Summary Recap
In a Nutshell...Your Child at 3 Years Old
Your child has grown so much in the last three years! She can now express a wide range of emotions, enjoy playing pretend, and is becoming a good little communicator. Does this mean she's ready for preschool? There are a number of skills your child should have so that she can make the most of her time at preschool. These include communicating well, making choices, following a schedule, and being able to self-soothe. In addition to these fundamental skills, you can help prep her for preschool by reading books about it, visiting her classroom and teacher, starting a school morning routine, and letting her pick out some of her school supplies to help get her excited about her first day of school.
Although there's a lot to be excited about as your child approaches school age at three years old, you should still be on the lookout for certain developmental red flags. If you notice any of the following traits or behaviors, you should speak to your care provider about your concerns as soon as possible.
Social Emotional Development:
- Doesn't understand simple instructions.
- Doesn't want to play with other children or toys.
- Has extreme difficulty separating from caregivers.
- Doesn't make eye contact.
Language Development:
- Drools or has very unclear speech.
- Doesn't speak in short sentences and phrases.
Physical Development:
- Falls down a lot or has trouble using stairs.
- Has difficulty manipulating simple toys and small objects (e.g. peg boards, simple puzzles, turning handle).
Cognitive Development:
- Unable to build a tower of 4+ blocks.
- Doesn't participate in "pretend" play.
- Loses skills she once had.
To review and check out all of her achievements to date, click on her 2-3 year old developmental milestone list.