Child development and milestones: your 47 month old

Blink and you'll miss it: that little baby inside you almost four years ago is now beginning to understand his sense of identity and confidently learning how to move properly. Yes that's right, your child is now all of three years and 11 months old (just one month shy of four!). Let's find out what he's up to this month.

47 Month Old Development and Milestones

Physical Development

At 47 months old, your little preschooler is no stranger to using his hands for precise movements. You'll find that they're comfortable turning their hands and door knobs, so don't be shocked if they find a way to enter your room.

Your child would already know how to hold a pencil. At this point though, they actually understand how to use them meaningfully.

They're able to copy shapes, print some upper case letters, and draw a picture of mom and dad with two to four body parts. At this point they can even complete drawings by colouring them in a certain direction or cutting them out (using child-friendly scissors of course).

You'll be even more impressed to know that they can manipulate tiny objects, too. Even if they aren't expert readers, your child can stack  flip single pages in books. As time passes, their skills will also improve by being able to tie a knot and not relying on you to help them get dressed.

Another significant achievement other than using their fingers is their ability to use their limbs better.

For instance, your preschooler is now able to walk and run – a lot. As they practice stepping forward and backward, walking swiftly and running should become second nature. Moms, do try and provide a safe space where they can run though, like a grass patch. They may enjoy their time running around the house, but with kids, anything can become a hazard.

Even inclined surfaces are no match, as your child is able to step one foot forward and the other upward – without needing handrails. In fact, their legs are also strong enough to hold their own weight, such that they can balance themselves with one foot for five seconds – while standing still or hopping.

With their stronger legs, your child is now able to kick balls back and forth. Their arms are no exception either. They can dextrously grip things, climb onto furniture and catch a ball mid-air on the spot. The best part? Your child can use a tricycle with confidence.

Tips

• Challenge them to use the slide or the swing in the playground on their own. Your child will feel safe and become more confident when they rise to your challenges.
• Make an obstacle course or maze at home using hoops, cones and tables. It will it be tons of fun, and your child will better understand what the words "over", "under", "around", "up" and "down" mean as she maneuvers her way around the course.
• Turn on music that your child likes and ask them to try out different movements with you. Your child will enjoy the time dancing and will be able to describe the different ways she can move.
• Let them play around with LEGO or building blocks so they can use their hands and fingers. Your child will understand that she can use her hands to turn her thoughts and ideas into reality.

• Provide scissors, crayons, liquid glue and other art materials so she can draw, cut and paste. These activities will train her to use her thumb and forefinger while she is letting her imagination go wild.

When to See a Doctor

Does your child struggle with:

• throwing a ball overhand, jumping on the spot or using their tricycle?
• walking up the stairs or falling most of the time?
• gripping a crayon properly and using it to copy shapes?
• stacking four blocks?
• handling small objects?

Having trouble with doing any of the above could be a sign that something's wrong. Do check with your pediatrician if you see any of the above happening often over a week.

Cognitive Development

As your child lacks experience, not only will she seek to explore her surroundings, but she will also ask you a lot of questions, like "Why do dogs have fur?" Oftentimes you may not have the answer to her questions. But even though children's unending curiosity can be irritating, parents, rest assured that this is a normal part of growing up.

Other than asking questions, your child is beginning to understand how certain ideas and concepts work. For instance, they know the importance of different parts of the day and what time is. They can also count from zero, and understand what counting represents.

Your 47 month old child's memory would have also improved tremendously. They know and are able to distinguish what different objects are and what different pictures mean.

In fact, they can name different colours and pick out patterns in things that have the same look or color and then group them accordingly. It goes without saying that with enough exposure, they will seek out and overcome age-appropriate puzzles.

The most exciting part is that preschoolers are using their imagination as a lens to view the world. Making up stories, fantasies and being a part of that pretend-play (or having an "imaginary friend") is evidence that they are developing normally. They'll even share their story, or parts of their story with you.

There are pros and cons to this imaginative lens, though. Pretend-play does make life fun and engaging, but too much of it isn't a good thing. They may end up believing in things that aren't actually there – like a monster under their bed.

Tips

• Provide a variety of things with different textures like feathers, popsticle sticks and beads. Then, ask your preschooler to make a picture and describe what each item feels like. Doing so will help them learn what opposite things are.
• Ask them if they want to join you in the kitchen and let them help you measure ingredients. Children can understand that solids and liquids are different. They will also make connections between quantity, numbers and measurement.

When You Should Talk to Your Doctor

If your child is unable to comprehend simple concepts like counting or what common objects are, it may be a sign of an underlying condition. Other telltale signs including being  unable to understand easy instructions or refusing to dress properly, sleep or use the restroom.

