Resources/Materials

- Flashcards of Australian animals (dog, bird, sheep, cow, chicken, horse, etc.) stuck on pop sticks for easy handling.

- A picture book: "Noisy Farm" or "Australian Animals"

- A quiet space for performance (rug or mat area)

Implementation Steps

   - Acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land.

   - Read aloud a picture book featuring bush or farm animals.

   - Emphasise on animal sounds and movements.

   - offer children flash cards one by one with their choice of animal.

   - Encourage children to join in with animal noises or actions as you read.

https://youtu.be/TtMGUXQlwsQ?si=s3bmcbRT0KGvoqn8.

Before the sessions:
I expected children to engage quickly with the act. I also want them to act one by one like an animal. I was worried that the drama might feel too difficult to act or silly for some children. I also plan for the whole group to engage in the conversation about animals habitat.

During my On Country visit, I engaged in a slow, mindful nature walk that allowed me to observe both the environment and my bodily responses to it. I noticed the graceful way birds glided through the trees, the playful movements of children stretching their bodies, and the gentle swaying of trees in the wind. This immersive experience left me feeling grounded, relaxed, and inspired to move with intention, connect with my breath, and appreciate the natural rhythms around me.

These reflections informed my planning of a calming yet energising movement session for children. In this session, children will be invited to explore expressive movement inspired by elements of nature and the animals they might encounter in the bush. Through a combination of yoga, animal-inspired movement, and dance, children will have the opportunity to develop body awareness, creativity, and a deeper connection to the natural world, aligning with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) Outcomes 1, 3, and 5.

As Wilson (2025) highlights, children develop physically, socially, cognitively, and emotionally when given the opportunity to play freely, as it offers both motivation and meaningful practice (p.1, pp.4). This holistic approach supports children's overall wellbeing while nurturing a sense of wonder and connection to their environment.

Resources/Materials

• Open space (outdoor if possible)

 Implementation Steps

1. Guide children through slow stretching:

   • “Reach up to the sky like a tall tree”

   • “Bend like a branch in the wind”

2. Focus on deep breathing: “Smell the eucalyptus… blow out like the wind”

3. Do a Yoga Pose sequence:

   • Tree Pose: stand tall, arms above head, sway like a tree

   • Snake: lie on belly, push up chest – “slither quietly”

   • Kangroo: squat and bounce – “hop through the reeds”

   • Bird: arms wide, flap slowly – “feel the breeze lift you”

4. Encourage imagination

5. Set up a pretend “bush track” or take a walk outside if possible.

6. Invite children to move in different ways along the path:

   • Hop like a kangaroo

   • Slither like a snake

   • Fly like a bird

7. At the end Lie down on mats or grass.

8. Suggest them to sleep like a bunny to rest.

9. End with a slow stretch and deep breath.

At first, I implemented the movement experience with a group of 2-year-olds. While I anticipated some hesitancy, the level of engagement was lower than expected. Only one child actively participated, showing enjoyment by copying my pose to bend on knees and to touch the foot. The rest of the children appeared distracted, preferring to explore the space independently rather than engage in the structured movements. This made me reflect on the developmental stage of toddlers and their shorter attention spans, as well as their need for sensory-rich and spontaneous movement rather than guided sequences.

To adapt and try again, I delivered the same movement experience to a group of kindergarten-aged children (4–5 years), and the response was completely different. The older children fully engaged in the yoga poses, animal movements, and expressive dance. They particularly enjoyed “flying like birds” and came up with their own ideas—such as slithering like a crocodile instead of a snake, and swaying like a tall tree. Their creativity added an extra layer of joy and spontaneity to the session.

What stood out was how the older children connected emotionally and physically with the environment through movement. They were enthusiastic to tell stories with their bodies and even asked to repeat certain actions. While asking a tricky question about can tree turn around? one child smartly said,” no”. which reflected a genuine connection to nature and expressive play. Their ability to link movement with imaginative storytelling demonstrated their growing symbolic thinking and physical confidence.

• The older children embraced movement, imagination, and storytelling as I had hoped.

• The yoga-inspired warm-up was successful in calming and focusing the group before the more energetic section.

