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What Should 3 Year Olds Be Learning

As your child approaches the age of three, you might start to notice some big changes in their development.

It is around this time where many parents look to consider adding more learning-focused activities and homeschooling to the daily routine or potentially consider enabling your child to attend preschool.

But, what should 3 year olds be learning?

This article may contain affiliate links to products that may help you when homeschooling preschool.

Below are some of the things that your 3-year-old should be learning.

Use it as a platform to build upon as you homeschool preschool. 

Should 3 Year Olds Be Learning A Lot?

Understand Social Environments and Emotions 

As your little one gets older, so does their understanding of social environments, what is expected of them in terms of behavior, and also how they control and express their emotions.

But they still need a little help and guidance.

Here are a few things that you might notice or can focus on:

  • Are they interested in going to new places? 
  • Do they show hesitancy to new people and places but still express excitement?
  • Instead of playing side-by-side with children do they interact with others more?
  • Do they pick up on emotions expressed by other children? For example, a friend who is sad?
  • Show more variety in their emotions aside from happy, sad, angry. 

If you are noticing any of these things or want to try and encourage a better understanding then here are some of the things to try:

  • Playdates with other children will still help with encouraging this social skill and developing it more. 
  • Head to new places and discuss where you are going and what you are doing with your child. 
What Should 3 Year Olds Be Learning

Learning, Thinking and Problem-Solving

As your little one gets older, their thirst for knowledge continues.

It is the perfect opportunity to encourage learning through play and enable your child the platform to problem-solve and work things out.

Here are a few things you might notice or will want to focus on:

  • Can they name a variety of colors? For example, the standard colors you would find in a crayon box?
  • Recite numbers to 10 and in the right order
  • Make sense of their days and routines. Such as understanding morning, lunchtime, time for bed, etc. 
  • Remember and retell stories
  • Can they differentiate between things being the same and different?
  • Follow basic instructions. 
  • Develop fine motor skills such as holding a pencil and being able to draw things such as a circle. 

If you are noticing any of these things or want to try and encourage them a little more at home, here are some of the things to try:

  • Number blocks and puzzles are great for this age. You can get wooden puzzles using the alphabet and numbers that can help your child with order and remembering what they represent. 
  • Reading books together or discussing the things you see when you are out. Reading also helps them with their fine motor skills such as turning pages. You can tell a story while out for a walk, for example, and get your child involved in the imaginative side of things. 
  • Discuss routines and get them involved such as breakfast, bedtime, etc. 
  • Building with blocks and large lego pieces can help work on fine motor skills. 
What Should 3 Year Olds Be Learning

What About Physical Development? 

Finally, as your child is more confident physically this is the stage where they may start to throw and catch a ball, jump, hop and skip, as well as climb.

You could also encourage them to pedal on a tricycle or big wheel.

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