A Journey into Sound, Movement, and Storytelling Within Our Environments.

“Nature Sound of Symphony”

I used natural objects like leaves, sticks, shells, cups, wooden sticks, tree branches, and rocks, as well as some musical instruments like shakers and clapping instruments. During this activity, children experimented with creating nature-inspired sounds and rhythms, experiencing various sensory sensations. They tried to imitate birds, wind, rain, and children teaming up to form a group “soundscape.”

Movement/Dance

Let's dance with the wind

This activity is inspired by elements like wind, trees, birds, and flowing water, so children used ribbons, waving in slow motion to fast motions, representing movements to explore how nature moves. They tried to mirror, create, and explore how movement can reflect feeling and place.

Drama

“I Spy with My Wild Eye!”

Children engage in a nature-based drama experience inspired by the book I Spy Australia. I set up this activity outdoors, using natural props (leaves, rocks, branches, pinecones) and animal puppets to support imaginative storytelling. Children listen to the story and then take part in dramatizing animals from the story while reading and using movement, sound, and props. They start to act out animal behaviours like hopping, gliding, digging, or sniffing, and we finish it with a group “freeze frame” reflecting what they can spy in nature.

Objective: To explore and experience how natural objects create sounds.
Age Group: 3–5 years

LOCATION: Outdoor area

EYLF: Outcome 5.3: Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media.

EYLF: Outcome 4.1: Children develop a growth mindset and learning dispositions such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination, and reflexivity

Materials:

•  Leaves and tree branches, sticks, seashells, cups, bamboo parts, rocks, pine cones

• Musical instruments (shakers, clapping sticks)

• For sensory experiences (feathers, wooden pieces, synthetic grass, synthetic plants, tree bark).

• Audio clip of bird, wind, and rain sounds

• Blanket or mat for quiet circle space

Steps:

1. Invite children to come and sit in a quiet circle.

2. And ask them to listen quietly to the nature audio clip that you choose. Discuss what sound we hear. Can we copy them?

3. Let children explore the materials, ask them to listen to seashells and what they hear,

4. let them pick an object and guide them to explore and create their sounds, using rhythm, shaking, or tapping.

5. Invite one at a time to share their sound with others, and try to engage as a group, forming layers of sounds.

6. At the end of the activity discussed which sound they liked most.

Age Group: 3–5 years

LOCATION: Indoor area

Objective: Will use free movement to explore nature.
Learning outcomes:

EYLF: OUTCOME 3.1: Children become strong in their social, emotional, and mental well-being.

EYLF: OUTCOME 2.2: Children respond to diversity with respect

VEYLDF: CHILDREN HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF WELL-BEING. Children learn to manage and move their bodies in space in a range of environments and settings.
Materials:

• Scarves or ribbons

• Space to move

• Calm instrumental/nature music

Steps:

1. Begin with breathing and stretching like a tree. Discuss “How do trees move in the wind? “What can we see?

2. Invite children to choose a ribbon or scarf, ask them to close their eyes and listen for 2 minutes, and ask them to open their eyes and move with the music.

3. Act like a natural role, such as a tree, a bird, water, or a breeze.

4. Let children imitate or respond in a movement form. Ask them to dance, mirror, or pair movements with a partner.

5. End by slowing down the movements and sitting to reflect. Discuss, “What did you enjoy moving like?”

   
   

Objective: Exploring Nature through Dramatic Storytelling

Location: Outdoor natural space

Age Group: 3–5 years

Learning Outcomes

•   EYLF Outcome 2.4: Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment

• EYLF Outcome 5.2: Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts

• EYLF outcome 5.3: Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media

• VEYLDF: CHILDREN ARE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS: Using movement and media for expression and connection to place

Materials:

• I Spy Australia book 

• Puppets or animal toys

•   Natural materials: pinecones, leaves, branches, rocks

• Outdoor picnic mat

Steps:

1. Invite children to read the I SPY AUSTRALIA book in a group circle outdoors.

2. Engage with interactive reading, like each page prompts guessing, sounds, and movement from the children, and use puppets and props

3. . Invite children to engage with dramatic play; let them choose props or puppets and act out their chosen animal behaviour in the bush.

   Invite children to pick one prop or puppet.

   • Guide them in acting out what the animal might do in the bush:

     Kangaroo jumps

     Echidna sniffs for ants

     Wombat digs

     Butterfly floats

   • Use movement, gesture, and sound.

