The normal social and physical development of children ages 3 - 6 years old includes many milestones.

All children develop a little differently. If you are concerned about your child's development, talk to your child's health care provider.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

• Gross motor development in the 3- to 6-year-old should include:
  • Becoming more skilled at running, jumping, early throwing, and kicking
  • Catching a bounced ball
  • Pedaling a tricycle (at 3 years); becoming able to steer well at around age 4
  • Hopping on one foot (at around 4 years), and later balancing on one foot for up to 5 seconds
  • Doing a heel-to-toe walk (at around age 5)
• Fine motor development milestones should include:
  • At about age 3:
    • Drawing a circle
    • Drawing a person with three parts
    • Beginning to use children's blunt-nose scissors
    • Self-dressing (with supervision)
  • At about age 4:
    • Drawing a square
    • Using scissors, and eventually cutting a straight line
    • Putting on clothes properly
    • Managing a spoon and fork neatly while eating
  • At about age 5:
    • Spreading with a knife
    • Drawing a triangle

Images

Preschooler development

• < Page
1 2 3
• >

Next Section

Preschooler development Prevention

Review Date: 11/02/2010
Reviewed By: Jennifer K. Mannheim, ARNP, Medical Staff, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Seattle Children’s Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)