Chapter 4: Pre-School Years

By age 2, the average child weighs around __ to __ pounds and is close to __ inches tall.

• 25-30 lbs

• 36 inches / 3 ft

By the time a child is 6 years old, they weigh around ___ lbs and are ___ inches tall.

• 30-46 lbs

• 36-46 inches

By age 5, children’s brains weigh ___% of the average adult brain weight.

90%

What physical changes occur during the pre-school years?

• the cerebellum grows —> increased coordination

• brain lateralization becomes more pronounced

• muscle mass increases

• bones become sturdier

• children begin to lose their baby teeth before age 6

Brain lateralization

the process in which certain functions are located more in one hemisphere than the other, (becomes more pronounced during the preschool years)

What fine and gross motor skills does the average 3-year old have?

• Gross: able to walk upstairs while alternating feet, can run and jump, and pedal a tricycle

• fine: can draw a circle and square, is able to undress oneself

What fine and gross motor skills does the average 4-year old have?

• Gross: able to walk downstairs while alternating feet, can hop on one foot, and kick a ball

• fine: can trace letters, and is able to draw a person that looks like a person

What fine and gross motor skills does the average 5-6 year old have?

• Gross: can walk independently up and down stairs, can ride a bike with training wheels, and can start and stop games

• fine: can hold and manipulate a pencil, can write some letters, tie their shoes, get dressed without assistance, and establishes a dominant hand

Pre-schoolers tend to eat less, because…

their growth rates slow down

Pre-schooler nutritional needs:

• low-fat and low sodium foods

• high iron

• Vitamin A and C

Pre-schoolers should be given the option to develop __ ___.

food preferences

A low SES has been linked to ___ and ___ deficencies.

growth and development deficiencies

When is the average child ready to start potty training?

anywhere between 1.5 to 3.5 years, when their spinal cord is myelinated sufficiently to control their sphincter muscles

What are some tips for parents to help a child with potty training?

• help them recognize body sensations that come before pooping

• parents should remain calm and use their resource

Increased activity leads to ___ accidents and injuries in young children.

more frequent

The most common illness in pre-school children is ___.

a cold

Parents can keep pre-schoolers healthy through ____.

immunizations

Piaget placed the preschool years into a single stage of cognitive development, the ___ ___, which lasts from age 2 until around age 7.

pre-operational thinking stage

What happens during the pre-operational stage?

• centration (or unidimensional thought) occurs: children focus on one aspect of an object and neglect other aspects

• ex: A child is shown two identical rows of coins spread out in equal amounts. If one row is pushed closer together, the child claims the longer row has more items because they focus only on length

• conservation occurs: they learn that appearances can be deceiving