3-Year-Old Child Development Milestones
Everything you need to know about how your 3-year-old is developing, from physical and cognitive milestones to emotional and social development.Medically reviewed by Bree Lustre, MDMedically reviewed by Bree Lustre, MDThree-year-olds are funny, thoughtful, creative, loving little creatures. You will start to feel like you have a real little kid now, and you’ll be able to interact with your child in new and exciting ways.Many parents feel relieved to move past the “terrible twos," hoping their child will become a little easier to manage and less prone to meltdowns. But 3-year-olds can still be difficult to parent at times. They are still learning to understand and control their emotions and sort through their big feelings. So if you are finding this phase challenging, you are not alone.Let’s take a look at what developmental milestones to look forward to at 3-years-old, how to nurture your child and keep them safe, and when to be concerned about your child’s growth and development.
Parents / Emily Roberts
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3-Year-Old Language and Cognitive MilestonesWhen your child was 2, they began saying more words and stringing them into short sentences. At 3, your child’s speaking abilities should start to explode. They will be talking in longer sentences of about four or five words and will be able to start having real conversations with you.Your child should be able to ask for items by their name, understand simple instructions, and make eye contact with others, says Emily Rooker, speech-language pathologist at Bright SpOT Pediatric Therapy. “If they are difficult to understand or appear frustrated over not being understood, an evaluation [by a speech-language therapist] may be beneficial,” says Rooker.As your child’s curiosity about the world around them increases, so will the kinds of things they want to talk about. You can expect a lot of “why” and “how” questions now, as your child soaks in everything there is to know about how the world works and their place in it. Language and Cognitive ChecklistSpeaks well enough for most strangers to understand what they are sayingSays their own name and the names of their friendsIs learning the correct use of pronouns (“I,” “me,” “we,” "they," “you”) and how to pluralize wordsCan do a puzzle with 3-4 pieces and can count about 3 objectsCan retell the story in a book they were read
3-Year-Old Movement, Hand, and Finger MilestonesIf you are noticing that your 3-year-old just won’t stop moving, you are in good company. Three-year-olds have a ton of energy. They are also learning new skills and new ways of moving their bodies.There are a couple of key gross motor skills you might notice at this age, says Caitlin Sanschagrin, an occupational therapist at Bright SpOT Pediatric Therapy. These include pedaling a tricycle, walking up and down stairs one step at a time, and running and jumping more easily.There are also some fine motor skills your child should start to master at this age, says Sanschagrin. They should be able to build a tower with about six or more blocks. You should notice their ability to draw using a pencil, marker, or crayon. They should also be able to start copying vertical and horizontal lines and circles at this age, says Sanschagrin. Physical Milestone ChecklistIs learning how to get dressed and undress themselvesCan wash and dry their handsCan feed themselves with a spoonCan throw a ballCan balance on one foot for at least a second
3-Year-Old Emotional and Social MilestonesAgain, don’t be surprised if your child is still having tantrums and meltdowns. This is totally normal for this age. This is partly because 3-year-olds often experience intense emotions. They are still learning to self-regulate and cope with emotions like anger, disappointment, and frustration.“They have a wide range of emotions that they are learning to verbalize,” says Rooker. “3-year-olds may also get upset with big changes to routine.”At this age, you’ll also start to notice changes in the way that your child plays. Their imagination is really starting to take off, Rooker says.“They enjoy playing house, and other simple make-believe activities,” she describes.Your child is also starting to learn how to play with others. This will sometimes be a bumpy ride. Your child is just learning about sharing and taking turns, but may also still be very possessive of their toys, which can lead to meltdowns during play.At the same time, your child is starting to learn empathy. For instance, they may go to comfort their friend if they see them crying.Other Milestones for Your 3-Year-OldAfter 3 years of seemingly endless diaper changes, most parents of 3-year-olds are looking forward to their child being potty trained. Keep in mind, though, that potty training doesn’t have a specific end date—and all kids are different. Research shows that you should only start potty training when your child shows the signs of being ready.While most 3-year-olds are ready to begin the process of potty training, not all 3-year-olds will complete the process by their fourth birthday. While most 3-year-olds are able to stay dry all day, some still have accidents.It’s important to muster up as much patience and compassion as you guide your child through the process. A healthy sense of humor helps immensely as well. Always check in with your pediatrician if you have any questions about how potty training is going.
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How To Help Your 3-Year-Old Learn and GrowMost 3-year-olds are prone to having very big feelings and they don’t always know how to manage them besides acting out. As a parent, besides trying to remain calm yourself, you can try helping your child conceptualize and better understand how they are feeling. You can do this by assisting your child in naming their feelings (“sad,” “mad,” “frustrated,” etc.) and reassuring them that these feelings are normal.While your child is in the middle of a tantrum, there are a couple of methods you can consider to help manage the situation. You can try redirection, which is where you try to distract your child by suggesting a fun activity or offering them a favorite toy.You can also try giving your child options. For example, rather than saying, “No, you can’t climb up on the counter,” you can say, “Would you rather go outside and play on the slide, or have a dance party?”Finally, it can be helpful to try and stay on top of your child’s meltdowns by making sure they get enough sleep and eat regular meals. A hungry, tired child is much more likely to have a meltdown than one who is fed and rested.How To Keep Your 3-Year-Old SafeWhile your 3-year-old isn’t growing quite as quickly as they did as an infant, there is still a lot of growing at this age. You can encourage healthy habits at this age by making sure your child gets enough sleep (usually about 11-13 hours, including one nap), adequate exercise, and eats a healthy diet.Children this age can be picky about what they eat, but as long as they eat regularly and are growing well, you can be assured they are fine. However, you need to watch out for excessive selective eating, which might emerge at this age. If you're child has a very limited number of foods they consider safe to eat, they might not be getting the nutrition they need. Contact your pediatrician if you have any questions about your child’s physical growth, overall health, or eating habits.As your child becomes more independent, you may start to become more lax about supervising them while they play, but they are still too young to play unsupervised—especially outside. Now is a good time to teach your child important outside play tips such as never running into the street to catch a ball, keeping away from the street while riding a tricycle, and the basics of stranger safety.
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When To Be Concerned About Your 3-Year-OldAll children are different and reach milestones at different rates. For example, Amy Graber PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Family Fit Physical Therapy, says that kids can vary considerably when it comes to mastering motor skills. While milestones are helpful ways to check on your child’s progress, they shouldn’t be thought of as “firm endpoints” for assessing your child’s development.“Exposure to certain skills, variability in size or stature, and general motivation for play may vary among kids and this can impact developmental progression,” Graber notes. Still, there are certain warning signs for developmental delays.“Major red flags would be loss or regression of any prior skills (unable to walk or jump as was previously able), frequent falls or injuries, any excessive delays (not running or jumping at all), and fatigue with activity that seems to limit participation in play or other social activities,” says Graber.If you notice any signs of delays or have any questions about your child’s development, speak to a medical provider. If they think there is an issue worth exploring, they will refer you to a specialist for a developmental screening. For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.
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