The Feelings Of Country

Lutruwita  📍

This journey began as a shared exploration—a collective leaning-in of hearts and minds. A group of 4 – 5 year old Kindergarten children stepped into the natural world not merely as observers, but as active participants. Together, we established a community of wonder within our Kinder space and during our weekly excursions, training our eyes to notice the subtle, beautiful changes in the environment around us. 

By researching alongside the children, we watched them bring their thoughts to life—weaving their discoveries together through rich dialogue, drawings, intricate designs, constructions, and a shared language born of genuine curiosity and a collective desire to protect the world around them. 

As the group transitioned into the beginning of 2026, this sense of connection only deepened. With birds soaring above us and tiny creatures crawling beneath us, the children became beautifully attuned to the rhythm of the earth. The children and adults were invited to look beyond the living creatures we had been tracking and to open our hearts to the wider, more-than-human world. 

Research questions began to twist, turn, and grow in unexpected, beautiful ways. They found themselves moving past the tangible boundaries of insects and animals, turning our attention toward the unseen elements of the land. The children have also turned their hearts toward Country, leaning in and listening deeply to what it says. In doing so, the children and adults discover not just what the land cultivates for us, but the profound sense of empathy, stewardship, and belonging it cultivates within us.