Children do quiet walking on a  “sound hunt” in  an outdoor setting , and pause and listen to their surrounding sounds (birds, trees, wind, dogs, etc). Then they return to a sound station with instruments made of loose parts (bamboo chopsticks, rice and garden pebbles wrapped in toilet rolls, salt and sugar in a tin can, pebbles, and dried leaves ) and create their very own versions of what they heard.

Each child contributes to a group echo song by adding one sound from their version that they like the best. 

Children freely use their hands to feel different textures under their feet and hands in an outdoor environment, such as grass (soft), dried leaves (crunchy), pebbles (rough) . After touching textures, they are invited to move like that texture and they also can blue ribbons, and loose parts in “Sound hunt” activity to support their movements. For example, soft texture -slow and soft movement using ribbons, crunchy texture- stomp their feet/ rub pebbles

They then build a very short “texture dance”, moving from one area to another like explorers under soundscapes (for example ambient nature sounds) play quietly in the background to support rhythm so that children can express their dance.

This is an interactive drama game where both educators and children take on the character of Sunny, and lead the group in a series of playful, imaginative actions inspired by natural elements. The game follows the structure of “Simon Says”, but the leader prompts thematic movements related to the nature like:“Sunny says fly like a swing”, “Sunny says hum like the wind”

Children express themselves by using body language, facial expressions, loose parts in activity 1 & 2, and their own creative interpretations . At the end, children are asked:“Can you think of one Sunny move for us to try?” This lets children have a sense of ownership and enhance their learning experience and engagement.

In assessment 2, I used artefacts like the clack of the swing, the softness of grass, the crunchy sound of tanbark, and sunlight patterns as starting points for a creative journey. These elements then reappear in my teaching pedagogy: children now recreate sounds that they heard using loose parts, move in response to different textures, and dramatise natural elements using guided imaginative prompts. This approach aligns with Reggio Emilia philosophy, where the environment becomes a co-constructor of children’s knowledge.

Gandini (2012) notes that spaces like the atelier are used  to “reveal and interpret our ways of observing… and documenting the children’s sequences responses” (p. 305). In my activities, the outdoor space serves as an open-air atelier without walls, enabling children to use their senses to interact with the real world as creative material for exploration and storytelling.

These experiences emphasise sensory and play-based pedagogy, which values movement, rhythm, and the body as a tool for learning. For example, in “Textures in Motion”, children explore textures in their environment with their hands and feet, then respond physically, such as flying like a swing or stomping like dried leaves. “play-actions occur when the child’s interest and ability interact with the potential affordances of the environment” (Gurholt and Sanderud, 2016, as cited in Wilson, 2018, p. 11), highlighting what nature can offer to shape meaningful learning experience. 

In my “Sound Hunt”, children have the opportunity  to recreate the sound they heard from their  memories through loose parts instruments and all contribute to the echo song.This reflects what Niland (2009) belief “It will provide opportunities for freely chosen musical play—exploration of sound, composition, improvised movement, and dramatic play—as well as for guided group musical experiences”

Finally, “Action with Sunny”  uses drama prompts based on the fictional character named Sunny. . The adapted “Simon Says” structure encourages symbolic thinking through imaginative movement. While doing this activity, children are given opportunities to become co-storytellers, linking gestures and language to sensory play. This links with Wilson’s (2018) notion that being creative in play “helps children explore, experiment, and discover” in ways that develop literacy, collaboration, and boost their self-esteem (p. 1).

All three experiences embed First Nation perspective by fostering respect, rhythm, deep listening and connection with the land. In “Sound Hunt”, children engage in stillness and deep listening, which is a practice similar to ”Dadirri”,noted by Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann (2002) as “inner deep listening and quiet, still awareness” (p. 1). In “Textures in Motion”, children once again move to interpret the land’s physical language- showing the connection and the respectness to Country. Slater (2020)concludes the key point that storying in First Nations pedagogy honours and respect the land, memory, and the child is seen as “knower,” not simply just receiver.

Learning Area: Sound and music

Age Group: 3–5 years

Duration: 5-10 minutes

a/ Materials: 

• Natural outdoor space (garden, schoolyard, park, etc)

• Loose parts as instruments:

• Bamboo chopsticks

• Toilet rolls filled with rice and pebbles

• Small tins filled  with salt and sugar

• Dried leaves 

b/ Learning Intentions

• Children  develop deep listening skills by identifying sounds in their surrounding

• Children explore rhythm and sound-making through loose parts

c/ Learning outcomes

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

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

d/ Lesson steps

Introduction

• Invite children to take a short walk through the outdoor space.

