered soundscapes, drawing inspiration from local birds and rustling trees.

2. Movement/Dance (Football Dance): Football actions were abstracted into expressive dance, connecting play and art.

3. Drama (Tree and Bird Conversations): Children embodied trees, birds, and football players, imagining conversations about the park.

Learning Outcomes: Across these sessions, children learned to:

Express ideas through multiple art forms (EYLF Outcome 5).

Build empathy and perspective-taking by embodying nature (EYLF Outcome 2).

Connect to place through Indigenous-informed ways of listening, noticing, and moving.

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Lession Plan of Music, Movement (dance), Dramatic Arts

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Lession Plan of Music, Movement (dance), Dramatic Arts

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Steps

1. Play audio of local bird calls (drawn from Ass 2 soundscape).

2. Ask: “What birds might these be? How could we copy them?”

3. Children experiment, inventing chirps, flaps, and rustles.

4. Layer sounds into a group “birdsong orchestra.”

Materials

Audio clip of birdsong (artefact from Ass 2)

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Steps

1. Warm-up: Copy football actions (kick, stretch, jump).

2. Explore exaggerated versions (high knees, sweeping passes).

3. Add upbeat music and combine moves into a sequence.

4. Children collaborate to create a group “football dance.”

5. Perform and reflect: “How is this like football? How is it different?”

Materials

Open space

Instrumental music

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Steps

1. Show an image of a large tree (from Ass 2 photos). Ask: “What might a tree say if it could talk?”

2. Children take roles as trees and birds, using movement and voices.

3. Role play dialogue: tree asks why birds visit, birds explain their songs.

4. Add a “footy child” character: imagine what tree and bird think about play nearby.

5. Reflect: “How did it feel to be a tree, a bird, or a child?”

Materials

• Tree and bird images (artefacts from Ass 2)

• loose parts

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These three sessions were directly informed by my Ass 2 creative response to the park, where I noticed sound, movement, and shadow as poetic invitations to engage with place.

Philosophy & Aesthetics: The activities embody aesthetics of place (Guss, 2018), allowing children to reimagine everyday play as art.

Indigenous Perspectives: Inspired by Indigenous knowledges that see Country as living and relational (Martin, 2007; Yunkaporta, 2009), children imagined trees and birds as speaking beings and engaged in respectful listening to land.

Music & Sound: Bresler (2004) highlights that music can bridge lived experience and art. Children’s soundscapes reconnected them to the natural aesthetic of the park.

Movement & Embodiment: Wright (2012) argues dance allows children to express meaning beyond language. Football dance showed embodied creativity rooted in play.

Drama & Empathy: O’Neill (1995) notes that role play fosters perspective-taking. Children’s tree-and-bird conversations extended care and imagination towards the natural world.

Framework Links:

EYLF Outcome 5: Children express ideas through the arts.

EYLF Outcome 2: Children connect with and contribute to their world.

VEYLDF Practice Principle: Integrated teaching and learning approaches.

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Allen, K. E., & Cowdery, G. E. (2011). The exceptional child: Inclusion in early childhood education (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Anderson, R. D., Johnson, D. M., Leibham, M., & Kelley, M. (2008). Creating inclusive classrooms through the arts. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 42(3), 11–18.

Griffiths, F. (Ed.). (2017). Supporting children’s creativity through music, dance, drama and art: Creative conversations in the early years (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Niland, A., Huhtinen-Hildén, L., & Cologon, K. (Eds.). (2024). Inclusive education through the creative arts in the early years. SAGE Publications Ltd.

Salend, S. J. (2010). Creating inclusive classrooms: Effective and reflective practices (7th ed.). Pearson.

United Nations. (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child. https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.

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What it means: Designing activities from the start so that all children, regardless of ability, can access them in different ways.

How it looks in your activities:

Music: Children can join by clapping, using an instrument, humming, or just listening.

Dance: Movement can be done with whole body, arms only, or even seated gestures.

Drama: Children can speak, use props, or express through facial expressions.

Why it matters: You’re not “adding” inclusion later — it’s built into the experience design, showing critical pedagogical thinking.

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2. Scaffolding (Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development)

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2. Scaffolding (Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development)

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What it means: Meeting children where they are, then giving just enough support to stretch their learning.

How it looks in your activities:

Model one sound in the bird song, then invite the child to copy just that (instead of the whole sequence).

In the football dance, give step-by-step prompts with visuals (“kick → jump → clap”).

In drama, provide sentence starters (“I am a tree and I feel…”) to help children build confidence.

Why it matters: It shows you’re intentionally differentiating learning, not treating all children the same.

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3. Multisensory & Flexible Communication

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3. Multisensory & Flexible Communication

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What it means: Children process information differently — through sight, sound, touch, or movement.

How it looks in your activities:

Provide visual cues (pictures, story cards, step charts).

Provide sensory props (scarves for birds, textured footballs for tactile input).

Provide alternative communication (AAC devices, sign language, gestures).

Why it matters: Demonstrates awareness of neurodiversity and sensory needs, aligning with inclusive pedagogy.

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Before this unit, I saw music, dance, and drama as separate activities. Now, I see them as interconnected ways of expressing relationships with place. Children showed me how familiar play, like football, can be transformed into art, how natural sounds can become music, and how trees and birds can be given voice through drama. This experience has shifted my practice: I now view the arts as everyday, relational, and connected to Country. My future teaching will continue to weave together play, place, and multiple art forms to create meaningful learning experiences.

I also realised that music, movement, dance, and drama are powerful ways for children who need extra help to join in, express themselves, and feel like they belong. Music helps children communicate without words and can support focus, memory, and social connection. Movement and dance let children show ideas with their bodies, build strength and coordination, and participate at their own pace. Drama and role play give children a safe way to explore feelings, try different perspectives, and communicate in many ways.

Doing these activities showed me that inclusion isn’t about fixing children or making them do what everyone else does. It’s about planning activities so everyone can join in their own way. Small changes, like offering a soft instrument or a quiet space, can make a big difference. Supporting children with extra needs isn’t extra work—it’s just good teaching. I will continue using scaffolding, peer support, and flexible participation so all children feel included, valued, and able to enjoy learning.