At the age of three years, the child starts gaining his independence and starts to do things by himself such as brushing his teeth with some help, dressing himself and buttoning his clothes. He will also be able to walk up the stairs taking alternate steps with his feet. He will be able to jump off a step, hop, pedal his tricycle and draw shapes such as squares and circles.
During this time children tend to play with imaginary friends. Their vocabulary grows and they are able to form sentences of 3 to 4 words. Their speech becomes partly understandable.
This will become further refined and become completely understandable over the next year.
Other developmental milestones for preschoolers include asking the question why, being able to remember nursery rhymes, narrating stories and being able to adhere to daily routines. The child is now able to play well with other children. He begins to share toys and form friendships. Most preschoolers of three years of age take an afternoon nap of about an hour and are able to sleep for about eleven hours through the night.
At four years of age the child begins to brush his teeth and dress up independently. Other preschooler milestones at this stage include playing card and board games, following simple rules, naming four colors, forming 4 to 5 word sentences, singing songs, counting to 4 and listening to stories. Speech becomes properly understandable. He will continue to nap for an hour in the afternoon and sleep through the night.
Five year old preschoolers are able to recognize alphabets and print the letters.
They will also be able to remember their address and phone number. During this time, the child gains more independence and would like to be seen as responsible. This sense of responsibility can be further enhanced by giving him an allowance at this age. It is not important how much money you give him. Start with a low amount and allow him to use it for the things he especially wants. This way he will learn the importance of money and the value of saving. Setting routine household chores that are appropriate for his age are also a good way to increase his sense of responsibility. Chores can include cleaning his room or setting the table. Such chores should not be associated with his allowance, however. The important developmental milestone of gaining a sense of responsibility can be further enhanced through positive reinforcement such as praise and appreciation.
