Expressive Arts & Design — Creative Media & Expression Toolkit
Toddlers (18–36 Months)
Explore • Imagine • Combine • Express • Transform
A practitioner-facing toolkit designed to support high-quality Expressive Arts & Design (EAD) practice for toddlers through open-ended exploration, identity expression and joyful creative inquiry.
(This pathway component will be available for download by: March 31st 2026)
What this toolkit is
The Expressive Arts & Design — Creative Media & Expression Toolkit supports practitioners to move confidently away from outcome-driven “craft” and towards authentic creativity as a thinking behaviour.
It recognises that for children under three, creativity is built through:
sensory exploration
repetition without judgement
choice and agency
transformation of materials
expression of emotion, identity and ideas
adult scaffolding that supports without steering
This toolkit positions EAD as a space where children experiment, imagine, combine, revisit and change their minds — with adults valuing process over product.
This resource supports professional judgement and reflective practice and complements (but does not replace) the EYFS Statutory Framework and Development Matters.
What Expressive Arts & Design means for under-3s
For toddlers, EAD is about:
discovering what materials can do
expressing feelings and identity through movement, sound and mark-making
experimenting with cause and effect (mixing, pressing, layering, building)
developing confidence to say “I choose”, “I changed it”, “I like this”
Creativity is treated as a developmental pathway, not an activity slot.
Who this toolkit is for
This toolkit is designed for UK early years practice and supports:
Toddler room practitioners (18–36 months)
Room leaders and EYFS leads strengthening creative provision
Childminders and small settings offering rich, open-ended creativity
SEND teams supporting sensory regulation and inclusive access
Settings embedding culture, identity and belonging through EAD
What this toolkit helps practitioners do
This toolkit supports practitioners to:
Plan progressive creative experiences without prescribing outcomes
Offer a wide, culturally rich range of media and materials
Use language that validates children’s creative decisions
Scaffold exploration while preserving child agency
Recognise creativity in movement, sound, choice and persistence
Ensure inclusive access for sensory seekers, avoiders and diverse learners
Evidence creativity through interaction and language, not finished products
What’s included in this toolkit
This toolkit includes:
A clear introduction to EAD for under-3s, outlining:
what EAD is and is not at this age
how repetition, mess and experimentation drive learning
Guidance on how to use the toolkit, showing how it can support:
continuous provision
small group explorations
invitations to create
music and movement sessions
messy play and outdoor creativity
SEND sensory regulation pathways
A Creative Media Progression Map (18–36 months) covering:
mark-making
paint
collage
sculpture
textiles
music
dance
dramatic play
This progression focuses on agency, choice and intentionality, not “finished” work.
A comprehensive Media & Material Toolkit for practitioners, including:
paint (tools, textures, alternatives to brushes)
collage and loose-part assembly
sculpture and 3D construction
textiles and fabric exploration
Each section includes:
why the media matters developmentally
variations and extensions
practitioner language that supports thinking and choice
A Music & Movement Toolkit, supporting:
rhythm, beat and regulation
movement in response to tempo and mood
children creating and anticipating sequences
expressive, whole-body creativity
Dramatic Play & Story Expression guidance, including:
transforming everyday objects
narrative through movement and role play
adult strategies for narrating without directing
A dedicated section on adult scaffolding without steering, with:
examples of language to avoid
alternatives that protect creativity and agency
guidance aligned with Ofsted expectations for creative learning
Cultural & personal identity guidance for EAD, supporting:
authentic representation through materials and media
year-round belonging (not tokenistic celebrations)
inclusive creative environments reflecting families, cultures and abilities
A focused section on sensory needs and inclusive access, offering:
guidance for sensory seekers and avoiders
adaptations for dyspraxia, ASC and EAL
clear reminders that messy play should never be removed as behaviour management
How this toolkit fits within high-quality EYFS practice
This EAD toolkit supports a curriculum approach where:
creativity is valued as thinking, not performance
children are trusted to explore materials in their own ways
adults scaffold through language, environment and presence
cultural identity and belonging are woven naturally into provision
inclusion is proactive, not an add-on
It provides strong evidence of:
curriculum intent (why creativity matters)
implementation (how environments and adults support it)
impact (children showing agency, expression, confidence and persistence)
This document is part of our EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership (Professional), which provides full access to age-specific curriculum frameworks, planning guidance, assessment tools and leadership support.
(This pathway component will be available for download by: March 31st 2026)
Recommended next read Selection
Or read our ‘Little Owls Resources’ Curriculum Intent Statement’
Additional Documents | Professional Membership Contents (Toddler 18-36 Months)
Navigate our Curriculum & Pedagogy guidance documents here.
