4-5 years

 

Child from 4 to 5 years

 

Children 4-5-year-olds are very active and love to skip, jump, race, climb and throw. They enjoy talking and learning new words, so they ask many questions. At this age, a kid has a problem separating fact from imagination. His attention is very short. He uses drawing to express feelings and enjoys converting and role-playing.
He plays or interacts with others, but sometimes he is physically aggressive, funny, insensitive and stubborn, but he can also be friendly. He learns to share, accepts the rules and turns away. Responds with sincere praise. He often tests the boundaries of people. They can be comfortable one moment and the next they quarrel.
At that age, the child has more confidence. They may have fears and feelings of insecurity. He becomes aware of right and wrong and usually wants to do the right thing. He blames others for his wrongdoing. Children’s language, social and cognitive skills are rapidly expanding. Playing in the preschool years allows children to explore and understand the world around them, as well as to use and develop their imagination and creativity. Everyone knows how to “play” when they see it – on the streets, in the villages, in the playgrounds, in the classrooms. People from every culture, economic background and community have been involved in the game since their earliest years. The game is meaningful, joyful, actively engaged, frequent. The game is socially interactive.

Physical development (large and fine motor skills)

 

Typical physical development:

– Running changing directions.
– He climbs and goes down the slide on his own.
– They’re jumping on one leg.
– Copies shapes holding the pen correctly, coloring drawings.
– He knows he draws a human figure with at least four body parts.
– Lower tiny beads.
– She cleverly cuts with scissors.

Encourage children’s development:

– Draw a boy/girl together, help your child create more complex drawings.
– Organize activities that require multiple motor activities – walking with obstacles, jumping on one leg, etc.
– Play beads, tiny macaroons, cut shapes and glue them together (collage of activities).
– Play by pushing buttons through holes.

 

Speech development/communication

 

Typical physical development:

– They speak grammar correctly and clearly.
– They tell short stories.
– They use future time in speaking.
– He knows he names numbers 1, 2, 3 …
– He names friends.
– They tell the story by picture, they are creative.

Encourage children’s development:

– Encourage more complex speech and conversation.
– Follow the child’s questions with answers and attention.
– Patiently listen to your child, answer them, explain concepts and events around them, ask questions.
– Ask to describe objects and actions in the surrounding area.

Child 5 years old
Child 5 years old

Cognitive development

 

Typical physical development:

– It can follow three different consecutive verbal requests, for example: “Give me a pen, open the door and throw the paper in the bin.”
– Understands the words “below”, “between”, “in the middle”.
– He knows he names a few colors.
– It counts to 10 and some children and more.
– Oriented in time.

Encourage children’s development:

– Play counting games, introduce the concept of less – more.
– Show the child the numbers and letters, name them by reading picture books, writing them on paper, encourage the child to repeat.
– Write the name of the child, point and name the letters in it.
– Introduce your child to the concept of time: yesterday – today – tomorrow – morning-evening; practice with everyday life examples.
– Encourage and support the child to ask questions: “What?”, “Where?”, “When?” “Who?”
– Encourage creative play with different materials.

Socio-emotional development

 

Typical physical development:

– Organizes a play with peers, preferring the same sex.
– Engages in conversation with adults.
– May delay the need.

Encourage children’s development:

– Give your child as many opportunities as possible to play with another child.
– Play structured board games, dice, cards, and rules (“Don’t be mad, man”, “Memories”, dominoes, etc.).

Self-help / self-care

 

Typical physical development:

– He washes his hands completely on his own.
– Uses soap, wipes his hands with a towel.
– Brush his teeth, use the toilet in all situations.
– He cleans his room, sets up the bed, picks up toys …
– Knows the answer to some questions about personal information: name, surname, number of years, city of residence, telephone number, gender.

Encourage children’s development:

– Teach and encourage your child to dress, wash their hands and teeth themselves.
– Encourage your child to tidy up his toys, corner, room, to tidy up after a game or activity.
– Classify toys: picture books with picture books, cars with cars – it is important for the child to learn that everything has its place.
– Make sure your child knows personal information: your name, surname, parents’ names, telephone number, address …

 

 

Source:

The importance of play, Dr David Whitebread

Play and Child Development, JOE L. FROST, SUE C. WORTHAM, STUART REIFEL

Learning through play, UNICEF-Lego Foundation University of Nebraska, Lincoln