It made me recall childhood memories of being young with my family and playing in local parks. One memory is of my time growing up in the outer north and visiting our local park. At the time, my neighbourhood was not as densely populated as it has now become. This meant our neighbourhood park was filled with local wildlife and native trees, with very little traffic surrounding it. On my 5th birthday, my parents organized an elaborate family BBQ. There were many balloons, presents and friends. As my father grilled sausages on the BBQ, a flock of magpies swooped onto the picnic table and flew away with several bread rolls. The moment still sticks in my mind as it was a hysterical moment where my parents and friends were frantically shooing away the native birds as the children watched, laughing.

In this experience, the children were enthralled by the magpies. The sounds of the hysterical adults attempting to shoo away the birds, the movement of the magpies flying away with the bread in their beaks, and the dance of the trees swaying in the backdrop captured the children's attention, activating their senses.

This moment in nature captured my attention and inspired me to create a dramatic story through spoken poetry, blending both reality and imagination. The simple act of observing the wattle’s movements in the breeze became the foundation for a deeper narrative an adventure that moves through real and imagined landscapes. The wattle and its surroundings set the tone for the unfolding story, guiding the listener through a journey where stepping stones, hidden dangers, and moments of reflection blur the lines between the real world and the imaginary.

This video also captures the concept of Dadirri, as it invites a moment of stillness and deep listening. Watching the wattle move in rhythm with the wind reminded me of the importance of observing the small details in nature and reflecting on them with a sense of wonder. The colours and movement of the wattle, combined with the soothing sounds of the breeze, create an experience that feels both grounding and imaginative. This snippet reflects my connection to the natural world and how I have incorporated sensory-rich moments into my creative response and understanding of connecting to country. I am then able to transfer this into my teaching practices, encouraging children to pause, notice, and reflect on the environment around them.

In guiding my teaching practices, I draw on the pedagogy of place (Hamm, 2015). I believe it is important for children to connection to their environment. I believe that when children engage with both natural and built surroundings, they develop a deeper sense of belonging and understanding of their world. In my creative work, I explored this connection through the yellow wattle tree, dirt, weeds, and pavers. These elements were woven into the imaginative narrative, representing the balance between the natural world and human-made structures. By using movement, such as stepping on stones, children can physically and imaginatively engage with the environment, making personal meaning from the space they inhabit. This practice encourages me to create learning opportunities that allow children to explore, observe, and play within their environment, connecting their bodies and emotions to the land around them.

I also incorporate the concept of meaning-making into my practice, recognising that children construct their understanding of the world through their interactions and creative expressions. The imaginative narrative in my creative response, which transformed ordinary objects like the brick wall and light pole into part of an adventure, demonstrates how children can interpret and give meaning to their surroundings. By including elements of music, movement, and storytelling, I can further support children in creating their own stories, allowing them to explore their ideas and emotions through creative expression. In my teaching, I aim to provide open-ended materials and opportunities for dramatic play, where children can make sense of their experiences and share their unique perspectives through temporal arts.

Dadirri informs my teaching philosophy, particularly the practice of deep listening and reflection. I see Dadirri as a way to encourage mindfulness and attentiveness in children, encouraging them to observe and reflect on their environment with patience and openness. I captured moments of stillness, like the raindrops on the pavers and the condensation on the light pole, and reflected on these small details as part of the broader narrative. By incorporating Dadirri into my teaching, I encourage children to take time to notice the details of the world around them, practicing quiet reflection before engaging in creative responses. Whether it’s pausing to listen to the sounds of nature or taking a moment to reflect on the movement of their bodies through space, these practices help children develop a deeper connection to their surroundings(Ungunmerr-Baumann, 2002).

Ungunmerr-Baumann, M.-R. (2002). Dadirri: Inner deep listening and quiet still awareness (pp. 1–4). Emmaus Productions. http://www.dadirri.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Dadirri-Inner-Deep-Listening-M-R-Ungunmerr-Bauman-Refl1.pdf

Wilson, R, 2007, Children, creative play, and the natural environment, in R. Wilson (edn) Nature and Young Children : Encouraging Creative Play and Learning in Natural Environments, Routledge. Ch 1, pp 1-18.