Calvary Preschool DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES Developmental Milestones ThreeYear Old

Calvary Preschool DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

Developmental Milestones • Three-Year Old • Four-Year Old • Five-Year Old

Developmental Milestones

Three-Year Old Social-Emotional Language -Highly imitative of adults* -Talkative with or without a listener -Wants to please adults* -Begins to listen to learn* -Responds to verbal suggestions -Likes new words (uses 300 -1000 words) -Easily prompted; Redirected -Increases use of pronouns, prepositions -Can be bargained with, reasoned with -Uses “s” “ to indicate plural nouns -Begins to share, take turns, wait -Uses “ed” to indicate past tense -Exuberant, talkative, humorous -Uses sentences of 3 or more words -Has imaginary companions -Says “Is that all right? ” a lot -Can have nightmares, animal phobias, demonstrates fears -Puts words into action -Plays cooperatively with others* -Plays spontaneously in groups -Asserts independence often -Often stymied, frustrated, jealous -Substitutes letters in speech (i. e. “w” for “r”) -Intrigued by whispering

Three-Year Old Physical-Motor Creative -Loses body fat; Has well-balanced body lines -Dramatizes play -Walks erect; nimble on feet -Enjoys slap-stick humor -Gallops in wide, high steps; Balances on 1 foot -Laughs easily -Alternates feet in stair climbing -Experiments with silly language -Suddenly starts, stops, turns corners rapidly -May have an imaginary companion -Swings arms when walking -Acts out versions of own stories -Jumps up and down with ease -Enjoys simple poems/rhymes -Achieves bladder control; Uses toilet alone -Washes hands unassisted -Rides a tricycle -Unbuttons; Puts on and takes off wraps with help -Grasps with thumb and index finger -Has some finger control with small objects -Pours easily from small pitcher -Holds a cup in one hand -Can carry liquids -Learns color concepts

Three-Year Old Cognitive -Alert, excited, curious -Often colors pages one color -Asks “why” questions constantly -Recognizes simple melodies -Matches people according to physical characteristics* -Distinguishes between night and day -Enjoys making simple choices -Has a lively imagination* -Enjoys guessing games and riddles -Understands “Let’s pretend. . . ” -Often overgeneralizes* -Has a short attention span -Carries out 2 to 4 directions in sequence -Understands “It’s time to. . . ” -Names and matches simple colors -Has number concepts of one and two -Understands size, shape, and comparisons (Continued)

Four-Year Old Social-Emotional Language -Mood changes rapidly -A great talker; questioner -Tries out feelings of power; Tests limits -Asks many “when? ”; “why? ”; and “how? ” questions -Dominates; can be bossy, boastful, belligerent -Likes words, plays with them -Assertive; Argumentative -Joins sentences together -Shows off; Noisy; Grabs; Insists on own desires -Has a high interest in poetry/rhymes -Easily overstimulated; excitable -LOVES BEING READ TO -Impatient in large groups -Interested in dramatizing songs and stories -Cooperates more in smaller groups of 2 -3 -Uses voice control, pitch, and rhythm -Develops special friends, but shifts loyalties often -Enjoys taking turns to sing along -“In” group develops; excludes others -Beginning to talk to solve conflicts* -Exaggerates; tells tall tales -Responds to verbal directions -Teases; has a terrific sense of humor -Tattles frequently

Four-Year Old Physical-Motor Creative -Longer, leaner body build; Active until exhausted -Is adventurous; Shows a vivid imagination -Hops; Skips; “Works”; Builds -Loves new things -Hops and stands on one foot -Finds ways to try to solve problems -Jumps and lands upright -Demonstrates more elaborate dramatic play -Jumps over objects -Displays great interest in violence in imaginary play -Walks in a straight line -Exaggerates and goes to extremes -Alternates feet going down stairs; Races up and down stairs -Combines words and ideas -Throws a large ball; kicks accurately -Turns somersaults; Walks backwards -Draws stick figures -Holds a paint brush in an adult manner; pencil in a fisted grasp -Dresses self except back buttons and ties -Laces shoes -Makes up new words, sounds, and stories -Enjoys complexity in books and illustrations -Likes funny poetry/rhymes -Puts on elaborate plays with puppets or props -Tells spontaneous stories with artwork

Four-Year Old Cognitive(Continued) -Questions constantly; Interested in how things work -Produces representative art and names objects -Has a dynamic intellectual drive* -Gives art projects personal value -Full of ideas; Has imaginary playmates -Likes to use a variety of materials -Interested in the concepts of life-death -Beginning to recognize several printed words -Begins to generalize; Often faulty assumptions (i. e. their name, mom, dad) -Has an extended attention span -Can do 2 things at once -Works for a goal* -Has an accurate sense of time -Dramatic play is closer to reality -Identifies which of 2 concepts/objects are larger -Has a concept of 3; Can name more numbers

Five-Year Old Social-Emotional Language -Poised; Self-confident -Uses bigger words and talks in complete sentences -Has a sense of self-identity -Defines and spells some simple words -Needs to be right; Persistent -Has clear ideas and articulates them* -Sensitive to ridicule* -Thinks out loud* -May get silly or wild -Takes turns in conversations -Likes pointless riddles and jokes -Uses words to give and receive information -Enjoys group play and competitive games* -Asks questions to learn answers* -Aware of rules and defines them for others -Insists “I already know that” -Insists on fair play -Makes up songs -Sociable; Chooses own friends -Enjoys dictating stories -Likes adult companionship -Retells familiar stories -Accepts, respects authority -Asks permission; Remains relatively calm in emergencies

Five-Year Old Physical-Motor Creative -Adult like posture -Fantasy play is more active, less verbal -Coordinated -Thinks out loud -Handedness is evident -Has creative ideas; Loves to talk about them -Likes to use fine-motor skills -Explores a variety of art processes -Learning how to tie a bow knot -Has ideas of what to draw; Strives to make something recognizable -Draws a recognizable person* -Cuts on a line with scissors -Begins to color within the lines -Likes to copy -Enjoys making patterns, designs -Catches a ball from 3 feet away -Becomes engrossed in details of painting, blocks, and creative play -Skips using alternate feet -Learns simple dance routines -Enjoys jumping, running, doing stunts -Puts on simple plays -Balances on a balance beam -Likes to dance; is graceful; rhythmic -Sometimes roughhouses and fights

Five-Year Old Cognitive -Curious about everything -May tell time accurately to the hour -Wants to know “why? ” and “how? ” -Knows the purpose of a calendar -Likes to display new knowledge and skills -Knows their name, address, and town they live in -Somewhat conscious of ignorance* (things they don’t know) -Seldom sees things from another person’s point of view -Attention span increases noticeably -Decides on a plan, follows it, centers on task -Understands the concepts of tomorrow and yesterday -Can count 10 objects, Rote counts to 20 or beyond -Sorts objects by single characteristics* (i. e. color, shape) -Understands the concepts of smallest, less than, onehalf (Continued)