Four-Year-Olds
What are the characteristics of four-year-olds?
Four-year-olds are fun, silly, imaginative, excitable, and often a little "wild." Teachers should be enthusiastic and sensitive to meet the changing needs of fours.
What Are Four-Year-Olds Like?
- Can run, jump, gallop, hop on one foot, swing, and bounce and catch a ball
- Learning to: print name, cut on a line, and draw simple objects
- Dresses self÷buttons, snaps, zips, laces, buckles
- Loves other children
- Shares toys and plays cooperatively. Shows concern for feelings of others.
- Inappropriate behavior at times
- Shows emotional extremes. ("Loves" one minute and "hates" the next.)
- May show fears
- Is bold, adventurous, and sure of self
- Highly imaginative
- Is very silly
- High interest in words
- Asks many questions. ("Why" and "how" are favorite words).
- Can repeat songs, finger plays, and stories
- Chatters continually
- Shows curiosity about the world and other people
- Can make sets (sorting and grouping)
- Names simple shapes
- Beginning to recognize letters and numerals
- Can attend for longer periods of time
How Can We Teach Them?
PHYSICAL:
- Give fours lots of time outside with a variety of equipment to release all of their energy and excitement.
- Offer plenty of activities for using small motor skills, with paper, pencils, puzzles, clay, etc.
- Encourage independence in dressing and undressing.
SOCIAL:
- Schedule large amounts of time for play indoors and outdoors.
- Plan for small group projects and cooperative learning.
- Call attention to others.
- Talk about how their behavior impacts others.
- Set clear limits and follow-through on rules.
EMOTIONAL:
- Be understanding and patient.
- Be reassuring.
- Offer new challenges and praise their efforts.
- Use creative movement and encourage children to make up "pretend" stories.
LANGUAGE:
- Have a good sense of humor and laugh with them. Read funny books.
- Make up nonsense words and rhymes.
- Answer questions when you can.
- Turn questions around and ask, "What do you think?"
- Sing and read frequently.
INTELLECTUAL:
- Go on field trips, invite visitors to speak to your class, and give children many real-life experiences.
- Encourage children to work with math manipulatives.
- Play shape games and have children trace shapes.
- Introduce letters and sounds with games and sensory experiences.
- Plan more group activities.