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Typical Development for Ages 3-5
By Age 3 Most Children...
- Speak in short sentences
- Consistently produce these sounds in words: “m, n, p, b, d, h, w” and all vowels
- Have speech that is at least 50% intelligible
- Answer simple questions
- Begin to ask yes/no questions
- Understand position words such as “in, on, under”
- Understand most things said to him/her
- Enjoy listening to story books
- Enjoy helping adults
- Begin to play cooperatively with
- Peers
- Match objects and primary colors that are the same
- Respond correctly to “Take One” or "Give Me One”
- Put four piece puzzles together
- Enjoy playdough and fingerpaint
- Dress themselves with some help
- Pedal a tricycle
- Walk up and down stairs-one foot per step
- Snip paper with a small scissors
- Draw lines with a crayon
By Age 4 Most Children...
- Frequently ask questions and often demand detail in responses
- Have speech that is 90% intelligible
- Use language to express emotion
- Use pronouns – I, mine, me you, she, he
- Talk about pictures in a book
- Know their own name, age, and gender
- Catch a large ball tossed to them
- Jump forward or over an object
- Cut paper with a scissors
- Draw a circle
- Are completely toilet trained
- Count to 10
- Count 1, 2, 3, or 4 objects
- Point to at least four colors
- Understand “same” and “different” concepts
- Engage in pretend play
- Ask many questions
By Age 5 Most Children...
- Generally use grammatically correct sentences
- Stay on topic and remain relevant during a conversation
- Answer questions about a simple story
- May still mispronounce “s, r, th, l, v, sh, ch, and j”
- Listen, share, and take turns in a peer group
- Follow two or three step directions
- Read a few letters
- Can state full name, address and phone number
- Can identify “same/different” among objects, pictures and letters
- Count to 20
- Identify colors and shapes
- Cut following a simple outline
- Print first name and a few capital letters
- Draw a person with at least 5 body parts
- Hop on one foot for at least 5 feet, gallops and skips
- Dress and undress self except for shoe tying
- Play cooperatively with others
- Follow simple game rules in board games or card games
- Play on playground equipment with good coordination