Have a lively, energetic and oh-so-adorable 4-year-old on your hands? Your little kid is a pro at the basics, such as speaking, running and drawing. Now it’s time to build up a whole new repertoire of skills to prepare him for kindergarten and the world beyond his home. “At this age, their awareness of the world outside the home family expands tenfold,” says Lorayne Carbon, the director of Sarah Lawrence College’s Early Childhood Center.
In fact, many 4-year-old milestones really center around a new sense of independence. They are able to do new things and they want to master them on their own, even if it takes a few extra minutes. “It’s really at age 4 that children can separate easily from parents,” says Carbon. They’re also much more self-sufficient. “Four-year-olds can dress themselves, managing buttons and zippers on their own,” says Carbon. They might even be able to fix themselves a snack or get a glass of water.
At the same time, their language skills improve by leaps and bounds. According to Dr. Hannah Chow-Johnson, a pediatrician and assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics, “Four-year-olds’ speech should be 100 percent understandable.” As a by-product of this speech development, you might also find yourself answering a lot of questions.
“Four-year-olds want to know the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of things. They’re very interested in details,” says Carbon. You may also start noticing that conversations with your child become much more in-depth. This growth in language development also enables your little one to initiate friendships with other children. “Four-year-olds seek out other kids,” says Dr. Chow-Johnson. You’ll see a burst of social awareness and connections from your little one.
Here are some milestones you can expect your little one to reach after his fourth birthday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s milestone guidelines:
And read
our guide to developmental milestones for kids
.
Physical Milestones
- Can hop, somersault and run with ease.
- Can stand on one foot for at least 10 seconds.
- Navigates playground equipment, such as swings, ladders and slides, like a pro.
- Gets dressed by himself.
- Can use utensils to feed himself.
Read more about physical milestones for 4 year olds.
Cognitive Milestones
- Knows how to count to 10 (or more!).
- Understands day-to-day life, such as routine and order — and what parents expect from him.
- Understands objects in the home, such as money, food and appliances.
- Draws rudimentary shapes, such as circles, squares, crosses, a person with arms and legs and even some letters.
Check out these cognitive milestones for 4 year olds.
Language Milestones
- Uses sentences of more than five words and can be clearly understood by others.
- Uses prepositions, including “in,” “under,” “on” and “behind.”
- Uses past, present and future tense.
- Tells stories.
- Asks a multitude of “why” and “how” questions.
Learn more aboure language milestones for 4 year olds.
Social Milestones
- Is interested in having friends.
- Wants to please friends and be like them.
- Initiates pretend play, especially role playing.
- Can differentiate between reality and fantasy.
- Shows more independence, such as taking part in a preschool or pre-K program.
- Knows his gender and the gender of others.
For more on social developments, check out these social milestones for 4 year olds.
As the list above shows, your 4-year-old may seem like a big kid, but he still has a lot of maturing to do. You’ll still need to guide him through his feelings and his newly emerging sense of self. “Four-year-olds wear their hearts on their sleeves,” says Carbon. “They can be kind, gentle, mean, silly — they’re a ball of emotions. As he gets ready for the big leap to kindergarten, your little one will continue to grow and develop socially, emotionally and physically, in addition to fine-tuning his language skills.
Remember, all children reach these 4-year-old milestones at their own pace. Always speak with your pediatrician if you have any questions about your child’s growth and development.
Looking for some fun things to do with your 4 year old? Try these Activities and Fun Things to Do With Preschoolers.
Rebecca Desfosse is a freelance writer specializing in parenting and family topics.
* This article is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be providing medical advice and is not a substitute for such advice. The reader should always consult a health care provider concerning any medical condition or treatment plan. Neither Care.com nor the author assumes any responsibility or liability with respect to use of any information contained herein.
