Expressive Art and Design

By the time children leave Small Wonders Preschool we want them to be able to;

Listen to and respond to music by singing and moving in various ways. Tap out a simple rhythm.

Children have opportunity to play instruments in a variety of situations such as freely and

independently during sessions in the garden as they explore and practice skills and during group

times where we play along to music or with singing. We use a variety of music genres along with

props such as scarves. ribbons and pompoms. Toddler music and movement sessions are held half

termly giving children opportunity to listen to music and create various movements as they are

encouraged to express themselves through movement and sound.

Use various materials and resources to create their own ideas and express themselves. Put down

their ideas on paper with recognisable details such as facial features. Explore colour and know that

mixing paint can create another colour.

Children do a mixture of free art and directed art, this helps children develop ideas and gives

opportunity to express their own ideas as well as practice new skills. We provide a wide range of

resources and have art areas both inside and outside. Children are encouraged and praised to create

and talk through their ideas.

Extend their imaginative role play ides using a range of props and small world resources to act

these out. Use various construction resources to build enclosures and structures expressing their

ideas or extending their imaginative play.

We have a range of small and large construction for children to use to create props, enclosures and

buildings for their imaginative play. Children are encouraged to work together in small groups

expressing their ideas and using or creating props to support their play. We play alongside younger

children supporting their ideas and joining in their imaginative play.

Expressive art and design – Aspects - Creating with Materials Being Imaginative and Expressive

3 and 4 yr olds assessment and monitoring milestones

• Respond to music physically, move and dance, explore their voices with various sounds.

• Join in with songs and rhymes.

• Explore a range of musical instruments and play them in different ways.

• Enjoy and take part in action rhymes

• Listen with increased attention to sounds. Respond to what they hear expressing their

thoughts and feelings. Remember and sing entire songs. Match pitch and tone and shape of

sound e.g quietly, loudly, slowly, fast, high, low.

• Create their own songs. Play instruments with increasing control to express feelings. Follow

a simple rhythm.

• Make marks intentionally. Draw with increasing complexity and detail. Use drawing to

express sound, movement or emotions. Create closed shapes with continuous lines

representing objects.

• Explore paint with body and tools. Explore colour and colour mixing. Explore different

materials using their senses. Manipulate, join together and play with different materials

imaginatively. Make simple models, developing their own ideas and deciding which

materials to use. Explore different textures. Join various construction materials together to

represent their ideas.

• Start to develop pretend play, pretending one object represents another. Enjoy playing with

small world equipment and begin to develop complex stories in their play. Make imaginative

small worlds such as setting up the farm or dolls house. Build and represent complex small

worlds with blocks and construction kits. Combine materials to build small worlds e.g bricks

and dinosaurs, cars and buildings