So this past week I had the privilege to do EYE DA testing (Early Years Evaluation: Direct Assessment) in Sussex Elementary School for Pre-Kindergarten screening. It is a direct assessment that measures the developmental status and school preparedness of children ranging in age from 3-5 years. For the most part it was 4 year olds being tested.
There are four main areas being tested in this assessment…
• Awareness of Self and Environment
• Cognitive Development
• Language and Communication
• Physical Development
Within these four areas the children have 48 questions asked of them.
I had a lot of parents tell me they don’t know what their children should know for going to Kindergarten.
I am going to try and give you a small list of necessary things for your 4 year old to know for kindergarten readiness…
Fine Motor Skills
1.Puts a 10- to 12-piece puzzle together.
2. Holds scissors correctly & able to cut a straight line.
3. Holds a pencil or crayon properly & able to write their name.
Gross Motor Skills
1.Runs jumps and skips
2.Walks backward
3.Walks up and down stairs
Social Skills
1. Uses words instead of being physical when angry
2. Speaks clearly so an adult can understand him/her
3. Plays with other children
4. Follows simple directions
5. Expresses feelings and needs
6. Goes to the bathroom by him/herself
7. Waits his/her turn and shares
8. Talks in full sentences
9. Asks questions about things around him/her
10. Enjoys having books read to him/her
11. Can tell a story about a past event (or by looking at pictures).
12. Says "please" and "thank you"
13. Can spend extended periods away from Mom and Dad
Academic Skills
1. Recognizes shapes (square, circle, triangle, and rectangle) & draw them.
2. Can sort items by color, shape and size
3. Can identify six parts of his/her body (including wrist, chin and shoulder)
4. Understands concept words such as up, down, in, out, behind, over & beside.
5. Counts from 1 to 15 (by sorting and by looking at 15 objects on a page)
6. Recognizes six colors
7. Writes his/her name
8. Recognizes his/her written name.
9. Draw a person Head (eyes, nose, mouth) Trunk, Arms, Hands & Legs
10. Rhyming and beginning sounds
Personal Information
1. Knows his/her full name
2. Knows how old he/she is
3. Knows his/her address and telephone number
4. Knows his/her mother and father's first names
The biggest thing I can tell you as parents of a toddler is …children learn by playing! The more fun you have with them the more they learn. So play with, read with and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them so they will be confident and ready for kindergarten! (PS The TV won’t teach your kids their best teacher is you) Get on the floor and play, lay on the bed and read get outside and have some fun be silly and learn while doing it! If you can take you toddler to kids programming where they get to interact with other kids do it!
Some great resources in our area that have toddler and preschool programming are:
KINGS COUNTY FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE
617 MAIN ST SUSSEX
PHONE:433-2349
PACK
Preventative Action for Community Kids
PHONE:432-2610
Sussex Regional Library
PHONE: 432-4585
TALK WITH ME!
Early Language Services
PHONE:432-4514
3- to 4-Year-Olds: Developmental Milestones
3- to 4-Year-Old Development: Language Milestones
If your child is not very talkative, that will likely change soon. At 3 to 4 years old, your child should be able to:
Say his or her name and age
Speak 250 to 500 words
Answer simple questions
Speak in sentences of five to six words, and speak in complete sentences by age 4
Speak clearly
Tell stories
3- to 4-Year-Old Development: Cognitive Milestones
Your child will start asking lots and lots of questions. "Why is the sky blue? Why do birds have feathers?" Questions, questions, and more questions! While it may be annoying at times, asking questions is a normal developmental milestone. In addition to asking "why?" all the time, your 3- to 4-year-old should be able to:
Correctly name familiar colors
Understand the idea of same and different
Pretend and fantasize more creatively
Follow three-part commands
Remember parts of a story
Understand time better (for example, morning, afternoon, night)
Count, and understand the concept of counting
Sort objects by shape and color
Complete age-appropriate puzzles
Recognize and identify common objects and pictures
3- to 4-Year-Old Development: Movement Milestones
Your busy preschooler continues to be on the move. At 3 to 4 years old, your child should be able to:
Walk up and down stairs, alternating feet -- one foot per step
Kick, throw, and catch a ball
Climb well
Run more confidently and ride a tricycle
Hop and stand on one foot for up to five seconds
Walk forward and backwards easily
Bend over without falling
3- to 4-Year-Old Development: Hand and Finger Skills
Your child is becoming much more nimble. At this point in his or her development, your child should be able to:
More easily handle small objects and turn a page in a book
Use age-appropriate scissors
Copy circles and squares
Draw a person with two to four body parts
Write some capital letters
Build a tower with nine or more blocks
Dress and undress without your help
Screw and unscrew jar lids
Turn rotating handles
3- to 4-Year-Old Development: Emotional and Social Milestones
Your 3- to 4-year-old is not only becoming more independent physically, but also emotionally. You may start to notice fewer tantrums when you leave your child with a sitter or at preschool.
In addition, your 3- to 4-year-old is becoming more social. Your child may now be able to cooperate with his or her friends, take turns, and may begin to show some problem-solving skills.
At this point in development, your child should be able to:
Imitate parents and friends
Show affection for familiar family and friends
Understands the idea of "mine" and "his/hers"
Show a wide range of emotions, such as being sad, angry, happy, or bored
In addition, you may notice your child's imagination is in overdrive. This can be good and bad. Fantasy and pretend play becomes more interesting and involved, but your child may also start developing unrealistic fears, such as believing a monster is lurking in the closet.
3- to 4-Year-Old Development: When to Be Concerned
All kids grow and develop at their own pace. Don't worry if your child has not reached all of these milestones at this time. But you should notice a gradual progression in growth and development as your child gets older. If you don't, or if your child has signs of possible developmental delay, as listed below, talk to your child's doctor.
Signs of developmental delay in 3- to 4-year-old children include:
Inability to throw a ball overhand, jump in place, or ride a tricycle
Frequent falling and difficulty walking stairs
Inability to hold a crayon between his or her thumb and fingers; has trouble scribbling and cannot copy a circle.
Unable to use a sentence with more than three words and uses "me" and "you" inappropriately
Persistent drooling and trouble speaking
Cannot stack four blocks and has trouble handling small objects
Continues to experience extreme separation anxiety
Lacks interest in interactive games and doesn't engage in fantasy play
Does not play with other children and doesn't respond to non-family members
Has trouble with self-control when angry or upset
Does not understand simple commands
Avoids making eye contact
Resists getting dressed, sleeping, and going to the bathroom
Also, if you notice your child resisting or struggling with doing things that he or she was once able to do, tell your child's doctor. This can be a sign of a developmental disorder. If your child does have developmental delay, there are many treatments available to help your child.
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