Art and Design in Early Years

Art and Design in Early Years (Nursery and Reception Classes)

Early Years Areas of Exploration

We have seven areas of exploration:

What Can We See?
How Can We Explore Colour?
How Can We Build Worlds?
How Can We Explore Materials & Marks?
How Can We Explore 3d Materials?
How Can We Use Our Bodies To Make Art?
How Can We Use Our Imaginations?

Art and Design Curriculum in Pictures

Please click on the picture link to see how the curriculum is taught at St Hilda's School.

1. What can we see?

Looking provides us with an opportunity for active exploration. Empowered by close looking, we can build confidence in our ability to make a creative response, developing dexterity skills along the way.

2. How can we explore colour?

Exploring colour gives us a great opportunity to interact with the world through our senses. In addition to develop our early knowledge of colour and colour mixing, we can also approach colour in an intuitive way, enjoying and exploring the way colour makes feel.

3. How can we build worlds?

Manipulating the materials of the world and transforming them into something new is an empowering process.

4. How can we explore materials and marks?

We don't just have to paint on paper; the world is full of textures and materials which we can use as surfaces for artwork!

5. How can we explore 3D materials?

How can we transform the surfaces around us by using line, colour and shape, and how can we make the objects we decorate reflect our personality? The world is full of materials, waiting to be transformed by our hands, hearts and heads. Giving children plenty of opportunity to explore materials through free exploration, ungoverned by our expectations of outcome,is vital if we are to help build experience of what it is possible to create.

6. How can we explore our bodies to make art?

We often assume we make art using our hands and eyes, but we can use all our senses to inform our exploration.

7. How can we use our imaginations?

Most very young children find it easy to use their imagination to help invent a world around them. Through art we can encourage children to nurture their imaginations, building confidence in their instinct, intuition, sense of self and ability, to give an outward form to inner ideas.