Physical Development

Your preschooler will work on improving both gross and fine motor skills daily. Activities like walking, galloping, hopping, jumping, skipping, catching, and throwing will be part of their routine. Playground activities, such as walking on a balance beam or climbing the jungle gym, will enhance their balance.

Finger and hand strength will be challenged as they learn to use scissors and refine their pencil grip. Hand-eye coordination will improve through puzzles, building with blocks, and using tools. Daily tasks like taking off a jacket, hanging it in a cubby, opening a lunchbox, putting toys away, replacing books on a shelf, and pushing a chair in will also help refine these motor skills.

Verbal Development

As a parent of a two or three-year-old, you already know how quickly language develops. In preschool, expect a rapidly increasing vocabulary, including more connecting words and phrases like “because,” “also,” and “then.” You’ll notice grammatical development, such as correct verb tenses and plurals, and more sophisticated sentence structures.

Conversational skills will improve too. Your child will learn to follow the ebb and flow of a conversation and (hopefully) interrupt less. They’ll follow multi-step directions and fine-tune word pronunciations. They might even start telling jokes—ones that are actually funny!

Social and Emotional Development

Growth in social and emotional skills is at the heart of the preschool experience. This is a time for learning how to navigate personal feelings and the feelings of others. Children will figure out how to handle conflict and disappointment, develop empathy, and become part of a classroom community. They’ll gain a greater sense of self and an understanding of their abilities, starting to compare themselves to others.

Your child will engage in imaginative and cooperative play with groups of children, making progress in forming and maintaining friendships. They’ll develop sympathy and learn how to help a friend who is sad or mad. This might also be their first experience trusting another adult or looking up to a role model.

Overall Development

This first year of preschool will be filled with more developmental changes than you ever imagined. It’s a special time for you all: Your preschooler’s sense of independence will grow exponentially, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly your baby is growing up.