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Three Year-Old Developmental Milestones

Learning about ages and stages of typical development can help parents better anticipate, then guide children more successfully and confidently, through each developmental stage.

Please keep in mind that even though there are typical patterns of development, actual timelines will vary for each child. The information below is a basic guideline to help parents identify the developmental milestones of their three year olds.

Physical Development

  • Runs, marches, walks on tiptoes, briefly stands on one foot, hops, rides a tricycle and walks up steps alternating feet.
  • Dresses himself: Buttons and unbuttons clothing and puts on socks and shoes.
  • Stacks 9-10 blocks.
  • Paints or draws circles and squares.
  • Feeds self well and pours from a pitcher.
  • Handles small objects such as puzzles and pegboards.

Intellectual Development

  • Has a large vocabulary. Uses 3-4 word sentences.
  • Can communicate needs and ideas, tell simple stories, answer questions, and may recite simple nursery rhymes.
  • Asks “WHY?” and other questions with hopes of under standing the environment.

Social and Emotional Development

  • Emotions are usually extreme, but short-lived. May be crying one minute and laughing the next.
  • Enjoys parallel play, along side others. Begins cooperative play, interacting with others.
  • Enjoys dramatic play such as “dressing up”, imitating adult behaviors, etc.
  • Begins to learn to share.
  • Takes turns.
  • Likes to conform.
  • Increase in sense of personal identity. Enjoys communicating his full name to others and expressing personal likes and dislikes.

If you feel your 3 year old is not growing in the way you expect, please talk with your pediatrician and/or call your local school system for further assessment.

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