Preschool 36-48 months

Children between the ages of 36 to 48 months are in a vibrant stage of development. At this age, they are typically known as preschoolers and are characterized by rapid growth in several key areas:

Physical Development:

• Improved coordination allows them to throw, catch, and kick balls.
• They can balance and alternate feet while climbing stairs.
• Fine motor skills develop further, enabling them to draw shapes and build block towers.

Cognitive and Language Development:

• They can follow multi-step directions and have a longer attention span.
• Their thinking becomes more complex, and they start to understand time concepts like day and night.
• Language skills blossom, allowing them to use sentences and begin to count and understand plurals.

Social and Emotional Development:

• They start to show self-control and learn to take turns and share, although this can still be challenging.
• Their sense of humor emerges, and they seek to please adults and develop friendships.

This period is marked by a desire to explore and learn, with imaginative play taking a central role. 

 It’s a time of significant advancement where children start to form their own identities and understand the world around them. Engaging with them through play, conversation, and educational activities can greatly support their development during these formative years.

1. It provides consistency and a predictable routine, which is comforting to children. Children are relaxed and ready to learn when they can anticipate what is happening next. As children move through developmental milestones, they will need to practice skills at which they are successful. The skill levels will vary greatly with any group of children, even those that are all the same chronological age. Only you know how long to stick with an activity to benefit the children in your care. Activities may change or be repeated. You may spend fewer or more minutes on a specific activity; the suggested daily/weekly routines are a guide.
2. Includes open-ended activities and materials that build a learning community in your program. When materials can be used in a variety of ways, more children benefit. Activities that allow for multi-ages and multi-skill levels will include more children. Older children or those with more advanced skills will be models for younger children or those who have not yet attained the skill. Activities in this curriculum encourage children to work together, share, and be successful at their individual skill level.
3. Promotes multi-sensory experiences. Many opportunities are included in our activities that allow children to learn through touch, smell, taste, vision, and hearing. We know that children learn best when information is provided through all the senses. Inquire with families about scent, plant, or animal sensitivities and/or allergies the children may have before beginning any new activities.
4. Invites exploration and discovery. The activities in our curriculum include open-ended questions to promote language development, thinking, and problem-solving. When you model curiosity and wonder and encourage divergent thinking, you will be helping children reach new levels of development and deeper understanding of concepts.