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I visited Flagstaff Gardens in the afternoon and found a quiet spot near a large tree. I sat down for a while and listened to the sounds around me — birds, the wind, and people walking nearby. It felt peaceful, but not completely silent.

As I sat there, I began to imagine myself as a child again, pretending the tree was a castle or the grass was a stage. The sound of leaves crunching under my shoes felt like music. I didn’t plan to think this way — it just happened as I let my mind wander.

This short moment reminded me that nature naturally invites sound, movement, and storytelling through play.

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https://youtube.com/shorts/WNm1L4WK0A8

This is my creative response: a short imaginative story inspired by Flagstaff Gardens, told through voice and natural imagery.

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https://youtube.com/shorts/Ia5oEAV3iw0

During my visit to Flagstaff Gardens, I took time to slow down, breathe, and connect with the space around me. It was quiet, but not completely silent. I could hear birds, feel the breeze, and notice small movements in the trees. This simple moment led me into an unexpected game of imagination.

In this analytical response, I reflect on how sound, movement, and drama naturally came together during this experience. I also explore how these elements connect to ideas on nature and learning, and research on make-believe play and embodied creativity.

Finally, I consider how this experience influences my thinking as a future early childhood educator, especially in supporting creative and sensory play in outdoor environments.

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My experience at Flagstaff Gardens reflected many important ideas from the unit readings. It showed how natural environments support sensory experiences and imaginative play. As Wilson (2018) explains, “natural outdoor environments provide many opportunities for children to experience all the senses: visual, kinesthetic, tactile, auditory, smell, and taste” (p. 60). I noticed this as I listened to the wind, watched the trees move, and imagined different stories in my mind. These sensory experiences helped inspire my make-believe play.

The story I created also connects to the idea that pretend play helps children develop self-regulation. The tree became a castle, and the grass turned into a secret stage. I imagined myself as the hero of a story, solving a mystery hidden within the garden. This simple moment of imagination transformed the space around me into a stage, where I was both the actor and the audience. Berk and Meyers (2014) explain that “pretend play is goal-directed, rich in language and symbolic object substitutions, and a prime context in which children willingly subordinate their activity to social rules. Thus, it is inherently self-regulatory” (p. 15). In my own play, I followed the rules of the story I made up, which supports the idea that imaginative play helps children learn how to plan, stay focused, and manage their behaviour.

Sound and movement were also an important part of my experience. The soundscape included leaves crunching, wind, and birdsong, forming a natural musical rhythm that shaped my movement. I noticed the crunching of leaves under my feet and the way the light moved through the trees. These natural elements became part of my imaginative game. As Dance Teaching Ideas (2020) states, “creative movement helps children express their ideas and feelings when words are not enough” (para. 4). In my case, moving through the space helped me express and shape my story in a way that felt natural and physical — just like how young children often explore ideas through movement in outdoor play.

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My time at Flagstaff Gardens helped me understand how nature can support creativity and emotional well-being. I felt calm and free to use my imagination — something I believe is also very important for young children. This experience reminded me that learning does not always need to come from structured activities. Sometimes, having open space and time to explore is enough to inspire meaningful play.

As a future early childhood educator, I want to give children more chances to experience this kind of freedom. Instead of always leading the play, I hope to give children space to follow their own ideas through movement, sound, and storytelling. These experiences not only support creativity but also help children express themselves in ways that do not always need words.

This visit also changed how I think about outdoor spaces. I no longer see them just as a break from learning, but as an important learning environment. It may not always fit into daily routines, but I believe nature-based play is worth including. It can help children build confidence, imagination, and self-regulation, just as I experienced myself.

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Wilson, R. A. (2018). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Berk, L. E., & Meyers, A. B. (2014). The SAGE handbook of play and learning in early childhood (pp. 11–22). SAGE Publications.

Dance Teaching Ideas. (2020). Creative dance movement for toddlers. https://danceteachingideas.com/creative-dance-movement-for-toddlers/