The Development of a Pre-Schooler

I was given a handout on the development of a pre-schooler from Casa Colina today that I thought was helpful and thought I'd share. It is written by Beth Witt, M.A.

The Two-Year Old

SOCIAL SELF-HELP
needs consistent discipline
allowed a degree of independence
moving from parallel to cooperative play
Curious and Anxious to explore
toilet trained or scheduled
partially undress self
feeds self with spoon

GROSS MOTOR
Can walk, run, and jump smoothly
likes to roll, bounce, and catch a ball
Balance improving
likes to pull and ride toy vehicles

FINE MOTOR
Likes to stack blocks
manipulate and makes noises with toy cars, animals, and dolls
Fits things together (cups, pots and lids, puzzles)

CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
Knows 4-8 body parts
Matches objects
Nests things by size
answers what, who, where questions by pointing or other actions

The Three Year-OLD

SOCIAL SELF HELP
more responsive to authority
learning please, thank you, my turn
Cooperative play/Fantasy play
cares about approval of others
asks lots of questions
responsible for dressing including some fastenings
help with washing and clean up tasks

GROSS MOTOR
stand on either foot briefly
begins to hop
can catch and throw ball
pedals a tricycle

FINE MOTOR
imitates a circle and a cross with a pencil
likes to color
can hold paper and scissors and cut forward on line
can work simple inset puzzles

CONCEPTUAL
knows 8-15 body parts
names actions, identify objects by function, and answers situational questions
responds to 3-6 positions words (on, in, out, up, down, over, under)
match by color
knows big and little

The Four-Year Old

SOCIAL SELF HELP
wants to help and be recognized for it
seeks adult and peer approval
may share toys to a small degree
can express basic feelings about self
can dress except for difficult fastenings
learns table manners

GROSS MOTOR
likes to climb, hop, skip, and dance
responds to a sequence of motor directions
can play simple ball games

FINE MOTOR
can imitate a square and rectangle
beginning to color within lines
traces lines
can cut out simple shapes with scissors
imitates block patterns

CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
can answer some why and how questions
aware of time and weather
sort by shape
learning position, quantity, and sensory concepts
more aware of community people and places


The Five Year Old

SOCIAL SELF HELP
respects authority
more independent
interest in group activities
loves games
independent dresser
semi-independent at grooming tasks
beginning to use a knife

GROSS MOTOR
can move in many ways
quickly follows directions
strong and confident
may ride a bicycle with training wheels

FINE MOTOR
trace name and print several letters
draws simple person with 3-4 body parts
can copy 2 shapes
colors neatly within lines
works part-to-whole puzzles

CONCEPTUAL
learning time and weather concepts
same and different
categorizing
sort by size
beginning to order and sequence events
answer questions about past, present and future
answer questions about community
compare by degree