Expressive arts and design is one of the seven areas of the early years foundation stage and is used to develop a child's imagination, creativity and their ability to use media and materials. Children do this in range of ways including singing songs and making music, dancing, playing with colours, textures and design. All these approaches to expressive arts help children to represent and understand their own feelings and ideas. Here at Northern, Reception has a creative area which is enhanced weekly with materials that support the topic. There is a challenge given weekly for the children to complete. The work children have created is given meaning and is used whenever possible in other areas such as the roleplay. Their own creativity is encouraged and they are given time to practise skills taught, in their own context, in their own time. Art skills such as observational drawing are modelled by the teacher and the children then complete work in small groups. They are given plenty of opportunities to look at artists work and create work that is similar in style. Children's work is celebrated and a selection is placed on the topic wall. This shows the activities they have completed through the half term.