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As I approached Kevin Flint Reserve,  the sky began to grow heavy, dark clouds suddenly gathered, and then a heavy rain fell. That moment made me pause and listen more deeply, which Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr refers to as Dadirri - the art of "deep listening" with all of the senses and spirit (Baumann, 2002). In that moment, I felt nature beckoning to me, encouraging me to join the already-existing symphony: the wind blowing through the trees, the birds screaming to each other in the distance for refuge, and the steady beat of rains hitting the ground.

This image immediately reminded me of my childhood in Vietnam. I recall hot summer evenings when it suddenly began to rain fiercely, and my friends and I hurried outside to bathe in the rain, playing and yelling in a carefree and innocent way. I also recall the afternoons when I rode my bike home from school in the rain, my clothing soaking but my heart filled with an unimaginable serenity. At Kevin Flint Reserve, those memories came flooding back, and from the real image and childhood nostalgia, I came up with the idea of ​​creating a “talk to the rain” through music.

The language of music is clearly present in this experience. The sound of falling rain becomes a percussion instrument, the sound of the wind “rustles” into rhythm, and the sound of birds is the resounding melody. Wilson (2018) emphasised that the natural world offers children with a variety of sensory signals that stimulate their imagination and creativity. I chose to use the sound of the guitar to dialogue with the sound of rain, creating a soundstory - a story in sound, where people and nature blend together. This reminds me of Arts House's Watershed art project (Cass Lynch, 2021). Which looks at water not just as a material, but also as a memory and a storyteller. Rain no longer serves as a "background" in my soundstory, but rather as a character and co-star.

Science affirms the importance of music in human development. According to UNICEF (2023), early exposure to rhythm and melody helps children develop better memory, language, and emotions. Meanwhile, (Trompf, 2023) emphasises that singing not only gives joy and mental health, but it also brings communities together - and that singing together frequently improves our voices. When I play the guitar while hearing rain, I feel as if we are singing together, a symphony of humans and nature. This is a crucial lesson for early childhood education teaching children to listen to the noises around them and make the environment as " the thirt teacher" (Reggio, 2022)

The experience was also dramatic. The gloomy clouds produced expectation, the first drops of rain gave transformation, and the last downpour provided relief. The abrupt transition from gloomy skies to torrential rain transformed the environment into a natural stage, with every sound and movement becoming performative. In that moment, I felt the rain as a "partner," an essential component of the symphony of nature and music. (Pacini-Ketchabaw, V., Kind, S., & Kocher, L. , 2015) argue that materials and the environment can be “co-players” in children’s play. By talking to the rain, I was engaging in an imaginary play, similar to the way children often play with the world around them.

In the future, I'd like to put this experience into educational practice by having children listen to the sounds of rain, wind, and birds; asking the question "What song do you hear in the rain?" and encouraging them to respond with singing, tapping, musical instruments, or even imitating birdsong and wind sounds as if they were playing with sounds. From there, children not only learn to comprehend and express art, but also to listen carefully and respect their surroundings. This is how the environment becomes a “third teacher”: every sound and natural material brings a lesson, a language for children to express and explore the world (Reggio, 2022). By bringing rain, wind, and birdsong into the classroom as “companions”, children will see that nature is not separate from their learning life, but is always present as an endless source of inspiration and knowledge.

Finally, the experience at Kevin Flint Reserve helped me clearly feel the connection between music, memories and nature. The rain not only reminded me of my childhood in Vietnam but also inspired creativity in the present, giving me a sense of peace and showing that nature is always a companion in human games, art and education.

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At Kevin Flint Reserve, ducks quacked across the lake, geese called deeply, and birds sang in the trees. The reeds and eucalyptus swayed in the breeze while dark clouds gathered above, as if nature was preparing to play its next symphony of rain.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t89aAZ-SpRw

During my visit to the Kevin Flint Reserve, I felt an unexpected sense of peace wash over me as I stood under an overcast sky, listening to the gentle rhythm of wind rustling through leaves—an experience that resonated deeply with Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr’s concept of Dadirri, a form of deep listening and contemplative connection to Country (Baumann, 2002). This absorption resonated with the insights of Wilson (Wilson, 2018), who argues that natural environments—rich in sensory stimulation—provide fertile ground for children’s creative play and authentic learning. Drawing on these ideas, I crafted my creative response by combining soft guitar arpeggios with the sounds of rain falling, allowing the soundscape to tell a story rather than me acting as the narrator. My approach was also inspired by Watershed, an immersive sound experience that presents water as both medium and memory, intertwining land, history, and narrative (Cass Lynch, 2021). By incorporating the surroundings into my creative process and allowing the natural environment to co-author the experience, I investigated rain as a musical companion in this sound piece.

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This is the audio I recorded in the car when it started raining.

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On friday 05/09/2025 I visited Kevin Flint Reserve in Cairnlea, which is part of the Brimbank City Council area. The reserve is a much-loved community space featuring open grassy fields, a large lake, and stands of native trees that attract many bird species and provide shade for local families. It is a place where people gather for walking, play, and recreation, while also supporting wildlife and natural ecosystems. On overcast days, the reserve takes on a quiet, reflective atmosphere, with the still water and swaying trees creating a sense of drama and anticipation.

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References

Baltagi, I. (2019). How music affects your baby’s brain: Mini parenting master class. Www.unicef.org. https://www.unicef.org/parenting/child-development/how-music-affects-your-babys-brain-class

Baumann, M.-R. U. (2002). Dadirri -A Reflection By Miriam -Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann. https://dadirri.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Dadirri-Inner-Deep-Listening-M-R-Ungunmerr-Bauman-Refl1.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Cass Lynch. (2021, April 21). Watershed - Arts House. Arts House. https://www.artshouse.com.au/watershed-audio-experience/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V., Kind, S., & Kocher, L. (2015). ProQuest Ebook Central. Proquest.com. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/reader.action?docID=4674378

Reggio, E. (2022). 100 languages . Reggio Children. https://www.reggiochildren.it/en/reggio-emilia-approach/100-linguaggi-en/

Trompf, T. (2023, February 6). Why singing is so good for you, and why we sound better in the shower. ABC Listen. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/lifematters/why-singing-is-so-good-for-you-and-why-we-sound-better-in-the/101918620

UNICEF. (2019, June 13). Is your baby getting enough music? | UNICEF. Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIwhGbnY_uI

Wilson, R. (2018). Nature and Young Children. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315148533

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I would like to acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong Peoples of the Kulin Nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Kevin Flint Reserve is located. I pay my deepest respects to their Elders past and present, and I extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are part of our community today.

I recognise their enduring connection to land, waters, skies, and culture, and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.