3 Years and a New Era
We have emphasized in many of our articles that the age of 0-6 is the period when children experience many developmental characteristics the fastest and their learning levels are at their highest. However, 0-6 years old is also divided into two in itself. It is the time when children aged 0-3 are more unconscious, more inclined to listen to their inner voice and absorb everything they see and experience around them like a sponge. This period has more capacity than any other period in our lives in terms of learning and development speed. The age of 3-6 is the period when their absorbing mental characteristics continue, that is, they continue to internalize what is happening around them and make their experiences a part of their personality development rapidly, but they are now more conscious and begin to filter the issues they have internalized a little more. 3-6 years is the second period of development in our life after 0-3 years. During this period, while your children continue their development, they also reinforce and consolidate the features and knowledge they acquired at the age of 0-3. If we, as the Kidokit family, have not yet met at the age of 0-3, we would like you to understand the importance of the age of 3-6 in terms of development and to implement our programs as early as possible. As a matter of fact, this period, which we call the pre-school period, is about 80% of the personality development in which your children build themselves; This is the period when they complete about 90% of their brain development. Every experience and repetition of your children during these years is very important for him.
Until this period, we tried to be your guide by sending you a message every week about your child’s developmental characteristics, your expectations and what you can pay attention to. During your baby’s first months, we were going through very fast and different things every month or even every week. After the age of 2, the development was fast again, but especially the physical development was not as fast as the first 2 years. After the age of 2.5, new formations slowed down physically, and this time the process of refining the acquired features accelerated. After the age of 3, these changes will decrease a little more. The process of further refining, consolidation and internalization of gains not only in the physical field but in all fields will accelerate.
General characteristics of the 3-year-old period
Let’s take a look at the general features of the 3-year-old period that await you in the next year:
Children, who enter the age of play from the age of 3, begin to dominate their previously discovered environments with the development of their motor skills and the increase in their sense of confidence and autonomy. Especially children who play parallel games around the age of 2 are happy to play with their peers when they reach the age of 3. For this reason, it is very beneficial for children to be in the same environment with their peers, where they can share their experiences and learnings. Even though children at this age have not yet completely separated themselves from their mothers (because children who begin to realize that growing up happens independently of others, they still carry some feelings of insecurity), age 3 is a period when children are less dependent on their mother. Now the sense of self and gender have begun to develop. During this period, children also begin to learn the understanding and attitudes of society towards genders.
Compared to the difficult phase of the 2.5-year-old period, children around the age of 3 display more cooperative attitudes. They need clear boundaries and like to follow the rules.
The age of interrogation, which starts at the age of 2, shows itself clearly at the age of 3 with an increasing speed every day. They can understand everything that is said to them and use “language” clearly to express their wishes and socialize. This allows him to establish more meaningful relationships with the people around him.
3-year-old children now have many skills to meet their own self-care. Children can do things by themselves, such as dressing and eating, provided that the environment is provided.
Children aged 3 can climb stairs by changing feet in a coordinated manner. They move forward by connecting their feet at each step in order to remain in balance while descending. (They can also do this while carrying a large plush toy, for example.)
They can easily climb the slides in the playgrounds. They can jump from a height of one step with their two feet side by side. They can use the tricycle. He can now grasp his body position in space. For example, they can evaluate and adjust their own bodily movements according to nearby objects. They can sit with their feet cross-legged. They can overcome obstacles while running.
By the age of 3, the development of fine motor muscles can also be observed more clearly. They can string large beads on the thread. They can use scissors. They can use both hands in coordination. They can build towers with 9-10 cubes. They can copy simple shapes shown to them. (like O, +, /, V)
They can recognize two or three colors together with their names. It is possible to mix blue and green together. They usually distinguish between red and yellow more easily.
While speaking, they use the tone of voice by changing it according to the situation. Their vocabulary is highly developed. They can say their name, surname, gender, and age. They use most personal pronouns and prepositions appropriately. Symbolic play continues to develop in this phase.
They enjoy listening to stories. They may insist on listening to the stories they love very much, over and over again. They can recite up to 10 or more.
They can eat their meals using a spoon and fork without assistance. It is a period when children can acquire toilet habits. (This situation may differ from child to child.) They can take off the clothes and put them on. However, it is normal for them to need help with things like buttoning up and tying laces.