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Print | YORK REGION>Services>Public Health and Safety>Child and Family Health |
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3 to 4 Years
What a special stage this will be for you!
Your preschooler is learning how to express their affection towards others. Preschoolers enjoy being with you as well as playing with other children. However, they still need some help to take turns or share. Your child will start to speak in 2 to 5 word sentences. Many preschoolers love to sing songs!
Growth and Development
Your child is a preschooler!
Your child enjoys doing things with you and is eager to please you. They are able to speak simple sentences, can understand you and follow simple, reasonable rules. Temper tantrums occur less often. They still need to feel safe, secure and loved. Your child loves physical activity! They can now walk up and down steps using alternating feet and ride their three-wheeled bike! Your child is starting to play with others and share.
What you can do to help your child grow and develop:
- Read, talk, sing and share time with your child
- Ask them questions about the stories you read to them
- Play simple games that involve taking turns
- Give your child lots of choices and chances to do things themselves
- Let your child help you with small chores
- Provide lots of opportunities to draw, paint and colour
- Give your child opportunities to play with other children
Toys to offer:
- Picture and story books
- Bats, balls and skipping ropes for active play
- Bicycles
- Crayons, finger paints, play dough
- Story books
- Puzzles
Speech and Language Development
By talking with your child, singing with your child, and reading with your child you start the process for life-long learning. Your child's communication skills will develop over time. By five years of age your child will have learned most of their language skills and will be talking to you in complete sentences.
By 4 years of age your child will:
- Use sentences with 4 to 6 words
- Make requests (example: "I want to eat")
- Ask many questions such as: What? Where? Why?
- Talk about things they have done
- Tell you how they feel (example: I'm cold)
- Begin to add endings to words (example: playing instead of play)
You can encourage your child's speech and language development by singing or saying a simple rhyme with them. Learn the words and actions to This is the Key to the Kingdom. Remember to maintain eye contact with your child, relax, and have fun. You can find more communication tips for this age group at the York Region Preschool Speech and Language Program website.
For more information on growth and development or speech and language development, visit Programs & Resources.
Parenting can be a challenge. We can help.
For more information or to speak with a Public Health Nurse, please contact
TTY 1-866-252-9933
