Developmental Milestone: 4 Years
What Most Children Do by this Age:
Social/Emotional:
Enjoys doing new things
Plays “Mom” and “Dad”
Is more and more creative with make-believe play
Would rather play with other children than by themself
Cooperates with other children
Often can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
Talks about what they like and what they are interested in
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 they think is going to happen next in a book
Movement/Physical Development:
Hops and stands on one foot for up to 2 seconds
Catches a bounced ball most of the time
Pours, cuts with supervision, and mashes own food
What You Can Do for Your 4-Year-Old:
Play make-believe with your child. Let her be the leader and copy what she is doing.
Suggest your child pretend to play an upcoming event that might make him nervous, like going to preschool or staying overnight at a grandparent’s house.
Give your child simple choices whenever you can. Let your child choose what to wear, play, or eat for a snack. Limit choices to 2 or 3.
During play dates, let your child solve her own problems with friends, but be nearby to help out if needed.
Encourage your child to use words, share toys, and take turns playing games of one another’s choice.
Give your child toys to build imagination, like dress-up clothes, kitchen sets, and blocks.
Use good grammar when speaking to your child. Instead of “Mommy wants you to come here,” say, “I want you to come here.”
Use words like “first,” “second,” and “finally” when talking about everyday activities. This will help your child learn about the sequence of events.
Take time to answer your child’s “why” questions. If you don’t know the answer, say “I don’t know,” or help your child find the answer in a book, on the Internet, or from another adult.
When you read with your child, ask him to tell you what happened in the story as you go.
Say colors in books, pictures, and things at home. Count common items, like the number of snack crackers, stairs, or toy trains.
Teach your child to play outdoor games like tag, follow the leader, and duck, duck, goose.
Play your child’s favorite music and dance with your child. Take turns copying each other’s moves.