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Preschool Development and Milestones: 36 through 47 months

Preschool Development and Milestones: 36 through 47 months

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Early childhood development (ECD) is a complex theory that explains how a child learns and how the brain advances through stages of abilities from birth to 5 years of age. One part of this theory is Three-Year-Old or Preschool Development. As your child’s parent, you are their most important teacher. As teachers, we support the children’s development as they advance their abilities. This blog focuses on the modern teaching approach in ECE, called the whole-child approach, where teaching encompasses the development of all aspects of the child’s learning: physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional abilities.

Abilities are skills a child has or is developing; preference means their likes or dislikes. Preschoolers develop abilities and preferences at their own pace, also called developmental milestones or skills. Many abilities overlap with one another, making it difficult to separate them. It is important to remember that children develop a wide range of abilities at different rates. Any child could be above the typical age in one ability and below the typical age in another.

Cartoon child with Whole Child Development terms written around him.

This blog focuses on how children engage and interact with toys and the abilities necessary for that interaction. We do not provide medical advice, medical conditions, child health suggestions, or disease control. 



Preschoolers are bursting with energy, curiosity, and eagerness at three years old. They’re always on the go, diving into whatever catches their interest. It’s a stage where they’re honing their motor skills and letting their creativity and imagination soar through dramatic play, artwork, and storytelling. Their vocabulary and intellectual abilities are expanding rapidly, empowering them to express ideas, solve problems, and plan ahead. Preschoolers are firm in their opinions, but also starting to understand others’ needs and gaining some control over their own behavior. They yearn for independence but still appreciate knowing that a grown-up is there to help, comfort, or rescue them when necessary.

Preschool children strongly believe in their own opinions. At the same time, they are developing some sense of the needs of others and some degree of control over their own behavior. They strive for independence, yet they need reassurance that an adult is available to give assistance, to comfort, or to rescue them if needed.


Cartoon boy holding barbells in the air.

At three years old, kids make big strides in their gross motor skills! They can tiptoe, balance on one foot, hop, jump, climb, and slide on play structures with ease. They’re also great at kicking or catching a big ball from a short distance, throwing overhand, and aiming at short distances. Plus, they can pedal a small tricycle or Bigwheel, walk up and down stairs by themselves using alternating feet, and have a blast jumping from the bottom step! They also enjoy swinging on a swing, but not too high or too fast.

At this age, preschoolers typically use a Tripod Grip to hold a crayon or marker between the first two fingers and thumb. They can turn pages of a book one at a time and may also enjoy building with blocks, building a tower of eight or more blocks! Additionally, they typically enjoy playing with playdough, being able to pound, roll, and squeeze it. They may also begin to show Hand Dominance at this age.

Preschoolers can carry a container of liquid, such as a cup of milk or a bowl of water, without much spilling and pour liquid from a pitcher into another container. They’re even mastering the art of manipulating large buttons and zippers on clothing. They can wash and dry their hands and brush their teeth, but not thoroughly.


Cartoon girl holding a puzzle piece with a question mark.

The three-year-old preschooler loves listening to age-appropriate stories and often makes cute comments during the storytelling, especially when it relates to home and family events. They really enjoy looking at books and pretending to “read” to others or explain the pictures. The preschooler also has a blast with stories that have riddles, guessing, and “suspense”. They’re pretty good at pointing to the right pictures when given words that sound similar, like keys-cheese, fish-dish, and mouse-mouth.

Older toddlers and two-year-olds are trying their best to draw circles, squares, and some letters. They understand triangles, circles, and squares, and can point to the one you ask for. When sorting objects, they can usually do it based on color or size. They’re also getting the hang of comparing sizes and recognizing which is bigger, like a tennis ball or a golf ball. They’re also pretty good at knowing the smaller one.

They can name and match at least the primary colors: red, yellow, and blue, and they’re pretty skilled at arranging cubes in a horizontal line or using them to build a bridge. Plus, they’re learning to count objects out loud and can point to pictures with “more,” like cars, planes, or kittens. They’re also starting to understand time, using phrases like “all the time,” “all day,” and “for two days,” even though they still get a bit confused, like saying, “I didn’t take a nap tomorrow.”

