This activity was inspired by the sounds I heard during my countryside visits to Ringwood Lake. This activity invites children to learn music and natural sounds through natural materials. Where children explore natural materials such as pinecones, leaves, pebbles, rock, wooden log, sticks, and gumnuts. Children are encouraged to use these natural materials to create sounds, music, and rhythm while also helping children connect with nature.

At Ringwood Lake, I heard birds chirping, ducks quacking, and water flowing. Those sounds sparked imagination and creative response. I imagined birds are singing songs for me, ducks quacking to greet me and inviting me to their secret meeting. I want to recreate a similar sensory and creative experience for my children where they explore nature and create their own music and sounds.

As described by Victor (2013), music is a language that children should learn through self-exploration, without fear, and by making mistakes. Children learn best when they freely explore sound, play with music, listen, copy and improve.

The purpose of my activity is to allow children to explore natural materials freely and appeal to their curiosity. For example, children will be curious about how and what sounds can be produced by rubbing leaves, rocks, etc. Similarly, they can use tree branches to beat on other stuff to play drums and sticks to play air guitar. In doing so, they will learn rhythm and music like they learn languages, and like language, they will be able to use music and rhythm to express and communicate.

Material Objects: Sticks, pinecones, leaves, pebbles, stones, gumnuts, a wooden log

Steps:

1. During group time, we asked the children, “Can we play music with natural materials?”

2. Children freely explored natural objects, building their sensory development.

3. They began to tap sticks, rub leaves, rub rocks, shake pebbles, use a bunch of gumnuts as a shaker, and rub pinecones to make sounds.

4. They created their own music and rhythm.

5. By the end of the session we asked the children, “What was your favourite sound?”

Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity

• Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect.

Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

• Children become strong in their social, emotional and mental wellbeing.

Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners

• Children develop a growth mindset and learning dispositions such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity.

Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

• Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media.

Location: indoor

Group of age: 3 to 4 years old

I started the activity by asking children how they can make music with the natural objects. Some of them replied that they can make sounds by tapping sticks.

After that, I distributed natural objects and encouraged children to freely play with those objects to make sounds and music.

Children began tapping sticks on the wooden log like drumming, tapping sticks together, playing air guitar with sticks, rubbing leaves, and using a bunch of gumnuts as a shaker. They combined sounds, made rhythm, and sang songs. They were collaborating in groups like little bands and enjoyed it a lot.

Children engaged in this experience and actively participated. They were excited and curious to create their music. They imagined themselves as musician and singers. The open-ended natural materials encourage collaboration, group play, creativity, imagination and connect them with nature.

Some children were too excited, and they were very loud with music, but some children wanted more guidance and concentrated more on soft music. Next time, I will do a first body percussion warm-up, which helps them focus on the task.

I learnt natural materials are a powerful tool to inspire music and connect children with nature, and open-ended sensory experiences not only boost children motor skills but also build their imagination, creativity and collaboration skills (Diann and Sharron, 2020).

It also strengthens my perspective on the impact of music on children. I picked up that natural musical experiences and activities help children express freely and creatively, while also connecting them with nature. I will continue to integrate more nature-based music opportunities for the children to support their holistic learning in my future practice.

This activity was inspired by the bushwalk I had at Ringwood Lake and the creative response of Assessment 2. The activity uses my rendition of the "walking in the jungle" song to motivate action and movement in children and help them understand unique Australian wildlife.

The purpose of this activity is to encourage movement through dancing, signing, walking, and imitation. It allows children opportunities to explore and engage in physical motions, complex actions, listening, and acting that develop motor and cognitive skills and bond children with Australian animals.

During my bushwalk at Ringwood Lake, I heard animal sounds that jotted my creative side. I started imitating those sounds, and I imagine becoming a part of their world. This memory inspired me to incorporate music and movement in my activity, where children explore nature through music and movement.

Like the Mutton Bird dance video by Bangarra (2015), which tells the story of the bird and the connection of country through dance, music and actions. In my activity, children express the movement of animals such as the kookaburra, kangaroo, wombat, echidna and dingo. This activity helps children bond with nature and understand animals through dance and movement. Like the Mutton Bird dance, my activity uses movement to connect children with nature and express themselves without words.

Materials:

• Printed animal picture cards of Kangaroo, kookaburra, Wombat, Echidna, and Dingo.

• Those animal sounds and speaker to play them.

• My variant of the Walking in the jungle song as attached.

Steps:

1. Take children outdoors and ask which animals they see in the jungle or forest. And do you know the Australian Animal names?

2. Sing the walking in the jungle song and invite children for a walk

3. Take a pause and play animal sounds (e.g. Kangaroo, Wombat)

4. Show all the animal cards to children to guess the right animal sound.

5. Invite children to move like an animal (e.g flap wings like a kookaburra, hop like a kangaroo)

6. Repeat the steps with different animal sounds and moves

7. End the session by asking children which animal is their favourite and if they can move like that animal.

Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity

• Children develop knowledgeable and confident self-identities

Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world

• Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment.

Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

• Children become strong in their physical learning and wellbeing

Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

• Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media

Location: Outdoor

Age group: 3 to 4 years old

I took the children outdoors and started with a question about which Australian animals to spark their curiosity.

After that, I started singing and walking my version of the walking in the jungle song, and children joined me to that. At the end of each stanza, I pause and play the sound of the animal described, show their pictures and encourage children to copy the sound and imitate movements of that animal.

