preschool development

preschooler

36 months-60 months (3-5 years)

36 month old social emotional milestones

-takes turns in games
-understands concept of possession: "mine"
-shares some of the time
-puts toys away
-asks for assistance
-may engage in aggression
-show affection with words/ actions
-waits for needs to be met
-objects to major changes in routine
-express wide range of emotions
-shows awareness of own/ others feelings
-shows a developing understanding of others feelings
-developing ability to describe self as either "good"or "bad"- linked to development of self esteem

36 month communication milestones

-follows two-three step directions
-intelligible 75%
-understands basic adjectives
-understands wh- q's
-understands prepositions (on,in)
-identifies common objects in pictures
-speaks in five+ words
-says full, name, age, gender
-uses pronouns and some plurals
-names body parts
-talks about past events
-listens to music and stories for 5-10 mins
-turn the pages of a book one at a time
-makes syntactic/grammatical errors

36 month motor skill milestones

-climbs well
-walks up the stairs with support
-runs easily
-bends over easily falling
-stands on one foot briefly
-throws a ball forward minimally 3 feet
-makes vertical, horizontal + circlar strokes with pencil or crayon
-copies circle or a cross with a crayon
-holds a pencil in writing position
-strings big beads
-builds tower of 6 blocks
-twists lids off jars/ turn knobs
-works latches/ hooks
-dresses/ undresses with assistance

36 month cognitive milestones

-meaningful play with mechanical toys
-matches an objects to a picture in a book
-early make-believe play with actions and words (pretending to fix a car)
-sorts objects by shape and color
-completes puzzles containing 3/4 pieces
-counting words identifying quantities of 3 or more (some, few)

48 month old social emotional milestones

-improves emotional self-regulation diminishing emotional outbursts
-interested in new experiences
-takes turns + shares with other children
-plays near + talk to other children while playing
-plays house
-engages in imaginative play
-seeks adult approval
-increasingly independent
-early friendships
-perceives self as a while person including body, mind, feelings
-negotiates solutions to conflicts
-comforts someone who is upset
-uses words to express empathy
-attention to task increasing

48 months communication milestones

-intelligibility 100%
-masters basic syntax/grammar
-matches some letters with their sound
-speaks 5/6 word sentences
-produces rhymes or sings songs
-asks/answers questions
-oral narratives have a beginning, middle, end
-recognizes familiar signs
-differentiates writing from non-writing

48 month motor skill milestones

-stands on one foot up to five seconds
-climbs stairs using alternating feet
-kicks ball forward
-throws ball overhead
-catches a large ball with outstretched arms
-moves forward/ backward with agility
-toilet trained

48 month cognitive milestones

-names primary colors and numbers
-identifies written numbers (1-10)
- understands three-part related directions
-problem resolution perceived from singular perspective
-imagines "monsters"-may have difficulty distinguishing between fantasy and reality
-recalls parts of a story
-understands the concept of same/different
-knows address

60 month social emotional milestones

-responds verbally to social greetings
-talks about having a best friend
-usually play well in groups
-play imaginative games with others
-shares more willingly with others
-follow rules more easily
-cooperates with adult request
-play independently 20-30 mins
-separates easily from caregivers
-seek to please others
-recognizes need for help and offers assistance
-identifies and talks about feelings in relation to events

60 month communication milestones

-understands directions involving "if...then"
-uses future tense
-recalls part of a story
-describes past, present, future tense
-tells long stories about past experiences
-produces name and address
-nearing 100% intelligibility with maturing sentence structure
-understands the letters and sounds are linked in systematic ways

60 month motor skill milestones

-stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer
-hops on one foot several times
-somersaults, swings, climbs
-walks along a straight line; occasional misstep
-stops, starts, changes direction smoothly while running
-throws and catches ball
-climbs playground equipment without difficulty
-usually cares for own toilet needs
-walks backward, toe to heel
-draws lines, simple shapes, and a few letters
-draws person with body
-uses scissors to cut along a thick line
-dresses and undresses with minimal assistance

60 month cognitive milestones

-counts aloud or on fingers to answer "how many"
-solves simple addition problems from memory or using fingers
-knows common shapes and most of the letters of the alphabet
-improved ability in distinguishing fantasy from reality
-understands temporal concepts (time of day/days of the week)
-knows about common objects used at home
-brings to understand that others have their own thoughts ("mommy thinks I am hiding in the bedroom")