At 4 to 5 years old, your child understands how to use many common objects. Combs are for tidying hair, pencils are for scribbling, and spoons are for eating. But there are many common household objects whose use is not quite so obvious, such as money and credit cards or watches and clocks. Complex common objects, such as these examples, require the ability to think symbolically about commerce and time, respectively. This is quite a leap for a small child, but your child has reached the age of representational thinking (you’ll also see this in his artwork!).

Play Tips for Understand Complex Common Objects:

How can you support your child’s development of this Knowledge of Common Objects skill at this age? It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Give your child examples of using money. Real world experiences are the best learning opportunities. Talk about using money as you make purchases at a store, or show how your credit or debit card holds information about the money stored at your bank. Consider opening a savings account for your child and giving him a small allowance, with the opportunity to save up for a special purchase.
2. Talk about time. Your child has been able to understand some broader time concepts, such as before and after, or yesterday and tomorrow. Now is the time to talk about more specific times, saying something such as “We’re going to Grandma’s house at two o’clock today. Right now it is 11, so we will leave in three hours.”
3. Read about it. In addition to real world examples, books can be a great way to illustrate these more abstract concepts. Me Counting Time: From Seconds to Centuries, by Joan Sweeney, introduces children to time from seconds all the way up to a millennium and gives examples of how they’re used in daily life. National Geographic Kids Everything Money, by Kathy Furgang, is filled with photos and fun facts about money, while Little Critter: Just Saving My Money, by Mercer Mayer, will introduce your child to the idea of saving.

Developmental Milestones:

Has your baby achieved the following Knowledge of Common Objects developmental milestones yet? If yes, check off all the skill(s) he has already mastered to date using Playful Bee’s developmental milestones tracker. It’s absolutely FREE and easy to use, just click HERE!

• Better understands the time concepts (e.g. day of the week, time of the day).
• Understands what more complex common objects are used for (e.g. money and clocks).

• About
• Latest Posts

Playful Bee

Education Team at Playful Bee

Playful Bee is an e-Preschool that delivers inquiry-based preschool learning from the classroom to your home. Our preschool curriculum was created by our talented team of rock star teachers. With years of hands-on preschool and Kindergarten teaching experience, they've developed a high-quality preschool experience that is convenient-to-use and easy-to-teach by you, grandparents, or your nanny at home.

Latest posts by Playful Bee (see all)

• Have a Super Fortune Cookie Friday! - February 9, 2018
• All Kinds of Shapes: Your Child Is Learning Simple Shapes, and Drawing Them Too! - November 13, 2017
• Fishing for Sneakers: Create your own Hand-Eye Coordination Fun - November 11, 2017