PreSchool Development Milestones

This is an exciting time of growth for your child and for new parents, it can be both wonderful and frightening. Every child grows and develops at his or her own pace. However, normal growth and development follow a predictable pattern. Knowing what to expect as your child grows can reassure you that he or she is on track with peers. Development delays of a few months may be normal and should not cause concern. At routine well-child visits, your pediatrician should ask you questions about your child's progression through these normal milestones - they are as important as measurements of head, height and weight.

Age 2

Language skills: Your 2-year-old should be linking two or more words together and speak clearly enough for parents (or others who have daily contact with the child) to understand approximately half the words the child speaks. He or she should know some adjectives, such as "big" and "happy" and have a spoken vocabulary of approximately 50 words.

Social skills: At this age, your child is becoming aware of his or her identity as an individual, separate from others. He or she will become more interested in playing with others and separation anxiety will begin to fade. He or she may start becoming defiant and asserting individuality.

Cognitive skills: Make-believe enters into the picture at this age, bringing a fun element into playtime. Your child should be able to sort objects by shape and color and understand some spatial concepts, such is "in" and "on." Peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek may become favorite games, and your child should be able to find hidden objects. A child starts with some interest in coloring at this age and should be scribbling, so be careful with markers and crayons!

Physical skills: Children should begin walking (toddling) on their own at about 12 to 14 months of age; at approximately age 2, they can walk on tiptoes, climb on furniture and begin to run. They can also build a tower or 4 or more blocks and will empty objects out of a container (or cabinet).

Children become very active and busy around the age of 2 and their awareness of themselves as an individual generally gives rise to a greater sense of independence which, along with their mobility and curiousity, has generated the "terrible twos" label. At this point, your home should be thoroughly childproofed because a 2-year-old can and will get into everything within reach.

Age 3

This is an exciting time for a toddler. It's a time of huge intellectual, social and emotional growth. It's a fun time for parents, as well, as your child becomes more responsive to social cues and physically able to interact in play with both adults and children.

Language skills: Your child should, at the age of 3, be able to identify most common objects, such as dog, cat, house, car, etc. He or she should also be able to say his or her first name and age. Use of pronouns (I, you, we, they) and some plurals begins at this age and he or she will be able to answer simple questions.

Social skills: By the age of 3, a child should be able to take turns with playmates and siblings, as well as imitate parents and playmates. (This is the age when you will often see your own behaviors mimicked in public, much to your chagrin!) He or she will separate easily from you to go to play or to preschool and will openly express affection.

Cognitive skills: Children at this age love make-believe and dress-up and they should be playing with toys and one another, making up an imaginary environment and situations. They will be more confident about sorting objects by shape and color and understand more spatial concepts (over, under, around). If you show them a circle, they should be able to copy it.

Physical skills: At around the age of 3, a child should be able to walk up and down stairs, using alternate feet on each step (as opposed to scooting), although for safety handholding or a handrail would be encouraged. He or she should be able to kick a ball, climb an object (jungle gym, ladder), run and pedal a tricycle. Fine motor manipulation begins to improve and he or she should be able to turn the pages of a book, one page at a time. He or she should be able to stack a tower or 6 or more objects or blocks.

This is the age where, if your work requires it, you may wish to consider preschool for your child, rather than daycare of some kind. Preschool provides a higher level of directed activity and learning than daycare and begins teaching essentials while encouraging social skills.

Age 4

At this age, a child is only (usually) one year away from entering kindergarten. He or she is more independent - and assertive of independence - and focusing more on adults and children outside the family. Interactions with family and others help shape personality and individual ways of thinking and moving.

Language skills: Your child should be speaking clearly enough for strangers to understand, describe the use of common objects, tell simple stories and use verbs that end in "ing," as well as some irregular past tense verbs, such as "ran" and "fell."

Social skills: At this point, your child should be trying to solve problems or puzzles, be cooperating with playmates and become interested in new experiences. As noted above, independence is asserting itself more and more.

Cognitive skills: Four-year-olds become involved in more complex imaginary play at this time, concocting elaborate fantasies, story lines and characters. They understand more complex spatial concepts (behind, next to) and understand the concept of same and different. They should be able to draw a person with 2 to 4 body parts and print some capital letters and name some colors.

Physical skills: At this age, a child should be able to dress and undress on his or her own. They can use scissors (safety scissors, please!). At play, they should be able to throw a ball overhand, kick it forward, catch bounced balls most the time, and balance on one foot for a few seconds.

The preschool years are a fantastic time of growth and development, exploration of self and surroundings, and learning about life, family and society. Take time to enjoy these years with your child and participate in their learning process.