Dr. Lise Eliot
Early Childhood Mental Development Expert
VTech Expert Panel Member
Three is that wonderful age when your child – although still very little and cute – has begun to truly express themselves and explore the world more independently. You will be amazed at some of the things your three-year-old can say and remember, so be sure to keep those diaries and video cameras handy!
Here are some typical milestones you may see in your three-year-old:
Language & Cognitive Development
- Handles three word sentences easily; using pronouns (I, you, me) and some prepositions (in, on, under) correctly
- Roughly 90 percent of speech is understandable; however, may go through a phase of normal stuttering
- Loves books and can converse about them during story time
- Interested in reading and identifies a few letters of the alphabet – especially those of own name
- Thrives with a regular schedule and routine and is capable of keeping attention for no more than a few minutes
- Able to count two to three objects
- Understands “if-then” statements, like “If you drop an egg, then it will break”
- Understands “yesterday”, “today” and “tomorrow,” but little sense of time beyond this
Physical & Motor Development
- Jumps and hops by themselves
- Walks upstairs alternating feet and downstairs leading with one foot
- Pedals and steers a tricycle
- Undresses self, but still needs help dressing
- Stacks up to ten blocks in a tower
- Is able to draw a circle
Social & Emotional Development
- Knows own age, gender, first and last name
- Attached to parents and other family members, but stranger anxiety has begun to diminish
- Shifts mood relatively
- Throws tantrums on occasion when tired or hungry
- Imitates parents (e.g., shaving or talking on the phone)
- Engages in pretend social play (”You be the mommy, I’ll be the daddy”)
- Enjoys peers, but play is “parallel” – rather than truly interactive
- Begins learning to share and take turns