PreSchool Readiness Milestones
How do I know if my child is ready for Preschool?
Check out the Developmental Milestones below to see what your child should be doing by ages 2-4 years old.
Social/Emotional
2 Year Old
- Copies others, especially adults and other children
- Gets excited when with other children
- Shows independence
- Shows defiant behavior (doing what he/she has been told not to do)
- Plays mainly beside other children, but is beginning to include others in play
3 Year Old
- Copies adults and friends
- Uses words to express wants and needs versus using actions/aggressive behavior
- Able to use words to tell stories, share ideas and express feelings
- Shows affection for friends independently
- Takes turns in games
- Shows concerns for crying friends
- Understands the idea of “mine”, “his” and “hers”
- Shows a wide range of emotions
- Separates from parents easily
- Maintains attention to classroom activities
- Independently chooses activities of interest
- Cooperates when playing in a group
- Helps friends when needed
- Adapts easily to change of routine
4 Year Old
- Behavior is easily redirected
- Enjoys doing new things
- Plays “mom” and “dad”
- Is more and more creative with make-believe play
- Would rather play with other children than by him or herself
- Cooperates with other children
- Often can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
- Talks about what he/she likes and what he/she is interested in
Language/Communication
2 Year Old
- Points to things or pictures when they are named
- Knows names of familiar people and body parts
- Says sentences with 2 to 4 words
- Follows simple instructions/commands
- Repeats words overheard in conversation
- Points to things in a book
3 Year Old
- Follows instructions with 2 or 3 steps
- Begins to use adjectives for color and size
- Responds to wh-questions (who, what, where, when, why)
- Asks many questions
- Can name most familiar things
- Understands words like “in”, “on” and “under”
- Says first name, age and if they are a boy or girl.
- Can name a friend
- Uses pronouns “I”, “me”, “we”, and “you”
- Starts to use some plurals (i.e. dogs, cats, cars)
- Strangers can understand what your child is saying most of the time
- Will put toys away when asked
4 Year Old
- Correctly uses pronouns “he” and “she”
- Sings songs or says a poem from memory such as the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or the “wheels on the Bus”
- Tells stories
- Can say first and last name
Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)/Literacy Skills
2 Year Old
- Finds things even when hidden
- Begins to sort shapes and colors
- Completes sentences in familiar books
- Follows 2 step instructions (i.e. Pick up your shoes and put them in the closet)
3 Year Old
- Recognizes first name when written
- Recites the ABC’s
- Able to name capital letters
- Able to name lowercase letters
- Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces
- Copies a circle with a pencil or crayon
- Turns book pages one at a time
4 Year Old
- Able to print first name
- Able to print last name
- Knows letter sounds
- Identifies rhyming words (i.e. cat/hat)
- Names some colors and numbers
- Understands the idea of counting
- Remembers part of a story
- Plays board games
- Tells you what he/she thinks is going to happen next in a book
Fine Motor/Self Help Skills
3-4 Year Old
- Copies a horizontal line and circle
- Can put on/ take off coat
- Puts shoes on the correct feet
- Brushes own teeth
- Fastens large buttons
- Cuts a piece of paper in half with scissors
- Uses restroom independently
- Zips most zippers
Movement/Physical Development
2 Year Old
- Stands on tiptoe
- Kicks a ball
- Climbs onto and down from furniture without help
- Walks up and down stairs holding on
3 Year Old
- Climbs well
- Runs easily
- Pedals a tricycle
- Walks up and down stairs, one foot at each step
- Throws a ball over head to hit a target
4 Year Old
- Hops and stands on one foot up to 2 seconds
- Catches a bounced ball most of the time
- Pours, cuts with supervision, and mashes own food
Do you have questions?
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Kind Words
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For More Information
Call (475) 239-5512