Pedagogical identity:
Relationship-led, sensory-rich toddler practice grounded in schemas, play, and responsive adult interaction.
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👉 This section prevents over-planning and aligns practice.
Toddler Pedagogy Position Statement – How Toddlers Learn (18–36 Months) [Free Orienting Sample]
Toddler Curriculum Overview & Rationale[Free Orienting Sample]
Curriculum Intent in Toddler Rooms (What It Means — and What It Doesn’t)
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👉 Adult understanding, not child targets.
Progression across 6-month bands (18–24 | 24–30 | 30–36 months)
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👉 Observation is the driver of planning.
Communication & Language
PSED
Physical Development
Maths Seeds
Characteristics of Effective Learning
Behaviour & Emotional Regulation
Schema Observation & Analysis
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👉 The environment does the teaching.
Universal Continuous Provision
Continuous Provision Setup Guides | Toddler Room
Small World
Messy / Wet Play
Dry Sensory & Loose Parts
Construction
Role Play / Home Corner
Mark Making
Book Area / Reading Nook
Music & Sound
Outdoor
Continuous Provision Maps (18–36 Months)
C&L
PSED
PD
Maths Seeds
Literacy Seeds
UW
EAD
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👉 Movement, regulation and sensory experience.
Outdoor Continuous Provision Pack
Outdoor Zone-by-Zone Setup Guide (Gross Motor, Sensory/Nature, Creative/Mark Making, Small World Outside, Water/Mud)
Seasonal Adjustments Planner
Outdoor Risk–Benefit Assessment Template + examples
Nature-Based Learning & Schema Guide
Outdoor Mark Making & Literacy Opportunities Sheet
Outdoor Maths Seeds Sheet
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👉 Projects are optional contexts, not directives.
How Projects Work in Toddler Rooms (Guidance)
Project/Theme Planners:
12 × Main Project Planners (3–4 Weeks)
8 × Mini-Project Planners (1 Week)
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👉 Invitations, provocations and shared experiences.
Supports Child-led learning and responsive provision
Area of Learning Progression Maps & Adult Focus Sessions
(Organised by Age Band: 18–24 months | 24–30 months | 30–36 months)
Supports intentional teaching, vocabulary development and staff confidence
Understanding the World – Experience Progression Pack
Expressive Arts & Design – Creative Media & Expression Toolkit
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👉 Proportionate, meaningful assessment.
Report Template
Practitioner Guidance
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👉 Early identification, gentle support.
SEND Inclusion Strategy Pack (18–36 Months)
Practical SEND & inclusion strategies for toddlers aged 18–36 months
Six quick-reference strategy sheets covering communication, sensory needs, anxiety and behaviour
Aligned with the EYFS Framework and the Assess–Plan–Do–Review approach
Inclusive, diagnosis-free guidance ready to use in everyday practice
Ideal for observations, provision planning, team use and Ofsted evidence
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👉 Strong partnerships, realistic expectations.
Transition
Home–Setting Communication
Parent Information Pages
Additional Whole-Setting Guidance | for Professional Members
Explore our whole-setting guidance below, including overarching curriculum and pedagogy documents, early years schemas and EYFS setting policies.
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Early Years Schemas - Practitioner Toolkit | EYFS Birth-5
↪ Schema Cards (definition, behaviours, age-related examples, enabling resources)
↪ Schema Observation & Responsive Provision Planning Template
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EYFS Group Setting Policies Pack
↪ x 22 Policy Documents
↪ Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document
↪ EYFS Setting Policy Folder Contents List
Childminder Setting Policies Pack
↪ x 22 Policy Documents
↪ Childminder Assistant or Volunteer Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document
↪ Childminder Policy Folder Contents List
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↪ Clear, practitioner-friendly explanations of key curriculum and pedagogy terms used throughout our guidance.
Looking for a different age group pathway?
Select the pathway that best reflects your role or the age group you work with. You do not need to use everything. (Some practitioners may use more than one pathway.)
What is Professional Membership?
Find our more about our Professional guidance for confident, reflective EYFS practice (Birth–5)
Alternatively, learn more about and explore our printable provision resources.
Thousands of ready-to-use printables to support provision, organisation, routines and learning across EYFS.
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Content within the EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership is provided as professional guidance and support. It reflects current understanding of the EYFS statutory framework, Development Matters and inspection expectations at the time of writing. Practitioners are responsible for applying professional judgement and ensuring practice aligns with current statutory requirements and their specific context. All resources, experiences and environment arrangements must be risk assessed by the setting and used in accordance with individual children’s developmental stages, needs and supervision requirements.
Safeguarding content does not replace a setting’s safeguarding and child protection policy or the statutory role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). All concerns must be managed in line with current statutory guidance and local safeguarding procedures.
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