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 four to five year olds.
Physical Development
- Skips, gallops, hops on one foot, walks downstairs alternating feet, and pumps his legs while swinging.
- Brushes teeth and dresses self without help and is learning to tie shoes.
- Cuts with scissors; prints simple letters; draws representational pictures such as houses, people, and trees; handedness is established.
- Throws ball overhand.
Intellectual Development
- Communicates in complete sentences and is very talkative.
- Has a large vocabulary of 1500-2000 words, including silly words and profanity.
- Asks many questions, especially “how” and “why”.
- Is highly imaginative, tells tall tales, is beginning to learn the difference between fact and fiction.
- Recognizes colors, shapes, some numbers, letters of the alphabet and his printed name.
- (Five year old) Knows phone number and address.
Social and Emotional Development
- Highly social. Plays cooperatively with others. Takes turns and shares.
- Enjoys group dramatic play, recreating adult occupations and situations.
- Enjoys simple organized group games such as tag and duck-duck-goose.
- (Four year old) Is often negative, defiant, and tends to push his limits. He needs opportunities of controlled freedom.
- (Five year old) Is well adjusted and likes to follow rules.
(Five year old) Enjoys simple table games requiring following of rules.
If you feel your 4 or 5 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.