Social and Emotional Development

Your 47 month old child will also mature emotionally. The main sign that shows his emotional growth would be less frequent outbursts while at preschool or home.

With time, your preschooler will also begin caring and thinking for family and friends, maybe by hugging them intentionally or doing something good for them. They'll also become better at expressing what they're feeling, changing their facial expressions to show that they're sad, angry, happy or bored.

In addition to that, your child will also understand how to better interact with the people around him. This is clear when he works together with his peers and knows the importance of taking turns. Your child will also know how different people have different belongings (what's "mine", "his" and "hers") and not steal them to prevent arguments. Even if they do occur, he might attempt to resolve these issues as they arise.

Other than following social decorum, 47 month olds also recognise how their parents and friends behave and can mimic their actions. Increased curiosity about the world will make them open to new experiences.

Tips

• Ask your preschooler to share one good or special thing about her day at preschool. Questions that prompt her to explain things will encourage her to be more open in sharing her experiences with you.
• Host gatherings or parties so that your preschooler can play with their peers, such as in a playground. Interacting with others will help reinforce the need to take turns in an activity (e.g. a swing, or a slide).
• Compliment them on their strengths. Your child will become more confident in tackling activities on their own.

When to See the Doctor

If you child appears distant from family and friends or refuses to interact with them, then it's best to have a chat with the pediatrician.

In particular, take note if your child:

• is still scared of new places and people
• isn't interested in games where they can interact with others
• doesn't use their imagination to pretend-play
• isn't getting better in controlling their tantrums
• distances himself when other kids are playing
• refrains from seeing people eye-to-eye when interacting with them
• doesn't react to people who aren't family

Speech and Language Development

In addition to understanding their environment better, your 47 month old child can also verbalize their thoughts. They are able to recite their name and age and speak understandably – even to people they haven't met before.

With vocabulary of around 250 to 500 words, it's not just sounds they're making, but real, purposeful sentences with at least five words. Ask them an easy question and you'll be sure to gain a meaningful response. Or better yet, ask your child how preschool was. They're now able to compose a short story and narrate what they saw or felt. If you further ask how they felt about their experience, it will help your child sort what other people are feeling (angry, happy, sad) and their reaction to these emotions.

Tips

• Ask your preschooler to “show and tell” the things, places and people that they like. Letting them talk about the things they love can help them improve their vocabulary and make them more confident in speaking.
• Ask your preschooler to explain to you the story, reason or meaning behind her drawing. Doing so will help her know that shapes and figures can be used to symbolise what she is thinking of.

When to See the Doctor

Consult your paediatrician, if your child:

• can't form sentences with at least three words
• doesn't understand the difference between "you" and "me"
• doesn't stop drooling or drools most of the time and struggles to talk.

Health and Nutrition

Having grown in other aspects, their eating habits have also improved, as they no longer require your help to feed them.

In fact, they are open to trying all sorts of different food, so offer a variety of textures and tastes with each meal. Your meal plan should include food from the following categories:

• Grains (about a small bowl's worth of pasta, cereal and rice is suitable)
• Fruits and vegetables (a palmful of diced cooked vegetables or a small glass of juice)
• Meats (1 tablespoon of diced chicken, fish or beef; 2 tablespoons of beans and peas, or 1 boiled egg)
• Milk (half a teacup or a small cup of milk with each meal)
• Fat (1 small teaspoon of butter or oils)

Your little one may be a picky eater, but there are certain things to remember, too:

• Don't pressure your child to eat food they don't like. Be patient – it takes a lot of tries before they like what they eat.
• Don't serve food that can become choking hazards like grapes, candy, nuts, seeds, marshmallows and large chunks of meat.

Although your 47 month old would have developed some immunity by now, he is still vulnerable to a variety of common illnesses. Keep an eye out for diseases like Hand Foot Mouth Disease, stomachaches, headaches, the flu, sore throat, measles, rubella and sinus infections.  To keep these illnesses and potential diseases at bay, do ensure that your child has received vaccination for:

• Diptheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTaP)
• polio (IPV)
• Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Influenza (yearly flu shots)

When to Talk to Your Doctor

• Liking only one type of food is normal. But do consult a specialist if they like to eat anything else that isn't part of the five food types above.
• Talk to a doctor if you are worried that your child is getting heavier too quickly. Keep in mind that it may be too hasty to assume that they are becoming obese. Furthermore, children often become heavier before their growth spurts.
• If your child has a condition that persists for a week or more, or has fever or rashes, do consult a doctor as these could hint at a far more serious condition.