Three-Year-Olds
What are the characteristics of three-year-olds?
Three-year-olds are cooperative, cheerful, and eager to please. They enjoy new experiences, their friends, and are becoming increasingly independent.
What Are Three-Year-Olds Like?
- Developing Gross Motor Skills (walk backwards, run, climb, balance, throw)
- Developing Fine Motor Skills (learning to color, draw, cut)
- Takes care of own needs (can dress and undress self, washes hands and uses bathroom)
- Likes friends
- Beginning to share toys and take turns
- Wants to help and please
- Enjoys imaginary play
- More confident of self
- Enjoys laughing
- Begins to speak most words clearly and make simple sentences
- Vocabulary is expanding
- Uses words to express feelings
- Can follow simple directions
- Curious about world
- Names colors
- Counts to 10
- Can compare objects
- Beginning to recognize some shapes, letters, and numerals
- Attention span is increasing
How Can We Teach Them?
PHYSICAL:
- Provide a variety of indoor and outdoor activities with riding toys, balls, a balance beam, and climbing apparatus.
- Children will also enjoy creative movement.
- Offer crayons, markers, pencils, scissors, play dough, blocks, puzzles, etc.
- Encourage children to serve themselves and dress themselves.
- Have easy access to bathroom, sink and soap
SOCIAL:
- Provide a large amount of time for informal play.
- Reinforce children when they do share.
- Give opportunities to help in classroom, such as set table, feed pets, etc.
- Dress-up clothes in housekeeping and props in blocks will encourage imaginary play.
EMOTIONAL:
- Praise often and use materials and activities where child will experience success.
- Read silly stories and do funny stunts.
- Have clear rules and be firm, yet loving.
LANGUAGE:
- Sing songs, say rhymes and finger plays, read books, and describe objects and experiences.
- Model ways to express wants and needs. Help threes work out problems with words.
- Give children one or two directions at a time to follow.
INTELLECTUAL:
- Share excitement about learning.
- Play color games and matching games.
- Label cubby, chair, pictures, and other possessions.
- Say counting finger plays, songs, and play counting games.
- Use sorting games and manipulatives.
- Do not push children, but give them hands-on experiences with a variety of materials.
- Plan longer activities.