3 and 4 year olds: Expressive Arts and Design

  • I take part in simple pretend play, using an object to represent something else even though they are not similar
  • I am beginning to make up complex ‘small worlds’ using animal sets, dolls and dolls houses etc
  • I enjoy making detailed, imaginative ‘small worlds’ with blocks and construction kits, such as a city with different buildings and a park
  • I enjoy exploring different materials freely. I am learning to develop my ideas about how to use them and what to make
  • I can join different materials together. I explore the textures of different materials
  • I can create closed shapes with continuous lines
  • I am learning to use these shapes to represent objects
  • I can draw with increasing complexity and detail, such as representing a face with a circle including details
  • I can use drawings to show ideas like movement or loud noises
  • I can show different emotions in my drawings and paintings, like happiness, sadness, fear etc
  • I enjoy exploring colour and colour mixing
  • I can listen to sounds with increased attention
  • I respond to what I hear and express my thoughts and feelings
  • I can remember and sing entire songs
  • I can sing the pitch of a tone sung by another person (‘pitch match’)
  • I can sing the melodic shape (moving melody, such as up and down, down and up) of familiar songs
  • I enjoy creating my own songs. I can make up a song around one that I already know
  • I can play instruments with increasing control to express my feelings and ideas