I was out in the sun

where it was calm, soothing, fun

I had a long walk,

and heard people talk

There were some ducks in a pond,

Which captured me and I got fond

Ducks made me stop,

I watched them from a top

It reminds me of my friends and my childhood

Where we had a park in out neighbourhood

We use to jump, run, sang and dance,

I wish that we can do it again, I wish I get chance

Wind was refreshing, Sun was shining

Flowers were blooming and leaves were crunching

I was out in the sun,

It was calm, soothing, fun.

· Wilson Ruth, Nature and Young Children : Encouraging Creative Play and Learning in Natural Environments, Routledge, 2007, page 7

Movement: I experienced lots of movements which was a part of my experience of the country visit. I captured beauty around me, I walked around a park, I used equipment for some physical movements and forces.  There were lots of opportunities for physical movement  for every age groups.

Drama: I witness dramas were going around in the pond where three ducks I saw in a water. They were chasing each other as if they were racing and trying to catch each other. The last one who was left behind was quacking loudly to tell two other ducks to stop or was swimming fast to catch them. They seemed to be very happy in their play.

Another drama was played by winds, as the wind was light and slow (not chasing) the tress, grass and flower were bored and were sitting still and quiet but as the wind went bit heavy and strong (began a play to chase) trees, flowers and grass began to move in happiness as if there game of chasing each other was started.

A visit was actually gave me MY MOMENT which I enjoyed, reflect on my day, reminded myself of my childhood memories and relaxed myself in the fresh air. I would like to make some connections with the visit and compare it with my childhood where we had a similar but small in size public park, I used to spent time with my parents, siblings and friends when they body use to be more energetic, lively, strong and capable of developing all the 8 sensory systems. Luckily, I achieved and experienced the same feeling and brought myself in my childhood where I enjoyed swinging and balancing on my body.

It is quite normal to go and visit parks but this time I went all alone and experienced difference that I am viewing, enjoying, walking, exploring by using all my senses. As in the article, Natural sensory learning by Diann Gano, Sharron Krull, they have spoke about the senses and how they are actively building nerves to connect in the brain pathways. The 6 sensory systems (Auditory, Visual, Olfactory, Tactile, Vestibular, proprioception) which I used and experienced were Auditory by hearing birds chirping, people were talking, cars were moving on the road nearby, sound of a wind, trees, grass and my footsteps, ducks were quacking in the pond. Visual sense by seeing the beauty around me, beautiful colours of nature such as water in a pond, flower, trees, sky, The Sun, clouds, people, children, cars, houses. Olfactory sense by witnessing the texture, shapes, colours, smells, layers were presented in the nature for e.g.: different kinds of flowers, tress of different sizes and kinds, grass, wind and the reflection and smell of the pond water. Tactile sense which I experienced through touching flowers(gentle and soft), barks(was hard and rough), barefoot walk on the grass(It felt cold and soft). Vestibular senses which I experienced with the unique sound which was present in the park’s atmosphere. I used my spatial skill to hear from my deep inner and I felt quietness and every sound from close and far were mingling up together and was creating a deep sound experience for me.  Proprioception sense was developed when I used swing and balancing board where I used my body movements, forces and muscles.

 As an early childhood educator, I believe in child’s holistic development and I know the importance of outdoor play time. Wilson, R, 2007, Children, creative play, and the natural environment, It is very important that children should get outdoor space for the rich opportunities for nurturing growth in all the developmental areas like: adaptive, aesthetic, cognitive, communication, sensorimotor and socioemotional. (pg 7).