1. P H Y S I C A L D E V E LOPM ENT O F T H E PRE -S CHOOLE R
BODY GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT
PRESCHOOL CHILDREN GROW MORE SLOWLY THAN TODDLERS
MOST PRESCHOOL CHILDREN GROW STEADILY AT ABOUT 2 ½ INCHES TO 3 INCHES EACH YEAR
BONES & TEETH
BONES CONTNUE TO GROW LARGER AND LONGER
BABY TEETH BEGIN TO FALL OUT BETWEEN AGES 4-5 , AND PERMANENT TEETH MAY NOT ERUPT UNTIL SCHOOL-AGE YEARS
BONE AND TEETH DEVELOPMENT CAN BE HARMED BY MALNUTRITION AND OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS DURING PRESCHOOL YEARS.

2. ORGANS AS THE TRUNK OF THE BODY GROWS, MORE SPACE IS CREATED FOR INTERNAL ORGANS AND THE ABDOMEN PROTUDES LESS DIGESTIVE TRACT IS MATURING LESS RAPIDLY THAN OTHER ORGANS, AND IS MORE IRRITATED BY HIGH-FIBER FOODS AND SEASONINGS THAN THE ADULTS

3. F A T & M U S C L E T I S S U E S
THE RATIO OF FAT OF MUSCLE TISSUE CONTINUES TO DECREASE SLOWLY. BOYS LOSE FAT MORE QUICKLY THEN GIRLS PRESCHOOLER’S ACTIVITY LEVEL AFFECTS MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT GROSS MOTOR DEVELOPMENT PRESCHOOLERS HAVE AN INCREASE IN MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOP MORE REFINED EYE-HAND COORDINATION

4. FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT
PRESCHOOLERS ABLITY TO MANIPULATE, OR WORK WITH THEIR HANDS IS STILL AWKWARD. HOWEVER; AS THEY PLAY WITH SMALL OBJECTS THEIR FINE MOTOR SKILLS WILL IMPROVE
AGE 3
MOST CHILDREN CAN FEED THEMSELVES USING A FORK AND SPOON, THOUGH THEY CAN STILL BE MESSY
THEY CAN BUILD TOWERS FROM SMALL BLOCKS, BUT THE TOWERS ARE CROOKED
DRAW STRAIGHT LINES AND COPY CIRCLES
THEY CAN UNBUTTON BUTTONS AND PULL LARGE ZIPPERS

5. AGE 4
MOVEMENTS ARE STEADIER
4-YR OLDS MAY TRY TO USE KNIVES WHEN THEY FEED THEMSELVES
THEY CAN BUILD STRAIGHT TOWERS
THEY BEGIN TO CUT ALONG LINES WITH SCISSORS
THESE CHILDREN CAN COMB THEIR HANDS AND WASH THEIR HANDS

6. AGE 5 EYE HAND COORDINATION IS GREATLY IMPROVED RIGHT OR LEFT HAND PREFERENCE IS DEFINITE THEY CAN MAKE SIMPLE DRAWINGS FREE HAND FASTEN BUTTONS AND WORK ZIPPERS, MIGHT BE ABLE TO TIE SHOELACES