|
|
Track your Child's Progress as they grow up with our Milestone Charts!
Want
to track your child's growth? Make sure your infant is reaching the
important milestone he/she should be from each different age group?
Check out our milestone charts.
| Preschooler: 3-5 Years
old |
|
 Your three to fiver year old is moving out of
babyhood into childhood. They are at the beginning of learning how to get on
with others, and can control their feelings better (although they are still
likely to have the odd tantrum).
Social and emotional
development
Your child is starting to understand social skills like
sharing and being kind, but they can only practise these skills for a short time
while feeling safe and happy. Characteristics include:
- Three year olds often enjoy being with other children and can now
play together more.
- They are learning that other people are real and have real feelings.
- They may still have fears of noises, the dark, animals, monsters and
so on.
- Three year olds are developing a sense of humour, and like to laugh
at and repeat silly words and situations.
- They may still need a comforter (such as a dummy or favourite
blanket) when tired or away from home.
- They can have very stereotyped ideas of what 'boys' and 'girls' are
supposed to be like.
- They are starting to take responsibility for their own toileting, but
may have accidents during the day and be wet at night.
Developing understanding
Their own inner
world is very powerful for your three to four year old. Sometimes it is
difficult for them to distinguish 'real' from 'pretend'. They are not lying on
purpose. Characteristics include:
- They show some understanding of time and understand that night
follows day.
- They now understand that parents can't read minds.
- By the age of four, they can probably draw a person.
- They still don't really understand things like height and size.
Physical development
In this year,
children delight in physical activity, and parental supervision is important.
Characteristics include:
- They are not very good at pacing themselves, and will get tired and
cranky if not offered enough quiet activities.
- Three year olds can roll and bounce a ball, but catching is still
difficult.
- By four years, a child can hold a pencil correctly.
- During this year, they will learn to cut with scissors.
Language
Three year olds are now
talking in simple sentences, but they often stutter and stumble over their
words. Be patient. Characteristics include:
- Some three year olds speak very clearly, while others still use some
'baby talk'.
- The average three and a half year old knows more than 1,200 words.
- Three year olds ask questions beginning with 'what', 'who', 'where'
and 'why'.
- They can talk about yesterday and tomorrow.
Child care and kindergarten
The
way in which your child responds to separation will vary greatly according to
your personalities and life experiences. However, child care and kindergarten
should feel like positive experiences for both you and your child after the
initial adjustment period. If it is not, talk to the carers about your
concerns.
Toileting
Some children will be managing toileting at
the beginning of their third year and others will not. If you have had another
baby, your child may regress for a short time in their efforts to toilet
themselves. Don't panic, but if there is tension between you over the issue, get
support and advice from a health professional.
Suggested
activities
Suggestions on encouraging and supporting your child's
development include:
- Allow plenty of physical activities.
- Provide simple games with rules so your child can learn the basis of
cooperative play.
- Provide music, songs, picture and storybooks, and plenty of
opportunities for drawing and painting.
- Children may enjoy appropriate television programs and videotapes.
- Give them lots of love, fun, approval and encouragement.
Signs that suggest a developmental
problem
All children are different and develop at different rates, so if
your child doesn't do all the things listed in this article, it may be because
they are working on some different area of learning and development. However, if
your child is very different from other children, or if you are worried about
their development or it seems to go backwards, seek the advice of a health
professional. Signs that could suggest a developmental problem include:
- Doesn't interact with other children or with adults through play.
- Is excessively aggressive or withdrawn with other children.
- Plays in repetitious, stereotyped ways.
- Is less physically capable than other children of the same age.
- Doesn't become toilet trained and reliably dry during the day by the
end of this year.
- Starts wetting again after becoming dry during the day.
- Still speaks unclearly or is not talking in sentences.
- Is unable to follow verbal instructions.
- Is not talking during play.
Things to remember
- Three year olds often enjoy being with other children and can now
play together more.
- They are starting to take responsibility for their own toileting, but
may have accidents during the day and be wet at night.
- The average three and a half year old knows more than 1,200
words.
|
Choose your Child's Age Group Below:
Newborn : 1-6 Months Old
Infant: 7-12 Months Old
Pre-Toddler: 1-2 Years Old
Toddler: 2-3 Years Old
Pre-schooler: 3-5 Years Old
Older Chlid: 5-8 Years Old
|
