DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

4 - 5 YEARS

The following list of developmental milestones should be used as a guideline in following your child's overall development. Many children develop faster in some areas and leave other areas lagging behind, only to find a sudden burst of development in these slower areas, later on. No two children develop at the same rate, or in the same order of abilities.


This checklist should serve the following two purposes:

1.

Use the checklist as a guide of developmental areas you should be stimulating, through play or even through daily activities.

2.

Should you find that your child is not developing according to several items on the checklist, it is advised that you consult with a General Practitioner (GP), Pediatrician, Occupational Therapist, etc. for further advice.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
(Fine and Gross Motor)

• Between 4 - 5 years, most children are able to:

  • Hop on one foot.
  • Walk backwards.
  • Jump forward a few times (usually not falling).
  • Walk up and down stairs (unassistance), using alternate feet.
  • Do somersaults.
  • Use a child-safe pair of scissors.
  • Cut out on a line (straight or slightly curly).
  • Copy simple shapes such as a cross or a square.
  • Write a few of the simpler letters of the alphabet.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT:
(Thinking and Reasoning Skills)

• The 4 - 5 year old child's enquiring mind leaves no stone unturned. Most children this age can:

  • Identify and name many colours.
  • Identify or draw, name, and describe many pictures.
  • Draw a person adding much detail to the body.
  • Count to at least 5 (many can count to ten).
  • Tell you their physical address and often their home telephone number (and/or a cell number these days!).
  • Make their own rhyming words, mimic sounds or even create their own sounds.
  • Understand that events have a cause and effect reaction (e.g. if you drop a glass then it will break).
    
    

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Around this age, children start seeing themselves as individuals and they often:

  • Show understanding (to some degree) of moral values such as what is accepted as good behaviour or what behaviour is probably bad.
  • Compare their physical selves as well as their abilities with others.
  • Start developing friendships .
  • Become more aware of other people's feelings.
  • Enjoy imaginative play with other children, like playing house-house and dressing up in a role-play.
  • Start showing an interest in gender differences.
    
    

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• Between 4 - 5 years of age, children start using language for higher-level communication functions. They can:

  • Understand and use comparatives correctly (e.g. fast, faster, fastest).
  • They often ask the "when?" "how?" and "why?" questions (very often too!).
  • Retell a story (but may confuse facts)
  • Use words such as "should" , "shall", "will" , "might" and "can".
  • Carry out between two and three instructions (even if they are unrelated).
  • Pay attention to a reasonably long story, not always interpreting all the facts correct though.
  • They use "because" and "so" correctly.
  • Understand and sometimes tell a story, using sequence of events (e.g. "Firstly Mommy bought some eggs, then she fried them in a pan and finally we ate them."