Intent

Expressive Arts conveys both thinking (ideas) and feeling (emotions). Children use a variety of ways to express and communicate which can be done through music, movement and using a wide range of materials. Expressive Arts and Design fosters imagination, curiosity, creativity, cognition, critical thinking and experimentation.

We intend our children to be able to express themselves through actions and sounds. At Pinxton Nursery School we intend our children to have individual experiences which will inspire a life time of creativity and imagination, providing children with confidence and resilience which will impact all areas of learning. 

Implementation

At Pinxton Nursery School we provide opportunities for all children through continuous provision and planned activities both inside and outdoors, providing opportunities for children to improvise, collaborate, interact and engaged in shared thinking activities. We provide time, space and opportunities to revisit and reflect on experiences. Expressive Arts and design is developed through multi-sensory, first hand experiences, where children can connect and enquire about the world. Through our curriculum and provision, children will have experience of colour, form, texture and sound, making connections with previous experiences and building upon their skills knowledge.

In the birth to 5 matters Expressive Art is split into two aspects Exploring and using media and materials and Being imaginative.

Exploring and Using Media and Materials

This is about how children experiment with media and materials, finding out about their properties and modifying and manipulating them. It includes exploring sounds, patterns, movement and different tools and techniques

Being Imaginative

This is about children’s explorations into the world of pretence, building on their experiences of the real world and transforming them into something new – whether through role play, music, pretend play, block play or small world or any other area of learning.

Impact

Children leave nursery with attitudes of curiosity and questioning as well as skills and techniques. Children have the skills to create and invent, illustrating confidence in their own ideas and having the ability to take risks. Children have a good understanding of other people, themselves and are able to enter their own imaginary world.

Areas of Expressive Arts and Design

Creating with materials