Your busy, curious little toddler is growing up! Are you ready? Here's a guide to the developmental skills to tick off your checklist...
Is your child constantly on the go? Do you find yourself completely exhausted—smashed even—because you haven’t stopped running after your not-so-little munchkin? And don’t even get us started on all those questions….
But here’s the thing, it’s all part of being a parent to a preschooler. Yup, your little bundle of energy is gearing up for more amazing adventures. They’re learning new things everyday, polishing new skills and making new cognitive connections — even if they’re just playing games. Just by having fun, children of preschool age are learning all sorts of developmental skills like problem-solving, new vocabulary, planning and communication. Not only that, they’re building self-esteem and learning what’s socially acceptable and what isn’t — it’s a lot!
Wondering how to keep track of it all? We consulted the teachers from One World Preschool for all the things your clever little preschooler can do.
What are the developmental skills my preschooler should know?
Before we list them all, it’s important to remember that each child is unique. They all grow and mature at their own pace. Whether they reach these milestones or not during the preschool years, it’s important that as parents, we help them grow and learn to their potential.
1. Cognitive Development
Cognitively, your child is learning more and more all the time. This means they’re learning to count objects and understand when something is less or more. They can pick up toys when asked. And can tell you what colour shirt they’re wearing. They’re also able to recall simple instructions like remembering to hold your hand when they cross the street. Often, children at this age love pretend play. For example, they may pretend to be princesses or shop owners.
2. Physical Development
Physical milestones vary widely among children in their preschool years. Many youngsters are able to climb and run, hop on one foot, catch a ball, or use scissors efficiently. Others develop these skills in their own time. For the most part, your preschooler should have a good grasp of these and a few other physical abilities by the time they’ve reached age five, including:
- Swinging
- Pouring liquids
- Mashing foods
- Riding a tricycle
- Washing hands
- Using eating utensils
3. Social/Emotional Development
Children in this age group will want to seek out other children for play. They’ll understand simple game rules. And they’ll realise it’s sometimes necessary to share. They may develop a best friend and display a wide range of emotions. They’ll become increasingly more independent as they gain confidence in their social skills.
4. Language Development
Preschool-aged children may begin to use descriptors in their everyday language. For instance, they’ll want to play with the “bigger” teddy bear or spend more time with their “favourite” classmates. They’ll be able to answer simple questions about stories you’ve read to them. Also, they’ll be able to describe their day in more detail. Preschoolers are also adorably notorious for asking ALL the questions!
5. Self-help/Adaptive Development
As children advance through the preschool years, they gain new skills in self-help. They’ll learn to use the bathroom independently, dress themselves without help and develop friendships with like-minded children. They will understand that some items pose a danger, such as hot stovetops and steep flights of stairs. They’ll also learn to open lunch boxes and zipper bags and be able to take turns at play.
You can help encourage these developmental skills at home by giving your early learners plenty of time and space to play. Let them explore and create, make messes and pretend!
How One World Preschool meets your child’s unique needs
The teachers at One World Preschool are all about bringing movement into the classroom. Whether it’s through running, jumping or playing, it’s a way for them to help the children hone their gross and fine motor skills. Beyond this, children grow cognitively as they use media such as paint, clay and sand. They learn to respect the feelings and emotions of others and to expect the same from their peers. And they solve problems, test theories and make decisions — all in the guise of daily play and singing songs. Maybe most importantly, the children also learn to play well with others, at school and in life.
But don’t just take it from us! Book a school tour at One World Preschool, Mountbatten to learn more about admissions and campus life. OWIS also has an Early Childhood section at its K-12 campus at Nanyang.
To know more about either campus, please visit the school’s website.
This post is in partnership with OWIS.
