Becoming-With Fear: Children, Play and Ecological Beings 

Boorloo📍

This research project explores young children’s evolving relationships with ecological beings, focusing on how fear is generated, negotiated, and transformed through play. Emerging from children’s sustained interest in Wardong (raven), initially perceived as ‘scary’ and unpredictable, the inquiry traces how fear becomes collectively constructed through shared narratives positioning Wardong as a ‘baddie’. Through dramatic, embodied play, children engage in protective and confrontational storylines that sustain rather than avoid the source of fear, revealing fear as a productive force for ongoing relational engagement. 

As the project unfolds, the ‘baddie’ narrative begins to shift as children revisit and rework their ideas. Wardong remains a powerful presence, yet fear extends to other ecological beings such as the redback spider and aphids. Through repeated encounters, children shift between fear, curiosity and care, noticing detail, asking questions and developing empathy. This project highlights fear as a pedagogical entry point enabling ethical, ecological understanding through play collectively.