Expressive arts and design in EYFS

by Debi Keyte-Hartland Art in the early years To express, simply means to communicate.  The expressive arts, therefore, are languages of communication, able to express and communicate ideas, feelings, working theories children have about how the world works around them.  It is interesting to think about how children communicate in musical ways, or how they […]

What is loose parts play in the EYFS?

by Debi Keyte- Hartland The term “Loose Parts” was coined by Simon Nicholson, a British architect and designer whose parents were artists Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson.  He wrote a paper called The Theory of Loose Parts: How not to cheat Children in 1971, and this has become hugely influential in the ensuing decades since. […]

Learning mathematics through play

by Helen J Williams Early mathematics is essential for children’s full development, it is also predictive of later, wider achievement. Early mathematical learning is critical in sparking interest in STEAM subjects, as long as we approach EYFS mathematics in a way that is engaging for us all – adults and children alike. Too many of […]