Now that your kid will turn 3 soon, he/ she would have attained or will soon hit following milestones:

Social/Emotional

  • Can copy adults and friends
  • Can show affection for friends without prompting
  • Can take turns in games
  • Can show concern for a 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

  • Can follow instructions with 2 or 3 steps
  • Can name most familiar things
  • Can understand words like “in,” “on,” and “under.”
  • Can say the first name, age, and sex
  • Can name a friend
  • Says words like “I,” “me,” “we,” and “you” and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats)
  • Can talk 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 play toys with buttons, levers, and moving parts
  • Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
  • Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces
  • Can understand what “two” means
  • Can copy a circle with a pencil or crayon
  • Turns book pages one at a time
  • Can build towers of more than 6 blocks
  • Can  screw and unscrew jar lids or turns the door handle

Movement/Physical Development

  • Can climb well
  • Can run easily
  • Can pedal a tricycle (3-wheel bike)
  • Can walk up and downstairs, one foot on each step

What should you look for at this stage?

At this stage, you should talk to your child’s doctor if your child:

  • Falls a lot or has trouble with stairs
  • Drools or has very unclear speech
  • Is unable to play with simple toys (such as pegboards, simple puzzles, turning handle)
  • Is not able to speak in sentences
  • Can’t understand simple instructions
  • Doesn’t play pretend or make-believe
  • Doesn’t want to play with other children or with toys
  • Doesn’t make eye contact
  • Loses skills he/ she once had

Reference

  1. Your child at 3 years[Internet]. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/checklists/checklists_3yr.pdf. Accessed on Feb 25, 2020.