We perform the following:

• For a kookaburra, we all flapped our arms and laughed.

• For a Kangaroo, we hopped and jumped.

• For a wombat, we crawled low and moved slowly.

• For an echidna, we all went on our tiptoes.

• And for Dingo, we all run!

Children were excited when I told them about the outdoor to see some animals. Children enjoyed mimicking the sounds of animal and their movements. The children shared joy and laughter.

Some children were not focused; they were unsure about the animal's moves. Next time, I should introduce the activity and talk more about the animals before I start singing the song, so they can better relate the song to the animals.

This activity made me understand the importance of movement, music, dance, and storytelling for children's physical and emotional well-being. As described by Wilson (2007), nature-based learning not only develops children's better bond with nature and wildlife but also helps express their emotions. We educators should offer children exercises that involve multiple senses, like poetry, dancing, and storytelling, to help them express themselves freely.

Natural excursions and outdoor activities also helped children develop listening skills and body awareness and taught them to respect and care for our Australian animals (Nolan and Raban, 2024). I will incorporate natural movement activities like this in my future practice, which encourages children to express and develop their connection with nature and our Australian animals through movement, music and drama.

In this drama experience, children role-play the story of the very hungry caterpillar, where children play various characters like the caterpillar, cocoon, butterfly and food through props. The activity design is to boost their critical thinking, communication, and help them express their feeling in creative and innovative ways.

My countryside visit inspired this experience, where I observed wildlife, insects and plants and thought about their growth, change and the beauty of nature. In this drama, children are encouraged to observe the beauty of nature, life cycles and evolution.

This drama experience is inspired by my visit to Ringwood Lake, where I carefully observed insects, birds, and trees, which helped me to understand the evolution of things and the power of nature that shapes the beautiful world around us.

The rationale of this activity links with Dadirri (2017), which encourages us to pause, listen and observe the environment to understand the deep meaning and connection. Similarly, in my activity, we go on the transformation journey of a caterpillar to learn the importance of listening, observing and paying attention to find deeper meaning and understanding of growth and progress in life and nature.

Materials:

• The very hungry caterpillar book

• Props for drama like Caterpillar, butterfly, food, sun and moon.

• Blanket for Cocoon

Steps:

1. Gather children for group time and introduce a book called the very hungry caterpillar book and asked question did you ever saw a caterpillar? What they turn into?

2. Read aloud story and show them how caterpillar eat, grow and change.

3. Invite children to become a caterpillar it can be more caterpillar

4. Crawl like a caterpillar and pretend to eat each food. Get a tummy ache hold belly.

5. Invite other children to pretend like a food

6. Wrap around blanket and pretend like a cocoon

7. In the end of the story pretend like a butterfly and flap their arms.

8. Children can take turns using character props

9. In the end of the role play asked children what was your favourite part of this story?

Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity

• Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect.

Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world

• Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment.

Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

• Children become strong in their social, emotional and mental wellbeing.

Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners

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

Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

• Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes

Location: Indoor on circle time mat

Age group: 3 to 4 years old

Children gather for the group time. They were excited and curious to see the book and the props. As I read the book, the children knew some phrases, which they repeated with me. They were attentively listening to the story and used props to engage and focus.

During drama activity, some children pretend to be the caterpillar and crawl on the mat. The other plays the role of fruit and food, and they show their sad faces when the caterpillar eats. A child covered in a blanket, and said I am in my Cocoon.

In the end, children flap their arms and walk around the mat, pretend like a butterfly and celebrate the transformation.

Children were highly enthusiastic to see the storybook, props, and the prospect of acting out each role. Some children knew the sequence of the story and some phrases. This activity prompted the children to think critically and creatively. As described by Sensorium Theatre (2018), roleplay activities build ideation, collaboration and body awareness in children.

Many children wanted to be caterpillars, and some children need more support when acting. The planned activity took longer than expected. Next time, I will assign roles at the start and do this activity in a small group, so everyone gets their turn to be the caterpillar.

This experience helps shape my perspective of drama and role play in early childhood education. I discovered that these are essential to develop children's critical thinking and analytical reasoning.

As children are capable learners, and when we allow them time and opportunity to observe and reflect, they will find creative and innovative ways to act, express, collaborate and communicate (REAIE, 2021). For these reasons, I will have more dramas and plays in my future teaching.

Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2022).
        Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning  Framework
        for Australia (EYLF)Version 2.0 [PDF]. ACECQA.
        https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf 

bangarradancetheatre. (2015).
        Bangarra Education Resources – Mutton Bird [Video]. YouTube.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-PV98Oshkc

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

Nolan, A., & Raban, B. (2024). Theories into practice - Revised edition: Understanding
        and rethinking our work with young children and the EYLF.
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Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange (REAIE). (2021).
        The image of the child. Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange.
        https://reggioaustralia.org.au/the-image-of-the-child/

Sensorium Theatre. (2018). Sensory storytelling guide:
        A webinar for teachers and parents [Video]. Vimeo.
        https://vimeo.com/163371099

TEDxGabriolaIsland. (2013). Music as a language:
        Victor Wooten at TEDxGabriolaIsland [Video]. YouTube.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zvjW9arAZ0

Ungunmerr‑Baumann, M.‑R. (2021, March 23). Dadirri (Official video) [Video]. YouTube.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tow2tR_ezL8

Wilson, R. A. (2007). Nature and young children: Encouraging creative play
        and learning in natural environments (3rd ed.). Routledge. Ch 1, pp 1-18
        https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315148533