 Developmental
Milestones
What
are some of the developmental milestones my child should reach by three to
four years of age?
With your
child’s third birthday, the “terrible twos” are officially
over and the “magic years” of three and four begin—a time when
your child’s world will be dominated by fantasy and vivid imagination.
During the next two years, he?ll mature in many areas.
Here are
some milestones to look for.
Movement
milestones
-
Hops
and stands on one foot up to five seconds
-
Goes
upstairs and downstairs without support
-
Kicks
ball forward
-
Throws
ball overhand
-
Catches
bounced ball most of the time
-
Moves
forward and backward with agility
Milestones
in hand and finger skills
-
Copies
square shapes
-
Draws
a person with two to four body parts
-
Uses
scissors
-
Draws
circles and squares
-
Begins
to copy some capital letters
-
Understands
the concepts of “same” and “different”
-
Has
mastered some basic rules of grammar
-
Speaks
in sentences of five to six words
-
Speaks
clearly enough for strangers to understand
-
Tells
stories
-
Correctly
names some colors
-
Understands
the concept of counting and may know a few numbers
-
Approaches
problems from a single point of view
-
Begins
to have a clearer sense of time
-
Follows
three-part commands
-
Recalls
parts of a story
-
Understands
the concept of same/different
-
Engages
in fantasy play
Social and emotional
milestones
-
Interested
in new experiences
-
Cooperates
with other children
-
Plays
“Mom” or “Dad”
-
Increasingly
inventive in fantasy play
-
Dresses
and undresses
-
Negotiates
solutions to conflicts
-
More
independent
-
Imagines
that many unfamiliar images may be “monsters”
-
Views
self as a whole person involving body, mind, and feelings
-
Often
cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality
Developmental
health watch
Because
each child develops in his own particular manner, it’s impossible to tell
exactly when or how he’ll perfect a given skill. The developmental milestones
listed in this book will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect
as your child gets older, but don’t be alarmed if his development takes
a slightly different course. Alert your pediatrician, however, if your child
displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this
age range.
-
Cannot
throw a ball overhand
-
Cannot
jump in place
-
Cannot
ride a tricycle
-
Cannot
grasp a crayon between thumb and fingers
-
Has
difficulty scribbling
-
Cannot
stack four blocks
-
Still
clings or cries whenever his parents leave him
-
Shows
no interest in interactive games
-
Ignores
other children
-
Doesn’t
respond to people outside the family
-
Doesn’t
engage in fantasy play
-
Resists
dressing, sleeping, using the toilet
-
Lashes
out without any self-control when angry or upset
-
Cannot
copy a circle
-
Doesn’t
use sentences of more than three words
-
Doesn’t
use “me” and “you” appropriately
Published online: 6/07
Source: Caring
for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 (Copyright © 2004 American
Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 5/05)
To order a copy of this book visit the AAP
Bookstore.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information contained
in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care
and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your
pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
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