To the cloudless, bright blue skies coastwards.

Memory chase children’s play,

Insects and birds come and make sound all night and day

Time over time the colours of vegetation change,

Seasons move, plants shrivel and swell;

Long grass and tall trees move in patterns so strange,

Gumnuts and sticks were all too well

Filled and streamed with bright golden light;

Sensed with soft and gentle breezes,

Everything ceases

As the singing birds take flight

My country visit allowed me to experience natural environment with all my senses. It encouraged me to pause at one place soaking in the songs of natural harmony as I hear the birds singing and sound of breeze blowing. I could hear the leaves moving with the soft breeze on the trees and sweet songs of birds, croaking of frogs and chirping of insects near the wetlands.

I could smell the gum leaves and feel the gentle breeze on my face.

Long grown grass moving in the rhythm of the air gently blowing from the lake towards the grass.

I could see bright and sunny clear blue sky, beautiful sunshine glittering the water of the lake and creating reflection of the trees and grasslands into the water and setting sun casting tall shadows of trees on the ground crating drama as if they are telling an ancient story.

While I was standing on this site I was reminded of the original custodians of this land, the Bunurong People of Kulin Nation. Their connection to the land, water and its flora and fauna. It is beautifully described in one of the course contents by Aboriginal Elder Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr in her Video “DADIRRI” (MiriamRoseFoundation, 2017). Where she talks about deep listening, being present in the current moment and being aware of our surroundings through all senses has been a part of their culture.

This experience has encouraged me to further embed music, movement and drama along with natural material into my everyday practice. I am planning to add natural material such a leaves, sticks, gumnuts, pinecones and banksia seed pods in our arts and crafts area, Kitchen area and outdoors area near the sand pit. We can play game of treasure hunt looking for different natural materials as our treasures. And along the way we can learn their names. Connect them to make art pieces in the sand pit or they can be food as children place them in pots and pans to prepare delicious meals during their dramatic play. Place them in the container and shake to create sounds for our songs.

As mentioned by Ruth Wilson (2007) in Nature and Young Children, about the importance of imaginative play in child development. It mentions how imaginative and creative play is foundation for child development and learning essential skills such as reading, writing, drawing, expressing their ideas and math along with social and emotional skills. From this reading I learned that how children during dramatic play learn one thing can represent another thing such as rock can be an egg or treasure such concept building, forms basis for their later learning and life skills.