4. Do a game like group freeze in character while the educator tries to spy on each one aloud.

5. Discussed what their favourite animal is and what they notice in nature.

   
   

What didn’t go as expected: I realised that some children needed more time to explore sound individually before being ready to join a group rhythm. Sometimes activity got distracted by outdoor objects and noises.

What I’d change: Next time, I’ll allow more time for free exploration with materials before guiding into group work. And use a quiet place indoors.

Future practice: This activity showed me how much creativity sound play can unlock. I’ll continue using found objects as my music tools to encourage natural listening.

Children moved freely and creatively. Some of the children tried to mirror my movements, while some of them engaged with peers, moving their ribbons according to music. Many surprised me with how they connected feelings to movement, especially when asked to “move like a cloud, move like a bird, or move like a tree.”

What didn’t go as expected:

Some children became distracted when holding the ribbons and moving with their peers. I have to adjust by setting clearer boundaries around space. Music's sound quality and long duration lost the children's interest.

What I’d change:

I’ll offer a “movement bubble“ (like an invisible bubble around them so they should try not to pop up or bump into others with it) so next time, children know where to move safely. I will try to check technical appliances such as speakers before use and try to reduce music duration to keep their attention.

Future practice:

I’ve learned that movement can be deeply expressive, and it needs both structure and space for imagination.

What went well:

Children enjoyed the story ‘I SPY VICTORIA.’ They loved the animal puppets, animal figures, and natural props like leaves and rocks. They listened and enjoyed it, joined in with animal sounds, and stayed focused and interested. The outdoor space made it feel more real and exciting.

What didn’t go as expected:

Some children got distracted or walked away from the activity. Because outdoors, it was very cold, and the wind blew some of the props, not everyone could see the book.

What I’d change:

Next time, I would bring a mat or cushion, something to help children sit in one place. I would also try to use bigger pictures so everyone can see. I might stop during the storytelling to let the children act out the animals more.

 Future practice:

I will try to keep doing drama and stories outside. I’ll plan for the weather, and I will let children help to act out the story more. I will find the way to make the activity more fun and easier to follow.

I now feel more confident in planning combined arts experiences, and I will honour children’s voices and will allow them to explore the world through artistic and sensory experiences

 In the music activity, I let children explore natural sounds using simple materials like rocks, sticks, and leaves, like the way I listened carefully to the sounds in nature.

 The movement activity: I encouraged children to become trees, wind, or animals by using their bodies, reflecting how I used my movement in my creative response to express the peaceful and magical feeling of being outdoors.

 The drama activity included reading a book called I Spy Victoria and using real natural props like leaves, pinecones, and animal puppets to encourage imaginative storytelling and sensory exploration.

 These three activities reflect key ideas from the unit that I engaged in last few weeks, such as how nature and creative arts support symbolic thinking, problem-solving, and emotional development (Wilson, 2008; Ernst, 2014). Using body percussion also helped to combine rhythm and movement, supporting physical coordination and musical expression. Also inspired by the videos of Pauline Oliveros and R. Murray Schafer, I also tried to encourage children to practice deep listening to connect with natural soundscapes. These session activities aim to support children’s creative thinking and their connection to place through playful, sensory, and imaginative learning.

Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2022). Belonging, being & becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0). https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf

Department of Education and Training. (2016). Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF). https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/providers/edcare/veyldframework.pdf

Community Playthings. (n.d.). The importance of pretend play in natural settings. https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/the-importance-of-pretend-play-in-natural-settings

ClickView. (n.d.). Body percussion [Video]. Music moves series. https://online.clickview.com.au/libraries/series/7766/music-moves/videos/7767/body-percussion

National Film Board of Canada. (n.d.). Listen [Video]. https://www.nfb.ca/film/listen/

Oliveros, P. (2010). The difference between hearing and listening [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/_QHfOuRrJB8

YouTube. (2022). Learn how to create Foley art [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slBnlicFEA4

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. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/vu.edu.au?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.taylorfrancis.com%2Fbooks%2Fmono%2F10.4324%2F9781315148533

NatureScapes. (2022). Redwoods forest river & birdsong | Relaxing nature sounds in 4K | 6 hours [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/_nVwKbA4eN0?si=MiD-ZktenyFKqkYq

NatureScapes. (2022). Relaxing meadow with ambient nature sounds, wildflowers, and mountain view – 8 hours [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/ipf7ifVSeDU?si=L253Qz4lh6Lg4nT6