Wondering if your four-year-old is developing at a healthy rate? Below is a list of key development markers most four-year-olds have achieved. If your child has yet to meet some of these milestones, don’t worry. It is not unusual for children to lag behind in one area of development sometimes. However, if your child displays any of the developmental alarms listed below, then make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician for follow-up.
Mental Development
If taught, will know some letters and can write his name
Can spot familiar words in easy books (boy, cat, dog)
Has a distinct idea about size and amount of things (tall, short, fat, less, more)
Can put objects in a line according to their size
Attention span increases; can do an activity for more than 10 minutes
Responds to questions of "who", "what", "when" and "where"
Identifies more colors and shapes
Can count up to 10
Identifies objects in the home and their rightful place, such as "Clothes can be found in the laundry bag"
Identifies people by their names
Gets an idea about daily routines (from breakfast to lunch to dinner)
Physical/Motor Development
Hops (even on one foot), swings, climbs, might be able to skip
Will walk in a straight line
Easily pedals a tricycle
Can groom himself with little help (take a bath, wear his clothes)
Knows how to handle a spoon, knife and fork
Can make different shapes from clay or plasticine
Plays with a ball skillfully (catches, bounces, throws)
Can put beads through a string
Plays easily with building blocks
Does not need any help to go to the toilet
Social and Emotional Development
Plays with rules, may even change them in the process
Will obey rules and take turns but sense of self might cause her to be bossy
Besides playing, listens and enjoys long conversations
Develops common anxieties; her world of make believe and reality might overlap. Can be scared of darkness, strangers, and monsters.
Will want to know "why" about all things
Throws tantrums to get what she wants
Might lie to avoid situations but does not understand the meaning of a lie
Pretend play becomes more refined (student-teacher, mom-dad games abound)
Will tell what he finds funny; can make little jokes
Verbalizes her anger more than acting it out
Acts in a more independent way; makes small decisions
Language Development
Can easily make conversations. Has a basic idea about grammar. Uses longer sentences. Also uses past and future tense.
Can make herself understood to a stranger
Uses adjectives to describe things and feelings ("cold", "tasty", "hungry")
Knows her name and address
Can tell a story and recall it, too
Developmental Alarms
Seek timely professional help for your child if he:
Cannot count, hasn’t learned the alphabet, or fails to identify basic colors
Cannot put objects of same shape together
Is disinterested in activities, does not play games with playmates or remains aloof around them
Has trouble with showing or controlling his emotions
Cannot get involved in grooming (bathing, wearing clothes); fails to be toilet-trained
Cannot tell body parts like eyes, ears, etc.
Has clumsy movements. Coordination between hands and legs is not that good. Cannot play with a ball.
Cannot make herself understood to strangers
Cannot scribble
Cannot tell her name
Is unable to do things she could easily do earlier
