I learned from Wilson (2007) that nature is a powerful space for children to play creatively and grow in many ways. Gano and Krull (2020) also highlight how outdoor sounds support children’s sensory development, focus, and understanding of space. The Reggio Emilia approach, shared by Gandini (2012), inspired me to see sound, movement, and music as meaningful “languages” that children naturally use to express themselves and make sense of the world. These sessions aim to support that kind of learning — playful, expressive, and connected to place.

Simple percussion instruments (shakers, wooden sticks, bells)

Comfortable mats or cushions (optional)

Assessment & Observation Notes

• Did the child engage in creating or mimicking natural sounds?

• Did they participate in the group rhythm and take turns?

• Did they make creative connections (e.g., “This leaf sounds like the wind”)?

Just as I had experienced in my own creative response, they quickly tuned in to the soundscape: birds chirping, the wind rustling the leaves, and distant traffic. This confirmed Gano and Krull’s (2020) idea that nature supports rich sensory learning.

One of the most delightful moments was during the “Sing Like a Bee, Dance Like a Tree” activity. The children fully embraced the imaginative play, buzzing like bees, flapping their arms, and swaying like trees. Their movement was spontaneous and joyful, and I saw first-hand how dance and play merge naturally at this age — something Dance Teaching Ideas (n.d.) highlights as essential for developing balance, coordination, and expressive thinking. However, some children were hesitant at first, especially when asked to choose between being a bee or a tree. Next time, I might model the roles myself first to make it less abstract.

This experience changed how I see music, movement, and drama — not as separate subjects, but as everyday languages that help children express and explore the world. Inspired by Gandini (2012), I now want to bring more open-ended, arts-based experiences into my future early childhood practice

The activity is grounded in Wilson’s (2007) concept of open-ended play in nature, Dance Teaching Ideas (n.d.) on creative movement supporting physical and emotional development, and Gandini (2012) who sees movement as one of the "hundred languages" children use to explore, express, and communicate.

• Invite children to close their eyes.

• Play soft wind and bird sounds. Ask them to listen:
  “Can you hear the wind? The bees? What do you feel in your body?”

2. Introducing Movement (2–3 mins)

• Give children a scarf and invite them to move like the wind, a bee, or a leaf.

• Prompt gently:

  • “How does the wind move?”

  • “How would a bee visit a flower?”

  • “Can you float like a leaf falling?”

3. Dance Together (3–4 mins)

• Use gentle music and invite the whole group to move freely.

• Let children switch roles or respond to one another.

• Encourage storytelling through movement:

  • “Is your bee dancing with a friend?”

  • “Is your tree bending in the breeze?”

4. Wind Down (1 min)

• Ask children to freeze like statues.

• Invite deep breaths and a seated circle reflection.

4o

In The Hundred Languages of Children, Vecchi (as cited in Gandini, 2012) emphasizes that drama, like other expressive languages, supports children’s symbolic thinking and offers “autonomous vehicles of expressive freedom.” Through role-play and imaginative provocation, children don’t just perform, they interpret the world and their place within it. This aligns with the Reggio Emilia philosophy that art and drama are not extra activities, but essential ways of constructing meaning.

Drama also intersects with social-emotional learning. According to UNICEF (2019), music and rhythm help children regulate emotions and form attachments. Similarly, dramatic storytelling allows children to step into the emotional world of another character — whether it’s a buzzing bee or a watchful tree, fostering empathy, collaboration, and emotional literacy. Children practice turn-taking, listening, and perspective-taking as they move within the imagined story.

Audio: soft nature sounds (birds, wind, bees)

Optional: scarves, wings, leaves for costumes or props

A few printed story prompts or visual images (flowers, bees, trees)

Have children sit in a circle.

Play nature sounds softly. Ask them to close their eyes.

Say: “Imagine you are in a secret garden. You’re not a person — you’re something else. Maybe a bee, a flower, a tree, or a breeze.”

2. Introduce the Story (2–3 mins)

Tell a short story:

“In the middle of the city, there’s a hidden garden. No one can see it except the creatures who care for it. The bees hum important messages. The wind whispers secrets. The trees listen and protect. What role will you play?”

3. Dramatic Play (4–5 mins)

Invite children to choose a character and move around the space.

Prompt with questions:

“How does your character move?”

“What do they see or protect?”

“Can you talk to another character without words?”

“What does your garden need today?”

4. Reflect Together (1 min)

Gather back in a circle. Ask:

“What were you? What did your character feel or do?”

Optionally, record short reflections or draw the scene later.

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). ABC-CLIO, LLC. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/reader.action?docID=820317

Gano, D., & Krull, S. (2020, July). Natural sensory learning. Community Playthings. Retrieved from https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2020/natural-sensory-learning

UNICEF. (2019, June 13). Is your baby getting enough music? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kHPhNhVgPM

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.