Development from 4 to 5

This is our last look at The Developmental Map of the First Five Years by Dr. Harry Ireton. Those of us interested in early childhood development owe a great deal to his work. e has provided in this simple tool a way to look at the development of a child and gauge where they are functioning. The map helps us begin to look for discrepancies in the rate of growth in each developmental area. As the words of Mr. Rogers suggest, “Everything grows together, because we’re all one piece”. If you believe this is not the case with your child’s development, it is wise to seek the advice of your child’s pediatrician, our Rusk County Birth to Three Program, or the early childhood team in your school system. They can help pinpoint where on the map your child’s development may have gone astray. More importantly they can help you understand your role in helping your child reach his full potential.

So here we are with our child age four to five years old. She will enter kindergarten in the next year and you will move to a different place in how you parent and she will move to a different place in how much guidance she needs from you.

Right now her social skills are at the level where she follows simple rules in board games or card games and where she can show leadership among children. The self-help markers from age four to five include self-toileting, usually looking both ways before crossing the street, and buttoning one or more buttons. Gross motor skills include propelling herself on a swing by pumping, skipping or making running broad jumps, and being able to hop repeatedly on one foot without support. She can print most of her first name, draw a person that has a head, eyes, nose, mouth and maybe even arms and legs, and she draws many other recognizable pictures. Language development is taking a new leap as she can read a few letters of the alphabet and maybe some words. She can tell you what she knows about things, “What is a cat?” She can follow a series of three simple instructions.

She is just five years old, five years of growth and development. This development of your child did not occur in a vacuum. It occurred within the love and support you gave her. Knowledge about child development is a great tool. It is what you do with this knowledge as you live your life and raise your children that makes the difference.

Toad House Publishing

Twinkletime Rhymes to Print