| Your
Child From 3� to 4� Years |
From
Observer to Explorer:
The Most Important Developmental Achievements |
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| SOCIAL |
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COGNITIVE |
| Typically
Can: |
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Typically
Can: |
 |
Begin to grasp
concept of sharing |
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Point to 6 common
shapes (e.g., star, triangle) |
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Show attachment
to one playmate |
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Understand
"nearest" and "longest" |
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Enjoy games with
rules |
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Recall events in
recent past |
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Show interest in
sex differences and may undress with other children |
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Begin to match
pictures in simple lotto games |
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Enjoy dramatic
play with others |
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Understand
difference between reality and fantasy |
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Takes turns |
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Count to 5 |
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Generally stops
napping |
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Distinguish
something alive from an object |
| Emerging
Skills: |
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Emerging
Skills: |
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Show concern for
younger or hurt person |
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Count up to 10
and understand number concepts up to 3 |
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Be a team leader |
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Use increasing
number of pronouns and prepositions with understanding |
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Play
cooperatively in a group |
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Understand
"It's time to" |
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| LANGUAGE |
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EMOTIONAL |
| Typically
Can: |
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Typically
Can: |
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Play with
language and make up new words |
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Control
frustration and anger much better |
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Use average
vocabulary of 2000 words |
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Experience
positive self-esteem and feels good about themselves and what they do |
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Use correct
grammatical structure |
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Talk about
feelings such as hungry, sleepy, not well |
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Talk about
imaginary conditions |
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Comply to
requests from parents a greater percentage of the time |
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Use negatives
(e.g., "I don't want to go") |
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Concentrate for
up to 20 minutes |
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Understand the
two prepositions "on top of", "under" |
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Show strong
interest and feelings for family |
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Carry a tune |
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Persevere on a
difficult task for longer |
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Use plural nouns
(e.g., dogs) |
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| Emerging
Skills: |
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Emerging
Skills: |
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Ask questions of
"why and "how" |
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Show desire to
fit into routines of homes |
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Recite nursery
rhyme or sing a song |
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Carry out small
chores to fit into family and be responsible |
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Use past, present
and future verbs (e.g., talked, talk and will talk) |
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Show
self-reflection (e.g., "What I said isn't nice") |
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Understand top,
middle and bottom |
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Understand and
have positive and negative feelings about another person |
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Say most speech
sounds accurately |
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Be 80%
understandable to people outside the family |
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Use 5 or 6 word
sentences |
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Speak with
grammatical correctness |
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| GROSS MOTOR |
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FINE MOTOR |
| Typically
Can: |
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Typically
Can: |
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Walk on tiptoes
for 10 feet |
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Put large jigsaws
together |
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Balance on
walking board |
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Cut with play
scissors |
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Ride tricycle
without bumping into things |
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Paint with a
large brush on large paper |
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Enjoy throwing
and catching games |
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Toss bean bags
into holes in targets |
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Move to music in
rhythm |
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Manipulate clay |
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Walk up and
downstairs alternating feet |
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Draw a person
with 3 parts |
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Fold paper |
| Emerging
Skills: |
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Emerging
Skills: |
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Bounce on
trampoline |
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Button or
unbutton buttons |
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Carry out
rudimentary galloping |
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Cut on line with
scissors |
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Jump down from 2
foot height |
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Carry cup without
spilling |
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String small
beads to make a necklace |
GAMES & ACTIVITIES
FOR YOU & YOUR CHILD:
Encourage your child to express language by:
1. Sharing likes, dislikes and feelings.
2. Talking about big and little, fast and slow, near and far.
3. Having the child tell all s/he can about him/herself.
4. Pausing in a story and asking how the person may have been feeling.
5. Reading stories regularly.
Rough-house
games encourage children to have fun running and rolling, both inside and
outside. Four-year-olds need opportunities to run, climb, gallop and jump. Outdoor time
and just "getting the wiggles out" can be great for all the family.
Pretend
play using your old clothing allows children to use their imagination and
role-play. Encourage pretend play by having dress-up clothes available and helping
children to make up a play or a puppet act.
Fine
motor activities such as painting, cutting, building with cubes, printing
letters and puzzles should be continued. Activities like these increase attention span,
and fine motor skills.
Books,
language games and story-telling continue to be important as your child's
language expands. If these can reflect a child's interest, they will be especially
inviting. Try and be patient in answering children's endless questions. |
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| For more
information please call 1-877-583-KIDS. |
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