How to write an EYFS observation in under a minute

A good EYFS observation is a short, factual record of something a child did, followed by what it tells you and what you will do next. It should take you less time to write than the moment took to happen. If yours are taking longer, this guide will fix that. It covers the three-part structure, the words that make observations useful, the words that make them useless, and a set of rewrites showing the difference.

Start with why you are writing it

The statutory framework does not require written observations at all. Paragraph 2.4 of the EYFS statutory framework says practitioners should make and act on day-to-day observations, and then adds that "there is no requirement to keep written records in relation to this." So when you do write one, it should earn its place. The three reasons that justify writing are: you want to remember it for planning, you want to share it with a parent, or it tells you something about where the child is heading that you will need later, for example for the progress check at age two.

If none of those apply, do not write it. Notice it, respond to it, and move on.

The three-part structure

Every useful observation answers three questions. You will not always need all three, but the structure keeps you honest.

• What I saw. The facts. Who, what, where, how long, what they said. No interpretation yet.
• What it shows. The learning. Which area of the EYFS it relates to and what the child can now do, or is trying to do.
• What next. The small change you will make to extend it. A resource, a question, a repeat opportunity, a conversation with a parent.

Here is a complete example: "Priya (2y 4m) spent about five minutes at the water tray pouring from a jug into a cup, overfilling it each time and saying 'oh no' and laughing. She is exploring capacity and starting to anticipate the overflow. Tomorrow I will add a smaller jug and a funnel and use the words full and empty with her."

Three sentences. Under a minute to write. A parent can read it, a colleague can act on it, and in six months it will remind you where Priya was. For more finished examples across the age ranges, see our EYFS observation examples, and the age-specific sets for babies and under-twos, two-year-olds and three and four-year-olds.

Describe, do not judge

The single biggest improvement most practitioners can make is to swap evaluative words for descriptive ones. Words like enjoyed, engaged, good, well, lovely, confident and independent tell the reader nothing they can picture. Compare these pairs.

• "Jack engaged well with the small world play." Rewrite: "Jack lined up six animals nose to tail along the edge of the mat, then moved the lion to the front and said 'he's the leader'."
• "Amira was very independent at lunch." Rewrite: "Amira peeled her own satsuma, taking about two minutes, and put the peel in the bowl without being asked."
• "Leo enjoyed the story." Rewrite: "Leo joined in with 'we're going on a bear hunt' each time, and when I paused before 'swishy swashy' he filled it in."

The rewrites are longer, but they are also the only versions that actually contain information. You can see the child. You can see what to offer next. And you have not made a judgement a parent could disagree with.

Use the child's words

A direct quote is the most valuable thing you can put in an observation. It captures language level, vocabulary, sentence structure and thinking in one go, and it is exactly the kind of detail that makes the progress check and conversations with parents easy. Write what they actually said, including the grammar. "Me want more" is data. Correcting it to "I want more" throws the data away.

Keep it short

A rich observation is a short paragraph. A quick one is a sentence under a photo. The length should match the significance of the moment, and most moments are small. If you find yourself writing a page, you are probably writing a diary entry rather than an observation. Ask what the one thing worth remembering is, and write that.

Link it to an area, lightly

Tagging an observation to one of the seven areas of learning is useful because it lets you spot patterns over time: a child who has twenty observations in physical development and none in communication and language is telling you something about your provision as much as about them. You do not need to go further than the area, and you certainly do not need to match it to a statement in Development Matters or Birth to 5 Matters. Both are non-statutory and neither is intended as a checklist.

A worked set of rewrites

Here is a morning's worth of notes from a typical setting, before and after.

Before: "Oscar played nicely outside and was very physical. He used the bikes and the climbing frame and had a great time with his friends."

After: "Oscar (3y 2m) pedalled the trike the full length of the path for the first time, steering round the planter without putting his feet down. He then climbed to the top of the frame and shouted 'I'm the tallest'. Next: offer the two-wheeler with stabilisers and talk about tall, taller, tallest."

Before: "Evie listened well at circle time."

After: "At circle time Evie (4y 0m) answered 'what might happen next?' with 'the wolf will blow it down but the bricks are too strong'. She is predicting using the structure of a familiar story. Next: give her the retelling cards and ask her to tell it to the younger ones."

Before: "Baby Noor is settling in."

After: "Noor (9m) cried for about two minutes when her mum left, then settled on my lap with her comforter. By 9.30 she was on the mat reaching for the treasure basket and bringing the wooden spoon to her mouth. Next: keep the same key person for drop-off this week and share this with mum at pick-up."

Common questions

How long should an EYFS observation be?

As long as the moment deserves and no longer. A sentence or two is enough for most. A short paragraph is plenty for a significant one. Anything over about a hundred words is usually a sign you are describing rather than observing.

Should I write observations in the first or third person?

Either is fine as long as you are consistent. Third person ("Priya poured...") reads more naturally when shared with parents. First person is useful for the "what next" part because it names who will do it.

Do I need a photo with every observation?

No. Photos are brilliant for parents and for capturing things words struggle with, such as a drawing or a construction. But a written note without a photo is a perfectly good observation, and a photo with no words is not really an observation at all.

Is there a template I can use?

Yes. Our EYFS observation template gives you the three-part structure as a copy-and-paste prompt, plus a filled-in example. If you would rather not type at all, Taylormade Care lets you take the photo, type two lines, tap the area of learning, and move on.