3 is a Magic Number?

Discussion Three year olds (3YO) are hard at work figuring out the world and how they fit into it. They talk and play with a finesse that they have not been able to accomplish before. Adults who “don’t like the baby stage” often really enjoy having 3YOs around as they can relate to them better because they now talk and act more like adults. What 3YOs do and say may be necessarily more juvenile, but adults can really see the beginnings of older or adult child in the 3YO. 3YOs can: Gross motor Run and climb (objects and stairs) with balance and some agility Kick a ball and throws overhand Ride a bike Dress and undress self Toilet self (during daytime) Fine motor Feed self with utensils Copy a circle Make a line Shows hand dominance Language Tells a story Say 3 word sentences with most (75%+) of language being understood Ask lots of questions Cognitive/Social Follow 3 part commands Share toys Play imaginative play Start to understand time Start to name some colors, letters Want to help and can perform some basic tasks Cannot understand the difference between reality and fantasy and will fear imaginary things like monsters Temper tantrums are still common Notice there are many 3s here: 3 words with 3/4 of the language understandable 3 wheel driving – tricycle 3 part commands Learning Point This is the first in a short case series of key developmental milestones in younger childhood and how understanding these “magic numbers” can help...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news