Developmental Progress Chart
Every child is different. This chart gives general milestones in a child's development. The information below lets you know what to expect. It will help you record your child's progress.
At 3 years, most children...
·Walk up stairs holding railing
·Unbutton large buttons
·Stand for a moment on one foot
·Talk of toilet needs
·Open doors
·Stack objects by size
·Ask and answer simple questions
·Speak clearly and are understood by family members
At 4 years, most children...
·Can hop in place
·Throw a ball above their head
·Wash hands without help
·Copy a circle
·Begin to play with other children
·Know their own sex, age, last name
·Answer out loud to "Hi" and "How are you?"
·Point to six basic colors when asked
At 5 years, most children...
·Run on tiptoe
·Understand "yesterday" and "tomorrow"
·Print a few capital letters
·Know their name in print
·Use sentences with correct grammar, such as, "May I go to the store?" or "I want a big cookie."
·Play together with others
·Put their shoes on the correct feet
It is Important to... Because...
3 to 4 years
| This is an ideal age to start building your child's confidence in the areas of creativity and question-asking. Take time to talk to your child by answering questions. Taking part in pretend games and building on what he/she already knows will stimulate language. Vary your child's activities. Make play interesting and provide a pleasant area in which to play. Encourage your child to play with groups of children. Language experiences that are fun and done in a caring, loving atmosphere encourage the best language development. Listening, talking and being listened to are the basis for success in school. |
| It is important to... |
because... |
| play Silly Questions ("Can you eat a shirt?" "What can you do with a shirt?") |
this stimulates thinking and is the beginning of categorizing. |
| take turns telling a story (you start a story or sentence and child finishes it) |
this encourages imagination and the expression of ideas. |
| play games using directional words, such as in-out, open-shut and up-down |
your child needs to know the meaning of these words to follow directions. |
| read a story and have your child answer questions (examples: as at least one question for each page; describe what he/she thinks is going to happen before you read it; tell the story back to you) |
this develops listening for details, drawing conclusions and a sense of sequence, and is a good way to see if your child understands and remembers what he/she hears. |
| restate and expand your child's phrases and sentences (your child says "I don't got none"; you say, "That's right, you don't have any milk in your glass.") |
this shows your child how to speak in complete sentences using correct English. |
| play games in which your child has to point, name and draw simple shapes such as a square, circle or triangle |
this enlarges vocabulary and develops memory skills. |
| As your child gets older, it is increasingly important for him/her to practice finding information and exploring new things. You can help by providing a variety of day-to-day experiences and by taking time to talk about things that interest both of you. Language experiences that are fun and done in a caring, loving atmosphere encourage the best language development. Listening, talking and being listened to are the basis for success in school. Did you know that noise level louder than that made by a food blender over a period of one to two hours may do irreversible damage to your child's hearing? |
| It is important to... |
because... |
| play games which help your child see likenesses and differences (A dog bards, a cat ______. Soup is hot, ice cream is _____.) |
this expands your child's vocabulary and thinking skills. |
| play games using categories that become increasingly difficult. (examples: 1. "Name two things you eat." 2. Say, "cat, dog, bird. These are all (animals)." 3. "Which one doesn't fit? hat, shoes, banana".) |
this teaches likenesses and differences, vocabulary and thinking skills. |
| visit zoos, stores and parks, and talk about the things you see, hear, smell and feel |
language becomes more meaningful as your child has wider experiences. |
| use real experiences to encourage talk about color, size, shape, numbers and letters ("What shape is the ball?" "What is our house number?" "How many letters are in your name?" "What are they?" "How many things can you see that are red?" "What is bigger, a cat or a house?") |
this develops memory, vocabulary and observation skills. |
| read or tell a story and have your child retell it; ask questions such as, "Who was in the story?" "What did they do?" and "What happened next?" |
this encourages memory for details and order of events. |
| watch television shows together and discuss them in the same way you would a story |
this develops memory for details, order of events and conversational skills. |
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