What should a child understand at 4 years old?

During the preschool years (from 4 to 6 years inclusive), children experience consolidation and further development of the functions of the cerebral cortex. At this age, both the analytical and synthetic activity of the cerebral cortex becomes significantly more complicated in children. At the same time, differentiation of emotions occurs. Due to the imitation and repetition characteristic of children of this age, which contribute to the formation of new cortical connections, they quickly develop speech, which gradually becomes more complex and improved. By the end of this period, children develop single abstract concepts.

Physical development of a child at 4 years old

Can confidently stand and walk on tiptoes (toes). All children at this age can stand on one leg for at least 5 seconds and hop 1-2 times on one (leading, usually right) leg. By the age of four, the child is clearly identified with his dominant hand (right-handed or left-handed). Normally, a left-handed person may be slightly behind in the coordination of simultaneous hand movements and speech development.

Long jumps from a place on two legs by at least 15–20 cm. Can jump high from a place, that is, jump in place with a lift off the floor. Walks and runs freely up and down the steps of the stairs, stepping on each of them with one foot.

Can pick up an object from the floor by bending at the waist with straightened legs. Throws and catches the ball with both hands, without pressing it to the chest. Throws a small ball from hand to hand.

Household skills of a child at 4 years old

Dresses and puts on his shoes completely by himself, including putting on a T-shirt. Fastens the buttons. Some children can be taught to tie their shoelaces. Undresses independently; knows how to fold her clothes before going to bed.

Wash hands independently with soap and dry them with a towel. You can develop the habit of washing your hands after using the toilet. Most children brush their teeth on their own; a minority still need help squeezing the toothpaste onto the brush.

Eats completely independently (alone).

Regulates its physiological needs. Goes to the toilet on time independently. Can now handle the entire procedure on his own, including using toilet paper.

The child had previously tried to participate in the daily life of the family, but he was more likely to get in the way than help. At 4 years old, his help can be really noticeable. You should involve your child in homework and praise him, noting how he really helped you.

Child's play at 4 years old

Independently assembles a nesting doll from four to five inserts (4-5 nesting dolls of different sizes) into one, focusing on the size. You may also need a little help in accurately aligning the pattern in the two halves of each nesting doll.

Matches flat geometric shapes to the sample (circle, rectangle, triangle, trapezoid, oval, square). Visually navigates the configuration of three-dimensional geometric shapes, selects them to the corresponding holes in shape. Some of them can be called: ball, roof (prism), column (cylinder), brick.

Can start a mechanical toy with a key. He begins to control his attention and is less distracted - he wants to play board games more often.

Games with dressing up in adult clothes appear.

This period is the heyday of independent role-playing games. For example, while playing with a doll, he says: “I am a mother,” “I am a doctor.”

A role-playing game with two or three children becomes possible. In such games, there is active communication with peers, in which actions are replaced by words. When playing together with children, he tries various forms of behavior: sometimes he cooperates, sometimes he is aggressive. Playing with children helps develop an understanding of the need to argue with words rather than physical action.

Loves to play with construction sets and other building materials. He makes complex plot buildings out of them and names them: house, garage, room. Uses these buildings for a board game with story toys (car, teddy bear, doll).

Favorite games appear. Can play any one game for quite a long time: from 10 to 40 minutes.

Drawing
Holds a pencil correctly. Following the adult's demonstration, he draws a square, less often a triangle. Let us remind you that a more difficult task is copying, which differs from drawing by demonstration in that when copying, the child does not see how you yourself draw. The child copies from a drawing you have already drawn. Therefore, not every child will be able to copy a square, unlike drawing it from a demonstration. But by the age of four, all children should be able to copy a cross. The result of copying a cross is considered better the closer the lines of the cross intersect in the middle.

On his own or upon request he can draw something similar to a house. He often draws according to his own ideas. Explains what he is drawing (path, rain, house, etc.).

Draws a man in two parts. Most children at this age will draw a man from three parts - torso, head, legs. Paints over drawings and sculpts from plasticine.

Understanding of quantitative relationships improves. The idea of number expands - it shows and says: one, few, many. You can teach your child to count to four. If you put 4 cubes in front of your child and ask: “Count how many cubes are in front of you,” he will count them correctly and without prompting.

Is oriented in seven colors, including black and white. He selects them according to a model or at the request of an adult: “Give me a red cube, give me a black cube.” To the question “What color is the cube?” names 3-4 colors correctly.

With proper upbringing, he complies with the basic requirements of behavior in society and on the street.

