Preschooler development

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Preschooler development

The normal social and physical development of children ages 3 - 6 years old includes many significant milestones.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

• Gross motor development in the 3- to 6-year-old should include:
  • Becoming more skilled at running, jumping, early throwing and kicking
  • The ability to catch a bounced ball
  • The ability (at 3 years) to pedal a tricycle but perhaps not steer well becoming able to steer well around age 4
  • The ability (at around 4) to hop on 1 foot, followed with balancing on 1 foot for up to 5 seconds
  • The ability to perform a heel-to-toe walk
• Fine motor development milestones should include:
  • The ability to draw a circle upon request at about 3 years
  • Drawing a person with 3 parts
  • Beginning use of children's blunt-nose scissors
  • Self-dressing (with supervision)
  • The ability to draw a square by age 4
  • The use of scissors progressing to cutting a straight line
  • The ability to put clothes on properly
  • Managing spoon and fork neatly while eating
  • Spreading with a knife by about age 5
  • The ability to draw a triangle

• The 3-year-old uses pronouns and prepositions appropriately
• The 4-year-old begins to understand size relationships
• The child enjoys rhymes and word play
• The 5-year-old shows early understanding of time concepts
• The child is able to follow 3 simple commands

Stuttering may commonly occur in the normal language development of toddlers 3 - 4 years of age. It occurs because ideas come to mind faster than the child is able to express them. It more commonly occurs if the toddler is stressed or excited.

When the child is speaking, give your full, prompt attention, and do not comment on the stuttering. If the stuttering is accompanied with other signs, such as tics, grimacing, extreme self-consciousness, or if the stuttering persists longer than 6 months, consider having the child evaluated by speech pathologist.

BEHAVIOR

The preschooler learns the social skills necessary to play and work with other children. As time passes, the child's ability to cooperate with a larger number of peers increases. Although 4- to 5-year-olds may be able to start participating in games that have rules, the rules are apt to change frequently at the whim of the more dominant child.