Developmental Milestones for 3 Year Olds
What most toddlers do at this age:
Social and Emotional
- Copies adults and friends
- Shows affection for friends without prompting
- Takes turns in games
- Shows concern for crying friend
- Understands the idea of mine and his or hers
- Shows a wide range of emotions
- Separates easily from mom and dad
- May get upset with major changes in routine
- Dresses and undresses self
Language/Communication
- Follows instructions with 2 or 3 steps
- Can name most familiar things
- Understands words like in, on, and under
- Says first name, age, and sex
- Names a friend
- Says words like I, me, we, and you and some plurals [cars, dogs, cats]
- Talks well enough for strangers to understand most of the time
- Carries on a conversation using 2 to 3 sentences
Cognitive [learning, thinking, problem-solving]
- Can work toys with buttons, levers, and moving parts
- Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
- Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces
- Understands what two means
- Copies a circle with pencil or crayon
- Turns book pages one at a time
- Builds towers of more than 6 blocks
- Screws and unscrews jar lids or turns door handle
Movement/Physical Development
- Climbs well
- Runs easily
- Pedals a tricycle [3-wheel bike]
- Walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step
Act early by talking to your childs doctor if your child:
- Falls down a lot or has trouble with stairs
- Drools or has very unclear speech
- Cant work simple toys [such as peg boards, simple puzzles, turning handle]
- Doesnt speak in sentences
- Doesnt understand simple instructions
- Doesnt play pretend or make-believe
- Doesnt want to play with other children or with toys
- Doesnt make eye contact
- Loses skills he once had