Four to Five Year Olds

Ages 4 to 5

Below are the program goals for children in our Preschool Program. Generally by the end of this stage, children may be able to do the following:

Emotional Development
  • Dress and undress self with assistance in some areas, such as tying, snapping and buttoning
  • Care for own possessions and those belonging to the group most of the time
  • Place some toys, materials, etc., in their proper places without constant reminders
  • Learn and accept new routines and changes
  • Deal with emotions in a developmentally appropriate way, most of the time
  • Respond to redirection from staff in a constructive way, most of the time
Social Development & Living
  • Understand and participate as a cooperative member of a small group, most of the time
  • Share toys and equipment, most of the time
  • Make the choice between working alone and in groups and be able to do both at different times
  • Cooperate in some group activities and projects
  • Categorize people, places, events and objects in terms of whether they belong at child care or home
  • Identify various kinds of transportation
  • Understand and participate in the celebration of some national holidays
Physical Development Gross Motor
  • Perform motor skills including sliding, leaping, stopping and running
  • Walk a balance beam
  • Catch a small ball (e.g. softball, tennis ball, etc.)
  • Perform physical fitness exercises such as bending, stretching, reaching, relaxing and breathing, etc
  • Talk about why exercise is important and helps us grow (e.g. muscles, bones, etc.)
  • Use large muscle equipment (e.g. tricycle, slides, etc.)
Fine Motor
  • Use scissors and cut simple patterns
  • Use small paint brushes and narrow line markers
  • Glue or paste small objects in simple patterns
  • Copy a triangle
  • Assemble an 8-11 piece puzzle
Cognitive Development/Concept Development
  • Recognize basic colors: red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, white, brown and black
  • Identify similarities and differences of common objects on the basis of color
  • In addition to identifying a circle, square and triangle, identify a rectangle
  • Determine relative size of three objects in terms of big, bigger, biggest and small, smaller, smallest
  • Identify similarities and differences of common objects according to their size and shape
  • Develop an awareness of our five senses
  • Follow a sequence of at least three directions
Verbal and Written Language
  • Recognize and say personal information such as home address and telephone number
  • Give simple directions
  • Make up a story
  • Tell a version of a familiar story (e.g. The Three Bears, etc.)
  • Speak in complete sentences
  • Follow simple instructions
  • Ask for help when needed
  • Incorporate new words learned into everyday vocabulary (e.g. from curriculum and daily living, etc.)
  • Name basic objects and ideas that are important to daily routine (e.g. bathroom, front door, etc.)
Reading Readiness & Literature
  • Name some letters of the alphabet (e.g. upper and lower case)
  • Recognize some sight words in environment (e.g. stop, exit, etc.)
  • Listen and enjoy being read to
  • Answer basic content questions about stories a child has heard
  • Relate the endings of familiar stories (e.g. Peter Rabbit, etc.)
  • Name and tell about characters in stories
  • Recite one or two simple poems or rhymes
  • Relate basic cause and effect from a story child has heard
Science
  • Participate in planting seeds and caring for growing plants
  • Learn about some basic changes, such as ice melting, water boiling
  • Construct simple structures using blocks and other building materials
  • Experience and talk about weather changes in a simple way (e.g. clouds and rain, cold and snow,etc.)
  • Practice basic habits for good health (e.g. wash hands, brush teeth, blow nose, etc.)
  • Help prepare and tell about healthy foods
Premath Skills
  • Rote count from 1-20
  • Recognize most numerals from 1-10
  • Set enough snacks or other objects on a table for at least eight children
  • Identify sets of 0 to 5 objects
  • Identify objects in terms of relative size (e.g. bigger than, smaller than or same size as)
  • Match a number of objects to corresponding items
Art, Music & Movement
  • Use and care for various art materials, including crayons, paste, chalk, clay, finger paints, paint and pencils
  • Use additional art techniques, including drawing, collage, painting, printmaking and simple construction
  • Use simple art forms to entertain self and others (e.g. movement, painting, drama, etc.)
  • Identify simple songs and instruments
  • Talk about how various songs make him/her feel (e.g. sad, happy, etc.)
  • Participate in a variety of music activities
  • Use free-form movement and/or exercise in response to music