Developmental Milestones

Language: They can use the words “he” or “she” correctly. They’ll be more creative with how they communicate. They can sing songs or poems. They can tell their own stories. At this point, they can talk in sentences made up of 5 to 6 words. They will use past tense and understand the meaning of “same” and “different”. Brain Development: Their brains are also maturing. They will know their colors and be able to count some numbers.  When reading stories, they may be able to remember parts of a story. When drawing, they can copy square shapes and will draw a person with two to four body parts. They can follow short simple commands and can start dressing on their own and brushing their teeth. Movement: Remember when your baby couldn’t walk? Now, at this age, they can hop on one foot and stand still on it for up to 2 to 5 seconds. They can kick balls forward and catch a bouncing ball with their hands. They might still need help going up the stairs, but for the most part, they might be able to do it on their own. Physical: Your child gains about 6 grams per day and has perfect vision. They will grow taller. It is normal at this age that they may still wet the bed

Social-Emotional Milestone

 Your 4-year-old will enjoy doing new things. They’ll get more creative when playing. They will play pretend as “mom” and “dad”. You’ll find them enjoying playing with others. They will also tell everyone what they like and what they are interested in. When problems happen, they can come up with good solutions. They might still have a hard time understanding how to share, but they understand the importance of taking turns.

Life Skills : Taking Turns

 Teach children how to share and take turns. The idea of sharing is still foreign to young children. It’s not uncommon to see a toy that they haven't touched for a long time, become their most precious toy as soon as their little brother or sister wants it. Instead of taking matters on our own hands and deciding how the toy should be shared, try to teach your kids how to give to others, and how good sharing feels. The main focus is that kids should advocate for their needs on their own. For further reading, check out these resources on Sharing to see different approaches on how to help kids express their emotions in a healthy way so they can self regulate and improve their impulse control.

Action Items

• Teach kids what to do in case of Emergencies

• Teach them how to remember their full name, address, and important phone numbers they can call in case of emergencies 

• Slowly start telling them the importance of money and its value

• Teach them the importance of hygiene: Wash up, combing hair, brushing teeth (without help)