Preschoolers enjoy counting objects out loud. They point to pictures with “more,” such as cars, planes, or kittens. They also show some understanding of the duration of time by using phrases such as “all the time,” “all day,” and “for two days.” But some confusion remains: ” I didn’t take a nap tomorrow.”


The three-year-old talks about objects, events, and people not present: “Noah has a pool in his yard”. They will also talk about the actions of others: “Daddy’s mowing the grass.”. In conversations, they will add information to what has just been said: “Yeah, and then he grabbed it back.” They are asking increasing numbers of questions, particularly about location and the identity of objects and people. and the answers to simple questions are appropriate. Uses an increasing number of speech forms that keep conversations going: ” What did he do next?” “How come she is hiding?”

The three-year-old child will call attention to themself, objects, or events in the environment: “Watch my helicopter fly.” They will also promote the behavior of others: “Let’s jump off the log, you go first.” They will want to join in social interaction rituals like “Hi,” “Bye,” “Please,” and “Thank you”. Comments are made about objects and ongoing events: “There’s an escalator,” or “The garbage truck is picking up the garbage”. Vocabulary has increased; now, it uses three hundred to one thousand words.

They love to recite nursery rhymes and sing songs, and their speech is understandable most of the time.


The three-year-old toddler is friendly, laughs frequently, and is eager to please. They often talk to themselves and show affection toward younger children or those who get hurt. They may have occasional nightmares and fears of the dark, monsters, or fire. Additionally, they may continue to rely on a special blanket, stuffed animal, or toy for comfort.

They observe other children playing and may join in for a short time. At this age, they often play Parallel to other children. This means they will sit next to or work alongside another child but have their own play going on. They will defend toys and possessions and may become aggressive at times by grabbing a toy, hitting another child, or hiding toys.

They join in simple games and group activities, sometimes with hesitation. Although they seem to understand taking turns, they are not always willing to do so. They engage in make-believe play alone and with other children. They sit and listen to stories for up to ten minutes at a time.


This is a Development Alert Check List for preschoolers thirty-six through forty-seven months.

    Cartoon of a toddler girl crying.

    Toy safety is essential because small objects should not be around young infants and children. As children turn three years old, this is a great time for parents to create a dedicated, safe place and play area.


    As three-year-old toddlers grow, they start pretending to be mommy, daddy, or baby, making role-playing a big part of their playtime. They’re great at using their imagination but still need toys that look a bit like the real thing. For example, they might use a flat block as a pretend cell phone, keyboard, or tablet. Preschoolers also become interested in TV and its characters at this age, often including them in their plays. It’s super important to find toys and characters that they like. These toys and characters help them create play scenarios and understand the world around them.

    In my next post, I will explore child development for pre-K kids 48 through 60 months of age. We will see that four-year-old children become stubborn, argumentative, and test limits. But this is a typical and necessary developmental foundation for developing independence.


    Ntensibe Edgar

    Sunday 17th of November 2024

    Oh yes, this is around the time you really have to watch keenly what the little ones see on screen; you'd better turn on that kids channel on your Netflix.

    Sonia Seivwright

    Thursday 14th of November 2024

    I love three-year-olds and agree that realistic toys enhance their play. Using favourite TV characters is a smart way to spark creativity and connect to their everyday experiences. The right toys can greatly support their development and understanding of the world.

    Melanie E

    Wednesday 13th of November 2024

    It's quite amazing the different stages of child development and how much they can change from month to month. I love it when they get to the age of 3 as they are so much more interactive and understand a fair amount too. My sister will want to have a read of this, her son isn't quite at this stage so she will want to read up before he gets there!!!!

    Angela Ricardo Bethea

    Wednesday 13th of November 2024

    Thanks for sharing this detailed and informative post with us. As a mom of 2 kids, this is really helpful and a great guide for me to check out my child's development.

    Melanie w

    Tuesday 12th of November 2024

    Child development is crucial to ensure the correct building blocks are ready to build a child's future pathway. Excellent review and very insightful x