Many of our Cultural Partners work specifically with Early Years children, using a variety of artforms. Crafty Creatures (pictured) offer accessible arts and crafts activities, which can be tailored to a theme of your choice. The resulting artworks make eye catching wall displays or scrapbooks, and are an engaging way for young children to explore the world around them creatively.

Piccolo Music workshops take children on a magical, musical journey, exploring a variety of themes and curriculum areas. Workshops involve plenty of hopping, skipping, clapping and singing, as children learn new games and songs, and adults develop ways of enthusing children about music.

Crafts and music are combined in sessions with Every Picture Tells... Run by two former teachers, these workshops address a curriculum topic ranging from Florence Nightingale to Stories from different cultures. Combining storytelling and music, every session ends with children making a craft picture based on the theme.

Bare Toed Dance Company deliver fun workshops combining music and movement to explore different themes. Workshops are well structured, whilst allowing children to steer. Colourful parachutes, silk scarves and cocoons will transform any school hall into an inspiring setting for a music and movement adventure.

Story Parties take place on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at Seven Stories. Using beautiful picture books, songs and rhymes, Story Parties encourage a love of sharing books from a young age.

Toddler Tuesdays and Busy Bs take place every week in the purpose built learning space at Baltic. Children can enjoy hands-on activities, based on exhibitions. It's a great way to have fun with a range of art activities, whilst developing a love of art galleries.

As well as working creatively with children, many of the Cultural Partners offer training, teaching resources and CPD packages so that staff can develop a range of creative skills to use in the classroom. For details of all the Cultural Partners, please see your Directory of Cultural Partners or contact your Network Coordinator. If you have worked with a Cultural Partner in your Early Years classroom please leave a comment to tell us about it!