Assessment - Art 2 - EYFS

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), assessing a child's ability to express their emotions through art is an important aspect of their creative development. Practitioners should observe children as they engage with art activities, looking for key indicators of their understanding and emotional expression. One of the primary aspects to observe is whether children can explore and articulate their feelings, as well as recognise how these feelings can influence their mood and, consequently, their artwork.

Additionally, it is important for children to grasp that art is a form of expression that does not aim to replicate reality as a photograph would, but rather to convey emotions and abstract concepts. Children should be encouraged to use their drawings as a means of expressing their feelings, experimenting with colours to set a mood or tone within their creations. Understanding that colours can be altered by mixing them is another aspect of artistic expression to look for. Finally, children's ability to articulate their thoughts and offer opinions about artwork, whether their own or others', is a valuable part of the assessment, indicating their engagement with art as a communicative medium.