| Four-Year-Olds
Physical Development - They run on tip toes. They gallop. They pump themselves on a swing. They hop on one foot. They begin to skip. They throw a ball overhand. They have more small muscle control. They can make representational pictures (for example, pictures of flowers, people, etc.) They like unzipping, unsnapping, and unbuttoning clothes. They dress themselves. They like lacing their own shoes. They can cut on a line with scissors. They can make designs and write crude letters. They are very active and aggressive in their play.
Social and Emotional Development - They sometimes have imaginary friends. They tend to brag and be bossy. They have very active imaginations. They need to feel important and worthwhile. They can be aggressive but want friends and enjoy being with other children. They enjoy pretending to be important adults such as mom, dad, nurse, doctor, mail carrier, police officer. They appreciate praise for their achievements. They need opportunities to feel more freedom and independence. They are learning to take turns and to share. Games and other activities can help preschoolers learn about taking turns.
Intellectual Development - They ask lots of questions, including "how" and "why" questions. They are very talkative. Their language includes silly words and profanity. They enjoy serious discussions. They should understand some basic concepts such as number, size, weight, color, texture, distance, time and position. Their classification skills and reasoning ability are developing.
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