Art in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) falls under the specific area of learning called Expressive Arts and Design (EAD).

Framework and Goals

• Purpose: Helps children develop artistic and cultural awareness, imagination, self-expression, and communication skills.
• Statutory Focus: The framework splits EAD into two main Early Learning Goals (ELGs): Creating with Materials and Being Imaginative and Expressive.

Key Art Activities in EYFS

• Transient Art: Creating temporary designs and patterns using loose parts, stones, leaves, and twigs without using glue.
• 2D and 3D Exploration: Experimenting with paint, clay, salt dough, junk modelling, and collage materials.
• Process over Product: Focusing on how children explore textures, tools, and colour mixing rather than making a fixed final craft.
• Artist Inspiration: Introducing young children to famous works, such as Henri Matisse’s collages or Wassily Kandinsky's abstract shapes.

 In the EYFS children...

• Have daily opportunities to make their own creations using a wide range of different materials, fixings and tools which are freely available in continuous provision.
• Are taught how to use tools such as scissors, hole punch, string, Sellotape, cutters etc.
• Are encouraged to talk about what they would like to make, how they will do it and what they think about it when it is finished.
• Are encouraged to evaluate what they have made and make changes as appropriate.