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I respectfully acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Woiwurrung language group in the Kulin Nation, who are the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live and study. I pay my respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging, and recognize the continuation of cultural, spiritual, and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2025).

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This is Selwyn Park and Kororoit Creek in Alion.

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I created my video with my imagination. I tried to immerse myself in the adventurous experience like a 5-year-old child, exploring the natural world with a more poetic and vivid perspective. I paid attention to the smallest sounds and movements of nature, such as the sounds of birds, ducks, wind, and the creek; the movements of grass and trees; and the shapes of rocks, bushes, and sticks, etc., to look for the meaning behind it and connect it to my spiritual world, thanks to which I created an interesting and unique story from my own experience.

I intended to demonstrate that children learn about themselves and the world around them through creative and nature play. This experience helps children learn how to use their senses and representational concepts - "one thing can represent something else" (Wilson, 2018). Moreover, it not only encourages them to improve their imagination, creativity, and problem-solving skills but also develops their inner world.

My creative project is inspired by The Parallaxis, observing the world through the imaginative lens. Unlike adults, children see the world as "fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement" (Carson, 1956, as cited in Wilson, 2018). They often pay attention to small details and are very good at imagination. In addition, my video also connects with Schafer's "listening" philosophy: "When you listen carefully to the soundscape, it becomes quite miraculous" (New, 2009).

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Explore the languages of dance, music, and dramatic arts in my experience

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Explore the languages of dance, music, and dramatic arts in my experience

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For Music:

The tweet and chirp of different birds blend like a chorus.

The whistle of the wind and the rustle of the grass make me feel the anger of Mother Nature.

The swish of the stick when whipping into the air is like the sound of a sword cutting through space

The babble of water in the creek brings me a sense of peace and tranquility.

The crunch of dry leaves when being stomped creates interesting music.

For Movement:

I lie on the soft grass, spreading my arms wide for nature to embrace me.

My body sways in the wind as if I were dancing with the eucalyptus tree.

I stretch out my arms and hit the branches with my stick as if I were fighting a monster.

When I close my eyes and listen to the running of the water, I feel like I am floating.

For Drama:

The light shining through the leaves of the trees makes me feel like I am walking in a fairy forest.

The shape of the bushes and the part of the pine tree seeds reminds me of a cave and the scales of a fire dragon.

Hitting the stick makes me feel like I am using a sword.

The shape of the rocks on the creek reminds me of a snake in an attack position and a turtle floating on the water

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Sight

See the bustling movement of the clouds as if warning of the rain

See the branches and grass swaying violently in the wind

See the movement of animals like birds flying and ducks swimming.

See the difference in the flowing water between the head and the middle of the creek

Hearing

Hear the birds chirping, the ducks quacking, the dogs barking, the swords swinging, the water flowing, the wind, the train, the rustling of leaves, the footsteps on dry leaves, and the sound of people walking

Touch

Touch the softness of the grass and the dew drops on the leaves when lying on the ground

Feel the coldness when the wind brushes my skin

Feel the resistance of the wind when I swing my sticks

Smell

The smell of damp soil and fresh air after the rain

The light scent of flowers and grass

Taste

The sweetness of the water in the Creek (I feel that)

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Engaging with nature brings me a sense of peace, protection, and belonging.

For Movement:

When I dance with the wind, I feel the freedom of both my body and mind. I feel my body light as if floating in the air. It makes me realize that movement is not only a physical activity but also a language to express my feelings and imagination. This experience is linked to the creative play-dance theory, which suggests that dance helps children understand their bodies, explore space, and share emotions while developing their imagination. (Dance Teaching Ideas, n.d.).

For Music/Sound:

When sitting next to the creek, I close my eyes and carefully listen to the breath of nature. The sound of running water seemed to cleanse my soul, making me feel peaceful, relaxed, and refreshed. As Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr (1988) mentioned in the Dadirri, "It renews us and brings us peace." This experience is similar to when I lie on the ground. I feel the light warming my body while the cold wind blows on me. I also hear the birds chirping intertwined with the rustling of leaves, creating a dramatic natural melody. Also, I feel that there is an invisible connection between me and the earth. These interesting experiences help me understand Wilson's (2018) view that "the goals of nature play are to help children understand that they are a part of nature versus separate from it."

