The children were full of imagination. They sat around the picnic table and pretended to share food with their peers, told stories by the fire, stretched out their hands to keep warm, and carefully avoided being burned by the "campfire" and took care of their "camp". Some children pretended to fish in a basin of water with leaves, and others told the story of ducks visiting their camp. This "lake" filled with water and floating leaves allowed the children to connect with nature in the game. This drama activity allowed the children to lead the story, create collaboratively, and build a common imaginary world.

The experience encouraged narrative expression, social interaction and empathy development, while also providing children with opportunities to express their observations of nature through movement and language. This process fully reflects the Reggio Emilia education's emphasis on open materials and child-led learning.

The children moved freely around the venue. Some children waddled like ducks, some jumped like frogs, and some tiptoed like birds jumping between stones. One child said, "Listen! There are birds singing, I am a bird!" Children can move alone or with friends to explore rhythm, balance and spatial sense.

We also danced in a circle, and each child took turns to enter the center of the circle to perform their own animal dance. Everyone watched and imitated each other's movements. One child began to turn around with his arms open, and another followed and said, "Fly, fly, we are flying!"

This movement activity helped children use their bodies as a tool for creative expression, connecting movement with nature, and allowing them to understand animal behavior in play. The background sound also created a focused and calm vibe.

I asked, “What do birds sound like?” and “What does the wind sound like?” The children used tambourines, maracas, snare drums, or their hands and voices to express their ideas. Some children imitated birds, some blew air to make wind sounds, and some used percussion rhythms to represent footsteps or water splashes.

One child said, “I am a leaf on a tree!” Another child swung a bell and said, “This is a duck splashing in the water!” The children combined various sounds to form a “concert by the lake.” Each child had the opportunity to lead a rhythm and the others followed.

This activity promoted listening, sound exploration, and rhythmic development. Some children liked to express sounds by clapping or stomping their feet, while others liked to use musical instruments. We ended up humming together to simulate the sound of the breeze. This session found a balance between structured rhythm training and free exploration.

These activities reflect the Reggio Emilia philosophy, especially the concept of the atelier, where materials and space are part of the teacher (Gandini, 2012). I used natural materials to support creativity and symbolic thinking. Wilson (2007) suggests that nature can support children's emotional and cognitive growth by opening up possibilities.

Community Playthings (n.d.) suggests that pretend play in nature can improve language, problem-solving, and social skills. I also drew on the Aboriginal knowledge of Dadirri - deep listening and present awareness - in my teaching. I encouraged the children to slow down, observe, and express their feelings through their bodies and voices.

b. What didn't go as expected? Some children were hesitant to use instruments or lead activities. I found that they needed more demonstrations or to work in groups to gain confidence.

c. What might be done differently next time? I will use animal picture cards or sound cues to help children understand the tasks, and give them more time to explore instruments freely before playing in groups.

d. How can I bring the growth from this activity into future teaching? I will continue to design art activities that connect to nature. I have learned that real or imagined natural situations can inspire children to engage deeply.

e. Overall reflection This experience has made me realize that music, movement, and drama are not only creative tools, but also important ways for children to understand the world. I will continue to use these methods to support curiosity, joy, and connection in early childhood education

Gandini, L. (2012). The atelier: A conversation with Vea Vecchi. In C. Edwards, L. Gandini, & G. Forman (Eds.), The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia experience in transformation (3rd ed., pp. 303–316). Praeger.

Wilson, R. (2007). Children, creative play, and the natural environment. In R. Wilson (Ed.), Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play and learning in natural environments (pp. 1–18). Routledge.