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I was drawn in by this amazing tree. The gnarled roots, crevice’s, textures, and strength.

I sat in the still awareness of Dadirri (Ungunmerr 1988). I hear the winds impact on the branches, a distant bird song, passing traffic and footsteps on the path. I calm my breathing and notice the beat of my heart beginning to slow, the anxiety begins to ease and I become more aware of my surroundings, more connected to them. These are my interoceptive skill at work (Robinson, 2021). Being connected to the natural environment for me is an essential part of feeling this inner calm.

When I open my eyes, I feel a deep urge to climb this tree and it brings back childhood memories of my connection to nature, it was my playground. My siblings and I had very few toys, our days were spent in the trees creating dramatic plays that would last for hours and sometime even days, we would often revisit the same game over and over. Nature provided all that was needed, it allowed our imaginations to flourish. Even though my childhood holds a lot of fear, these times spent outside were my happiest. This positive connection was the foundation for my views on conservation (Wilson, 2007)  or Kaitiakitanga which is a Maori word that means guardianship and conservation.

As educators we need to provide children with positive experiences and uninterrupted time to connect with the environment. Creative play sets the foundations for skills needed in future learning and the natural environment is the ideal space to stimulate this type of play (Wilson, 2007).

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During my experience on place, I noticed the wind moving the leaves and branches of the tree, my hair was whipping across my face which provoked annoyance. I notice a dandelion seed that was caught between the roots pushed by the wind. It looked as though it was excited. It reminded me of my belief as a child that these were fairies that I could tell my secrets to. This became the fairy in my story.

Movement gives us a way to tell a storey without words. We can move our bodies in diverse ways to communicate and express emotion. This is an important form of communication for those children who do not yet have language or have language delays. When I first started as an educator I would see movement as a way to develop children’s muscles. The benefits to movement are so much more than this. Gano and Krull (2020) explain the benefits movement has on the body’s senses. The vestibular sense is connected to balance and spatial awareness skills and also helps with executive functioning skills and visual skills that help with literacy. Proprioception enables children to judge how much force to use in their movements and helps them understand what their bodies can do. Interoception is being able to interpret what our organs are saying to our brains and relates to levels of anxiety and self-regulation.

Nolan and Raban (2015) say Loris Malaguzzi saw the environment as the third teacher. We need to create environments that draw children into play where they can swing, roll, climb, lift. The natural environment provides all elements of play a child needs.

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The provocation that led to the game of escape was the bear laying under the tree. There was also drama created by the wind, the shadows and light and crevices of the tree.

Children are natural play makers, they use drama to tell their stories and learn more about their world.

Meyers and Burke (2014) explore the idea that dramatic play and executive functioning skills are connected. Therefore as an educator we need to provide the opportunity for children to create drama. They also suggest the best way to enable this is to have an ‘indirect facilitator approach rather than a direct intrusive one.’ (2014 p, 15) this aligns with the Playwork teaching of having an invisible cloak. According to Wilson (2010) we need to be ‘present and not present at the same time.’ To facilitate play we don’t need to be a part of it or interrupt it. Our role is to create an environment that inspires children’s play creating provocations that facilitate learning through play.

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Bond, VL 2013, ‘Follow and Facilitate: What Music Educators Can Learn from the Reggio Emilia Approach’, General Music Today, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 24–28, viewed 7 March 2023, <https://discovery.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=99e64748-7e2e-3b64-aec3-131c2ee62262>.

Gano, D & Krull, S 2020, Natural Sensory Learning, www.communityplaythings.com, viewed 4 March 2023, <https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/natural-sensory-learning>.

Hollander, J 2023, Why singing is so good for you, and why we sound better in the shower, ABC Radio National, ABC, viewed 8 March 2023, <https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/why-singing-is-so-good-for-you-and-why-we-sound-better-in-the/101918620?utm_campaign=abc_radionational&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_radionational>.

Meyers, A & Berk, L 2014, ‘Make-Believe Play and Self-Regulation’, viewed 6 May 2020, <https://vucollaborate.vu.edu.au/content/enforced/1752123-ECE2008-1-2023-H1B1-148814/the-sage-handbook-of-play-and-learning-in-early-childhood.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=sWPdd8cdUGkg1cM4aCkmamFui&ou=1752123>.

Nolan, A & Raban, B 2015, Theories into practice, Teaching Solutions, Australia.

Schafer, M 2009, ‘Listen’, VU Collaborate, viewed 22 February 2023, <https://vucollaborate.vu.edu.au/d2l/le/content/1752123/viewContent/8275918/View>.

tedx 2013, How singing together changes the brain: Tania de Jong AM at TEDxMelbourne, www.youtube.com, Tedx, viewed 8 March 2023, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_HOBr8H9EM&t=344s>.

Wilson, penny 2010, the Playwork primer, Alliance for childhood, UK.

Wooten, V 2013, Music as a Language: Victor Wooten at TEDxGabriolaIsland, www.youtube.com, TedX, viewed 8 March 2023, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zvjW9arAZ0&t=136s>.

Ungunmerr, M-R 1988, ‘Dadirri Inner Deep Listening and Quiet Still Awareness’, VU Collaborate, viewed 20 February 2023, <https://vucollaborate.vu.edu.au/content/enforced/1752123-ECE2008-1-2023-H1B1-148814/Dadirri_Handout.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=pR6fzWzQFGUSN5EBe6D9DH2Lv&ou=1752123>.

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The sound of the wind in the trees is constant. If I concentrated, I could hear birds which me recording was unable to pick up. I also heard the low growl of passing trucks.

Music and sound evoke emotion, is influenced by our culture, life experiences and exposure.                 We are all born with a musical ability but like language if this ability is not nurtured it can’t progress. Victor Wooten in his ted talk suggests that our musicality should be taught the same way as language in that we are surrounded by fluent speakers from birth and are given opportunities to play with the rules and make mistakes (2013). I feel very uncomfortable expressing myself through the arts. People often feel this way because they are judged or told that they are not good or should not sing. Singing has positive impacts on the brain. Julia Hollander (2023) speaks of how singing can be healing for the brain and connects both sides saying the “right side charges the left”. Tania De Jong (TEDx 2013) also speaks of the benefits, singing releases oxytocin which is the hormone that enables humans to bond, and the release of oxytocin is amplified when singing is shared in a group.

With all the benefits of singing and musicality the way music is used in early childhood settings needs to change. Moving away from structured action songs and allowing children to play with music. By following the Reggio Emilia approach of co researcher, showing an interest in children’s learning and making ‘Conscious choices’ about the environment, choosing materials that provide children opportunities to have agency in their learning (2013).