• Explain that they are going on a “Sound Hunt”, which means using their ears to listen sounds around them

• Guided Listening Walk

• Do a quiet walk for 2 to 3 minutes.

• Prompt with open-ended questions: “Can you hear the birds singing?” “Can you hear the sound of the wind?”

Reflection 

Invite each child to name one sound they like the best

Sound-Making with loose parts instruments

• Present all instruments

• Allow time for children to experiment.

• Encourage each child to select their instruments and recreate one of their favorite sounds

For example: Crunching dried leaves = shake a tin can

                       Wind = shake the rice shaker

• Allow time for children to try and practice

Create a Group “Echo Song”

• Children take turns to contribute a sound to the group rhythm.

Learning area: Movement and  dance

Age group: 3–5 years

Duration: 5-10 minutes

Location: Outdoor space

a/ Materials

• Outdoor textured surfaces like grass, tree bark, dried leaves, pebbles, dirt, sand, etc

• Blue ribbons or fabric strips (for children to express their movement )

• Ambient nature sound playlist 

*Suggestion:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd212H6kjEQ  crunchy texture

                       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq7bHAkSWZ4 soft texture

                       https://youtube.com/shorts/ry-IoKqykWk?si=QApSDft0aXHjT2NZ hard texture

b/ Learning intentions

• Children use their bodies to express different textures through creative movement.

• Children explore how the land feels and try to interpret their feelings and experience   through their dance.

c/ Learning outcomes

• Outcome 4.3: Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another.

• Outcome 5.1: Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes

Lesson steps

Introduction

• Gather children in an outdoor space. 

• Introducing the activity : “Today, we are going to use their hands touching everything under our feet,  and then we move together  like that feeling.

Feel the texture 

• Invite children to use their hands and feet to feel the texture of anything under their feet

For example: grass, leaves, pebbles

• Prompt them with: “How does this feel? What does it make you want to do?”

Introducing Ribbons/Fabric

• Hand out ribbons or fabric.

• Suggest children to use  the ribbon to their soft movement 

• Educators wave ribbons as an example for children

Movement Exploration

• Invite children to freely dance, showing you how that texture that they feel might move:

For example: Grass (soft)- slow stretch

Leaves: light jumps, rustling arms, waving hands, rub palms together

Texture Dance 

Children create a very short 1 to 2 part “texture dance” by moving from one area or texture-inspired movement to another.

For example: dried leaves -> rub their palms 

                       Soft grass -> wave the ribbons in the air

Optional: play ambient nature sounds quietly to support rhythm.

Learning Area: Drama 

Age Group: 3–5 years

Duration: 5-10 minutes

Location: Indoor/ Outdoor

a/ Materials

• Open and safe space 

• Small sun image

b/ Learning Intentions

Children explore new concepts:  symbolic movement and imaginative action.

Children learn how to use body language, and facial expression in drama.

Children practice listening, responding, and developing their creativity. 

c/ Learning outcomes

• Outcome 4.1: Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, creativity, confidence, and cooperation.

• Outcome 5.3:Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts

Lesson steps:
Welcome: Meet Sunny 

• Briefly introduce Sunny- a fictional character

• Hold up the  picture of the sun and. Say:“Sunny  loves to explore. Today, we are going to play ‘Sunny Says’ . It is  like Simon Says, but we move like nature.”

Prompt suggestions:

• “Sunny says fly like the wind”

• “Sunny says tiptoe on leaves”

• “Sunny says lie down on green grass”

• (Optional)Add fun “freeze” cues: “Touch your ears!—Wait… did Sunny say it?”

Child-led play

• Invite children to create their own Sunny move by asking  “Can you think of one Sunny  move we can all try?”

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uuSsUMxM0hsmAULSuWgk6NaXRjoJ--dg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nhQPq0Iop6hwT0t7_mkRPLCLUBtpixHw/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uuSsUMxM0hsmAULSuWgk6NaXRjoJ--dg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GJoG1WV8S32lasPA1Lr7l5CAdJJhnpyl/view?usp=sharing