Social and Emotional

• Enjoys doing new things
• Is more and more creative with make-believe play
• Would rather play with other children than alone
• Cooperates with other children
• Often can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
• Talks about interests

Language/Communication

• Knows some basic rules of grammar, such as correctly using “he” and “she”
• Sings a song or says a poem from memory such as the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or the “Wheels on the Bus”
• Tells stories
• Can say first and last name  

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Names some colors and some numbers
• Understands the idea of counting
• Starts to understand time
• Remembers parts of a story
• Understands the idea of “same” and “different”
• Draws a person with 2 to 4 body parts
• Uses scissors
• Starts to copy some capital letters
• Plays board or card games
• Tells you what he thinks is going to happen next in a book

Movement/Physical Development

• Hops and stands on one foot up to 2 seconds
• Catches a bounced ball most of the time
• Pours, cuts with supervision, and mashes own food

WHAT FAMILIES CAN DO

• Play make-believe with your child – let him/her be the leader and choose what you will play.
• Set limits and be consistent with what your child can and cannot do.
• Say positive things to and praise your child and what he/she is doing.
• Give your child opportunities to play with other children.
• Let your child solve problems when playing with friends, but be nearby to help out if needed.
• Take time to answer your child’s “why” questions; show patience and be responsive to the questions and if you don’t know the answer, look it up together, ask your child’s thoughts or say you don’t know.
• Provide your child with toys that build imagination such as blocks, kitchen sets and dress-up clothes.
• Give your child simple choices whenever you can about what to wear, play, or have for snack.
• Count items at home such as crackers, steps or stuffed animals.
• Urge your child to use words to ask for help.
• Read to your child every day; ask him/her to tell you what happened in the story as you go.
• Say colors, sort items by color, shape or use such as, “Find all of the green blocks and make a tower.”
• Point out letters and numbers in signs and everyday objects, such as, “This sign has the number four in it and you are 4-years-old.”
• Play with balls while running and kicking.
• Teach your child to play outdoor games like tag, follow the leader and “duck, duck, goose.”
• Provide riding toys such as a trike, bike with training wheels or scooter.
• Put on your child’s favorite music and have a dance party; copy each other’s moves.