The development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity. It is important that children have regular opportunities to engage with the arts, enabling them to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. The quality and variety of what children see, hear, and participate in is crucial for developing their understanding, self-expression, vocabulary, and ability to communicate through the arts. The frequency, repetition, and depth of their experiences are fundamental to their progress in interpreting and appreciating what they hear, respond to, and observe. You can help toddlers and young children listen and pay attention by using gestures like pointing and facial expressions. Why not read our blog, which discusses the importance of play in early years? More characteristics of effective learning EYFS resources to try In September 2020, some schools elected to use the new early learning goals, which were fully rolled out to all schools in September 2021. While the EYFS Statutory Framework and early learning goals set in place the expectations and levels of attainment for children by the end of their reception year, they do not set a mandatory path to those goals, recognising the individual nature of development, especially in early years children. Find other resources, which we think you’ll find useful, below:

Toddlers and young children sometimes hesitate and repeat sounds and words when thinking about what to say. In addition, it is important that the curriculum includes rich opportunities for children to develop their spatial reasoning skills across all areas of maths. It is important that children develop positive attitudes and interests in mathematics, look for patterns and relationships, spot connections, ‘have a go’, talk to adults and peers about what they notice and not be afraid to make mistakes. Try having these easily printable display signs around your EYFS classroom or try printing them off as a smaller flashcard-sized option. Around 12 months, does the baby ‘take turns’ by babbling and using single words? Does the baby point to things and use gestures to show things to adults and share interests? they are longer, there is more depth, and they contain examples of things that you can do with childrenHealth colleagues, like health visitors or speech and language therapists, offer vital support to this work. These Early Learning Goals EYFS posters are a fantastic way of displaying the EYFS ELG statements within your setting or staff room. These colourful posters show the areas of learning on separate sheets. You can use them in separate dedicated displays to share the EYFS ELG statements for each specific area of learning, or you can use them in a general display about the Early Years Goals. These early learning goals are defined in the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage as: ‘the knowledge, skills and understanding children should have at the end of the academic year in which they turn five’.

Provide appropriate non-fiction books and links to information online to help them follow their interests. Our 2021 EYFS resources work really well together. This Summative Assessment Form for Prime Areas of Learning is a wonderful assessment tool to use for recording children's progress in each of the Prime Areas of Learning. High-quality early years education, with a strong focus on communication, is good for every child. It is especially positive for disadvantaged children. By reducing workload expectations, this guidance can free up time. You can use that time to help children who are struggling with their learning. This can stop gaps in learning from opening and widening. Gaps by the end of the early years will, on average, double by the end of primary schooling. The early years are the crucial years for making a difference.

The EYFS Prime Areas of Learning are foundational. They play a significant role in encouraging children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. They're a driving force behind helping children as they learn to form relationships, moderate emotions and thrive in their day-to-day life. Chat with babies and toddlers all the time, but be careful not to overwhelm them with talk. Allow babies and toddlers to take the lead and then respond to their communications. Toddlers and young children will pronounce some words incorrectly. Instead of correcting them, reply to what they say and use the words they have mispronounced. Children will then learn from your positive model, without losing the confidence to speak.