• Now your child

• Correctly names familiar colours.
• Understands the idea of same and different.
• Pretends and fantasizes more creatively.
• Follows three-part commands.
• Remembers parts of a story.
• Understands time better (for example, morning, afternoon, night).
• Counts and understands the concept of counting.
• Sorts objects by shape and colour.
• Completes age-appropriate puzzles.
• Recognises and identifies common objects and pictures.

• When to be concerned

• If the child does not understand simple commands.
• If the child cannot stack 4 blocks or has trouble handling small objects.

• Now your child
• Imitates parents and friends.
• Shows affection for familiar family and friends.
• Understands the idea of ‘mine’ and ‘hers/his’.
• Understands the idea of “mine” and “his/hers”.
• Shows a wide range of emotions such as being sad, angry, happy or bored.

• When to be concerned
• If the child continues to experience extreme separation anxiety.
• If the child lacks interest in interactive games and does not engage in fantasy play.
• If the child does not play with other children and does not respond to non-family members.
• If the child’s self-control fails when angry or upset.
• If the child resists getting dressed, sleeping and going to the bathroom.

• Now your child

• Says her/his name and age.
• Speaks 250 to 500 words.
• Answers simple questions.
• Speaks in sentences of five to six words.
• Speaks clearly.
• Tells stories.

• When to be concerned
• If the child is unable to use a sentence with more than
  three words and uses (me) and (you) inappropriately.

• • Now your child
  • Walks up and down stairs with alternating feet – one foot per step.
  • Kicks, throws and catches a ball
  • Climbs well.
  • Runs more confidently and can ride a tricycle.
  • Hops and stands on one foot for up to five seconds.
  • Walks forward and backward easily.
  • Bends over without falling.
  • When to be concerned
  • If the child is unable to throw a ball overhand, jump in place or ride a tricycle.
  • If the child falls frequently and has difficulty in climbing stairs.
  • If the child is unable to hold a crayon between her/his thumb and
    fingers; has trouble in scribbling or cannot copy a circle.

Parent’s role
Spend lots of playtime, giving your child to express feelings of joy, excitement, anger and fear fully.
Creative and artistic play is especially urged at this age – encourage painting, drawing, and dressing-up games.
Reading and telling stories and singing songs or reciting nursery rhymes will help your child to develop thinking and talking skills and build her/his imagination.
Get your child interested in healthy food by cooking with your child; it will also help to build math concepts such as half teaspoon, or 15 minutes etc.
Play games with your child that involve taking turns and sharing.

• Now your child

• Names some colours and numbers.
• Understands the idea of counting.
• Starts to understand time.
• Plays board or card games.
• Tells you what s/he thinks is going to happen next in a book.

• When to be concerned

• If the child cannot retell a favourite story.
• If the child does not follow 3-part commands.

• Now your child
• Enjoys doing new things.
• Plays ‘Mom and Dad’.
• Begins to be more creative with make-believe play.
• Plays with other children rather than by her/himself.
• Cooperates with other children.
• Talks about what s/he likes and what s/he is interested in.

• When to be concerned
• If the child has trouble in scribbling.
• If the child shows no interest in interactive games or make-believe.
• If the child ignores other children or does not respond to people outside the family.
• If the child resists dressing, sleeping, and using the toilet.

• Now your child

• Knows some basic rules of grammar such as correctly using ‘she’ and ‘he.
• Sings a song or recites a poem from memory.
• Tells stories.
• Can say first and last name.

• When to be concerned
• If the child does not use ‘me’ and ‘you’ correctly.
• If the child speaks unclearly.

• • Now your child
  • Hops and stands on one foot up to 2 seconds.
  • Catches a bounced ball most of the time.
  • Pours, cuts with supervision and mashes own food.
  • When to be concerned
  • If the child cannot jump.

Parent’s role
Your child’s creativity and enthusiasm will set its own pace as you gently encourage it with trips to the zoo, museums and do not forget the art gallery.
Encourage your child’s relationships with friends.
Physical safety is still a big concern. Although your child’s motor skills have developed substantially, their judgment is lacking.
If you have not already tried swimming lessons, this is a good age to introduce, so your child can learn water safety.
Do not overreact to unpleasant behaviours. Timeouts are an effective form of punishment for this age.