Activity Instructions

Part A: Activity

Step 1.

Begin by explaining to your kid/s that you will be watching a First Nations Creation story about Tiddalick the frog (if you have access to the book you could read it instead). Explain to children that the story of Tiddalick is found in many parts of Australia, but the version shared in this clip belongs to the Gunnai Kurnai people of Gippsland (share your map with children to show where this is):

Tiddalik (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs-qUWomHtM)

Step 2.

Once you have viewed the story, you could talk about what you noticed in the story, for example:

I wonder what happened in this story?
I wonder what you liked about this story?
I wonder what this story makes you think about?

Why use ‘I wonder..’ questions? Find out here.

Part B: Discussion

Step 1.

Now take your child/ren outside to a water play table, or provide some small buckets of water for them to dip their hands into.

Encourage your child/ren to play with the water as you chat about some of the following questions:

I wonder what water looks like?
I wonder what water feels like?
I wonder what it sounds like?
I wonder where we can find water in nature? For example, the sea, lakes, rivers, creeks, dams, puddles, rain, dew.
I wonder where we can find water in our house and yard?

Step 2.

As your child/ren play, you could also talk about how we all need water to survive, no matter who we are and where we live. Whether we are living in the city, county, beach or desert, we need water. We need it for drinking, cooking, washing and for making things. We also need it for playing!

All our towns and cities are built in places where there is access to fresh water. When travelling away from cities and towns, it’s important to be able to find water so we don’t go thirsty. Some people - including some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples - can look at a landscape that appears dry and identify the spots where there is water based on the plants that are growing or the animals that are there. This is an incredible skill to have, especially when you’re living somewhere like a desert where it rarely rains. In some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, the knowledge of how to find water and of where water sources are can be passed are shared through the generations. One way to share this knowledge is by sharing stories, including Creation stories like Tiddalick.

Step 3.

Can you and your child/ren create your own story about water? Use the following questions to prompt you:

Can you incorporate toys (make sure they’re waterproof) and natural objects into your story?
What are the animals doing in your story?
What are the people doing in your story?

Take it further

Your child/ren may have their own ideas about how to extend this activity with the themes explored in this activity, or you could consider the following:

Create a miniature landscape in your yard with natural materials with a pond and trees for the animals to live in. Allow your child/ren the time and space to explore, build upon and play with the landscape. Find out more about the value of child-led play here.
Look up the ‘water holding frog’ to find out about the frog that holds onto water! See here or here.
Explore other Caring for Country Learn@Home activities.

Caring for Country: Water (home learning)

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