Your 4-5 year old has a growing awareness of the world and is probably forming his sense of morals.  His innate ability to be kind can be developed by guiding him in dealing with his relationships with his peers and other adults (teachers, relatives, etc).

Can be cooperative and eager to please, especially now that his communication abilities can better allow him to form friendships with kids his age or even older.  Kids tend to play with children of the same gender.

They are little scientists at this age, learning more about the world, actively seeking and exploring answers now that they have a better grasp of words and concept of how things work.

What 4-5 Year Olds Can Do

4-5 year olds have a growing appreciation for peer groups and they are starting to enjoy team or group games.  They are also starting to discover their natural talents.

• Shows enthusiasm in activities he is good at.
• May be very energetic and conversant at things he is interested in.
• Can be given tasks to help in the home, especially housework chores, like packing away, doing laundry, clearing groceries, feeding house pets, etc.

Likes & Dislikes of 4-5 Year Olds

They enjoy completing tasks although they still need to be guided on big projects.  They enjoy discovering new things together with peers and adults,  like going on trips and visiting the museum or zoo.  Take advantage of this interest to develop their thinking skills, by engaging them in conversation and the processing of new learning experiences together.

• Enjoys running, skipping, balancing and navigating obstacles.
• Enjoys the company of kids the same age.
• Learns to become competitive and shows enthusiasm in doing group physical activities, board games and sports.
• Has better control over finer activities such as drawing, coloring, cutting and doing crafts.

 

Speech & Language Development of 4-5 Year Olds

Your 4-5 year old’s maturing language skills are a reflection of his expanding mind.  Most children this age like to read stories and watch the same movie over and over again.  Allow them to do this as it reinforces their language development and it provides them a sense of security. You can also use their particular preferences to introduce fresh material – such as related character stories.

• Vocabulary is developing – focus on introducing  new words with definitions.
• Can articulate his feelings and thoughts especially when hurt or excited.

Cognitive Development of 4-5 Year Olds

Learning at this age is likely to include what they pick up in the classroom.  Encourage a positive attitude towards learning by being enthusiastic about the things that interest them and try to learn and research about it together regarding books, videos, or even the internet.  Your child will also demonstrate the following:

• Enjoys scientific experiments and learning about properties of objects.
• Enjoys board games and using computer or other electronic gadgets.
• Exhibits more details in drawings such as people or objects
• Can concentrate for a longer period and can demonstrate ability to complete a project or task.
• Starts to read and do simple maths.

Physical Development of 4-5 Year Olds

Enjoys doing eye-hand coordinated activities which can be an opportunity to do house-work together such as tidying up the house, packing away, preparing the table, preparing food for mealtimes, etc.  They can also:

• Walk for longer distances with you.
• Start to compete and excel in sports and other outdoor activities.
• Activities that develop coordination are essential
• Right / Left Brain Activities

Social & Emotional Development of 4-5 Year Olds

This stage is when your child learns how to take care of not just of himself, but of his things as well. This is especially important when he goes to school.  Make sure that you provide a place in your child’s room to organize his things as this will help him adjust better in school (learning where things belong).  Get him involved with school preparation such as picking out his materials needed for school.

• Greater knowledge of how to behave in social situations and answer questions about himself.
• Can be independent with own needs but still needs supervision and reminders.
• Shows gestures of thoughtfulness and kindness to friends and adults.

Comments

comments