What didn’t go as expected:

• The 2-year-olds struggled to stay engaged and follow the structure.

• the plan was too formal and required more tactile, play-based approaches for their age group.

• videography not as expected.

• children was little hesitant to walk barefoot on grass.

What I might do differently:

• For younger toddlers, I would simplify the session. I will focus on one movement at a time, incorporating more song-based actions, and allowing free exploration.

• For kindergarten-aged children, I would extend the session to include story-based movement (e.g. “going on a bush walk” adventure), as they clearly enjoyed the play.

During my On Country visit, I noticed how sound guided my attention. from the soft crunch of dry leaves to the sudden flutter of a bird's wings and the distant echo of a dog barking. These layered natural rhythms inspired this sound session. As per Oliveros (2015), listening is a life time practise where and sound carries intelligence and to connect to the environment you have to do focus as she says, “Ears do not listen to sounds, but brain does.” (2.25 mins).

In this session children could use their ears and bodies to explore similar soundscapes through rhythm, movement, and listening. It also connects to EYLF Outcome 2,4,5 as well.

Children will explore natural and created sounds using clapping sticks, singing, and outdoor sensory listening. This session aims to deepen children’s awareness of their environment and develop rhythmic and auditory skills through active, creative sound-making.

- Wooden clapping sticks

- Song lyrics and music for ‘Inaaya Capuana’

- Outdoor space with varied natural surfaces (gravel, grass, leaves, twigs, stones)

Implementation Steps:

1. Clapping Sticks and model how to tap gently and make a beat.

2. Sing ‘Inaaya Capuana’ together, slowly at first, encouraging toddlers to tap along.

3. Clap rhythm patterns (slow-fast) and let children mimic or experiment.

4.  Walk on different textures: dry leaves, gravel, twigs, stones, grass.

5. Pause to listen: “What can we hear right now?”

 6. Invite children to stomp, tiptoe, drag feet and compare the sound.

 7.  Tap stones together, crunch twigs, rub leaves, mimic bird calls.

What went well:

With the kindergarten group, the session was highly engaging and successful. Children responded enthusiastically during our nature walk, becoming fully immersed in exploring sound through stomping, crunching leaves, tapping twigs, and listening for bird calls. They demonstrated curiosity and creativity, initiating their own rhythms using stones and leaves. One child suggested tapping a stick on a tree “to hear the tree sound.” which led to a group experiment with different bark textures. During the collective sound story, the children built a layered rhythm using natural materials and their bodies—demonstrating not just musical awareness, but a meaningful connection to place.

The use of clapping sticks and the Inaaya Capuana helped ground the session in rhythm and pattern. Children enjoyed clapping in time and showed focus while singing, even attempting to create their own rhythm patterns after the guided ones.

 What didn’t go as expected:

With the toddler group, engagement was limited.

I realised that while the idea of rhythm and sound is accessible to toddlers, the structured nature of the session and the expectation to sit and follow along was not developmentally appropriate for this age group.

.

AGDE (2022). Belonging, Being and becoming: the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0). [online] ACECQA. Available at: https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf.

Bangarra Dance Theatre (2015). Bangarra Education Resources Mutton Bird. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-PV98Oshkc.

Oliveros, P. (2015). The difference between hearing and listening | Pauline Oliveros | TEDxIndianapolis. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/_QHfOuRrJB8.

wilson, ruth (2025). e-Reader | Taylor & Francis Group eBooks, Reference Works and Collections. [online] Taylorfrancis.com. Available at: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/reader/read-online/5096b0f2-e978-444f-80b2-806bd7e3e4a4/book/epub?context=ubx.

What I will do differently next time

I will do it in more open space as children find it difficult to move around freely.  I will also provide them even more open-ended prompts.

For toddlers, I would adapt the experience to be more spontaneous and sensory-based. I would set up sensory sound stations with baskets of natural materials (e.g. leaves, stones, sticks) for them to explore freely. I’d also include familiar action songs that incorporate clapping and movement to promote engagement through repetition and playfulness.

For kinder children, I would extend the experience further by recording their sound story and playing it back, allowing them to reflect on the sounds they created and possibly build on it the next day.

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