1. Developmental Milestones Preschool: 3 to 5 yrs.

2. Physical Development (Preschool) Changes in body proportions (legs & arms lengthen) Average yearly increase in height of 2 ½ to 3 inches/year Fine motor skills develop; dexterity improves Favorite activities are usually physical By 5 yrs.- consistent hand preference May tie shoes & draw alphabet letters

3. Intellectual Development (Preschool) Make-believe & dramatic play to imitate real life (play house, play school) Difficult to concentrate on more than one aspect at a time Learns to count; one-to-one correspondence Identifies letters & numbers; classifies into groups

4. Language Development (Preschool) By 4 yrs.- Uses complete sentences; asks many questions Adult-like speech patterns; expanding vocabulary Starts to master “f” & “v” sounds

5. Emotional Development (Preschool) Improved verbal skills help them to better express themselves *Not completely able to distinguish fantasy from reality; many fears May physically show anger By 4 yrs.- Basic behavior pattern of most children is clear Live up to expectations ( be careful of “labeling”)

6. Social Development (Preschool) Moves from parallel play to cooperative play (with groups of 3 to 4 children) 4 to 5 yrs. May single out “best friend” Learns how to get along in groups – sharing, taking turns, solving simple problems May be bossy, inconsiderate

7. Moral Development (Preschool) Rigid sense of “right” and “wrong” Concept of “fairness” Behavior to avoid punishment & gain rewards