For Drama:

When immersed in the world of imagination, I discovered that bushes can also turn into a cave, pine seeds are dragon scales, sticks can be swords, and stones can also be snakes or turtles or anything I can imagine. The experience reminded me of childhood memories of playing stick wars with my friends. With my imagination, all the inanimate creatures around me turn into living, conscious, and moving characters. This experience encouraged me to pay attention to the smallest details as well as stimulated my creative thinking and imagination in connecting seemingly separate things to form meaningful stories. This view is reinforced by Bergen’s theory (2002, as cited in Wallin, 2019) that “high-level, complex pretend play can significantly facilitate children’s capacities for perspective taking, which can facilitate abstract thought.”

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In my early childhood practice, first, my educational approach will be based on Siviy's (2016, as cited in Wilson, 2018) view that "play is almost synonymous with a happy childhood." I aim to create a learning environment that values ​​children's joy and experience in play over learning theory. In that setting, children are allowed to freely express their own emotions and personalities without being scolded, instead of being required to act like obedient children. Children are allowed and encouraged to engage in pretend play, for example, imagining themselves as a warrior and going on a journey to explore a fairy tale forest without being accused of doing something useless and wasting time. This not only helps children strengthen their self-confidence and feel loved and protected but also nurtures their inner world. Moreover, my teaching practice connects with the Reggio Emilia philosophy of "environment as a third teacher" (Strong-Wilson & Ellis, 2009). I prioritize outdoor activities over indoor ones to connect children with nature. I also encourage children to engage in artistic activities such as music, movement, and dramatic art while playing in nature, allowing them to express their creativity. For example, I encourage children to use rocks and natural materials to create music or dance to the call of nature. Children have a different perspective on the world than adults, so I believe that nature is a treasure trove of interesting knowledge for children. Nature play not only gives children the opportunity to learn more about the world around them but also helps them develop creative thinking, imagination, problem-solving skills, physical strength, and a deep connection with nature (Wallin, 2019).

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On Wednesday, 3 September, I visited Selwyn Park in Albion. The area is on the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Woiwurrung language group in the Kulin Nation. Selwyn Park is a public park offering a variety of recreational facilities, including the playground, footy oval, tennis club, and several outdoor gym areas. It is surrounded by diverse indigenous flora, including towering gum trees, oaks, small wildflowers, and lots of shrubs and bushes. Moreover, the park is bordered by Kororoit Creek, which is a habitat for a huge array of birds, lizards, frogs, and insects.

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Creative Project

My journey exploring the forest as a warrior

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Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (2025, March 28). Map of Indigenous Australia. AIATSIS. https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia

Dance Teaching Ideas (n.d.). Creative Dance-Play for Early Childhood. https://danceteachingideas.com/creative-dance-movement-for-toddlers/

Kilby, J. (2017). The parallaxis: abstract [Doctoral dissertation, RMIT University]. The Parallaxis. https://dissertation.the-parallaxis.com/abstract/

New, D. (2009). Listen [Video]. NFB. https://www.nfb.ca/film/listen/

Strong-Wilson, T. & Ellis, J. (2009). Children and Place: Reggio Emilia's Environment As Third Teacher. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00405840709336547

Ungunmerr, M.R. (1988). Dadirri, Inner Deep Listening & Quiet Still Awareness - Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr.

https://vucollaborate.vu.edu.au/content/enforced/1816406-ECE2008-1-2023-HWB-151670/Dadirri_Handout%20(1)%20(1).pdf?ou=2253526

Wallin, M. L. (2019). Let's Play Outside: The Importance of Pretend Play in Natural Settings. Community Playthings. https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/the-importance-of-pretend-play-in-natural-settings#:~:text=When%20children%20are%20given%20the%20time%20and%20space%20to%20play,to%20cognitive%20and%20linguistic%20growth.

Wilson, R. A. (2018). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/vu.edu.au?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.taylorfrancis.com%2Fbooks%2Fmono%2F10.4324%2F9781315148533%2Fnature-young-children-ruth-wilson