In 3-year-olds, growth is still slow compared with the first year. Most children have
become slimmer and lost the rounded tummy of a toddler. All children may grow at a
different rate, but the following is the average for 3-year-old boys and girls:
As your child continues to grow, you will notice new and exciting abilities that develop.
Children may progress at different rates, but these are some of the common milestones
your child may reach in this age group:
Speech development is very exciting for parents as they watch their children start
to speak clearly and interact with others. Every child develops speech at his or her
own rate, but these are some of the common milestones in this age group:
Children may progress at different rates, but these are some of the common milestones
your child may reach in this age group:
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Understands size differences such as big and little
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Understands past tense (yesterday)
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Understands long sentences
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Understands prepositions (on, under, behind)
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Uses pronouns correctly such as, I, you, he, and me
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Asks "why" constantly
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Counts up to 4 objects by 4 years old
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Says full name and age
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May have fears of certain things. For example, dark, monster under bed, and going
down the drain.
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Attempts to solve problems
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Remembers certain events
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Can point to the correct picture when asked a simple question about it.
Every child is unique and will develop different personalities, but these are some
of the common behavioral traits that may be present in your child:
Consider the following as ways to foster the emotional security of your 3-year-old:
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Spend time allowing your child to talk with you.
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Teach your child how things work.
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Encourage play with other children.
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Encourage your child to tell you stories.
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Listen to your child and show that you are pleased by your child's talking.
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Let your child do as much as possible for himself or herself when getting dressed,
brushing teeth, and combing hair.
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Have your child help with simple chores such as picking up toys.
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Give your child old clothes for "dress up" and allow him or her to pretend being a
mom, dad, healthcare provider, cowboy, and the like. Even old sheets or towels can
become skirts, capes, or turbans. You can also pretend you are an elephant, butterfly,
robot, or other characters and play with your child.
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Sing songs or nursery rhymes and teach your child the words.
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Read stories with your child and ask your child to name pictures in the stories or
retell part of the story.
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Help your child play with crayon and paper or chalk and chalkboard by showing how
to draw circles and lines and then put them together to make a stick figure. Make
figure faces that are happy, sad, or surprised, and talk about the different feeling
shown in each picture.
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Let your child build things out of blocks or boxes.
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Give your child a safe space to ride a tricycle.
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Listen to children's music with your child and dance.
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Practice counting with your child.
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Give your child the chance to play games with other children. Church groups, YWCA
or YMCA recreation centers, or libraries often have preschool programs.
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Put puzzles together with your child.
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Let your child have pretend playtime with dolls, cars, or toy cooking utensils.
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Play hide and seek and follow the leader.
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Let your child use his or her imagination by playing with play dough or clay.
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Trace your child's hand or whole body and make a picture.
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Show your child you are proud of any artwork and hang it up for display.
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Teach your child colors.
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Play ball with your child. Play different games with the ball, such as tossing a ball
into a box or rolling the ball up and down an incline.