Speech of a child at 4 years old

State your age, first name, last name and address. Names the time of day correctly (morning, evening). You can teach how to call adults by their first and patronymic names. By age 4, he should be able to form phrases of four to five words. Can link such phrases into more complex sentences: “After we ate, we went outside and played with a ball.” More often he uses conjunctions and allied words: so that, because, if, that, which, etc.

Can tell adults in detail about the events of the day. Retells a simple fairy tale. Describes the plot picture.

Begins to understand simple jokes and develops a sense of humor. Feels the difference between fantasy and reality.

Distinguishes and names his own gender (boy or girl), the gender of adults (aunt, uncle) and other children.

Attention!

If you pronounce one or more consonant sounds incorrectly or unclearly, you should consult a speech therapist.

How to feed a child at 4 years old

Basic principles of menu design It is considered unacceptable when the daily menu contains two porridges plus a cereal side dish for the second. It is advisable to serve two vegetable and one cereal dishes during the day. If you have vegetable soup for lunch, then serve cereal porridge or pasta as a side dish for the second course. If the soup is cereal, then vegetables should be a side dish for the second course. It is undesirable to combine foods rich in protein with fats, otherwise they linger longer in the stomach and require a large amount of digestive juices. It is recommended that protein-rich dishes containing meat, fish, eggs be given in the first half of the day - for breakfast and lunch.

During lunch, the child must eat soup, because substances in vegetable or meat broths stimulate the stomach receptors, and this increases appetite and improves digestion processes. You should prepare fresh soup every day and do not offer it to your child too hot or cold. The choice of first courses for children 3–5 years old has no special restrictions: broths, broth-based soups with the addition of vegetables, cereals, dumplings, dumplings, vegetarian and milk soups. Give 150–180 ml per serving to a three-year-old child, and 180–200 ml per serving to a four- to five-year-old child. As second courses for lunch, cutlets, meatballs, stewed vegetables with meat, fish, and poultry should be offered; porridge, pasta, vegetables as a side dish.

For lunch, the child should definitely eat a salad, preferably made from raw vegetables; you can also add greens to them. For dinner, the child should be given easily digestible food, because... At night, digestive processes are inactive. Dairy-vegetable foods are suitable. It is recommended to draw up a menu for the week in advance, taking into account the products that the child needs daily, and he can receive some of them 2-3 times a week. What should be given daily: the entire daily allowance of milk, butter and vegetable oil, sugar, bread, meat, cereals, vegetables, fruits, fresh parsley, dill and spinach, onions (green and onions). It is advisable to offer fish twice a week; eggs, cottage cheese, cheese and sour cream can not be given to the child every day, but within 10 days the amount of these products should be provided in full for the age norm. It is advisable to repeat dishes no more than once every three days, i.e. If today the child ate mashed potatoes, fish and beet salad, then these products will not be offered for the next two days.

The amount of food per meal should correspond to the child’s age; you should not increase it, because This helps reduce appetite and disrupts the normal functioning of the digestive organs. Consumption of bread and cereals can be slightly increased in the cold season and reduced in the summer. Viscous porridges should be replaced with crumbly ones. The most valuable cereals are buckwheat and oatmeal, which contain proteins and minerals important for the development of a child. As for drinks, you can do anything: fresh juices, compotes of fresh and dried fruits, canned fruit or vegetable juices for baby food, drinking water containing selenium and iodine, rosehip decoction. As for hot drinks, parents can offer weak tea, compote, jelly, surrogates with a taste similar to coffee, and cocoa can be given once or twice a week. It is advisable to dilute tea, coffee and cocoa with milk. Honey, homemade jam, marshmallows, dark chocolate, marshmallows and marmalade are recommended as sweets.

Teach children to eat silently, use a napkin, pull a chair behind them when leaving the table, and thank adults. Maintaining a good appetite at the age of 3–5 years, nurturing the child’s habit of eating at a certain time, and mastering cultural and hygienic skills is an excellent preparation for school.

This period of age development is very important. It is now that the foundations of the baby’s character are being laid. Consequently, proper upbringing has its own characteristics, which should not be neglected. It is very important to find the right approach to the child. The psychology of raising a boy at 4 years old recommends not sending him to kindergarten and not looking for a nanny for him. The parents themselves should take care of the child at this age.

How to properly raise 4 year old boys?

It is necessary to properly raise a child at 4 years old by shifting the balance towards mental activity. Jumping and running are no longer interesting; I want to do something calmer. At this age, children are attracted to drawing and making crafts from various natural materials. Such interest should be encouraged. Such activities develop perseverance.

Mugs. In terms of physical education, the time has come when you can send your baby to the sports section. Daily walks are also required. They promote the development of gross motor skills and strengthen the immune system.

Reading. Show your child letters and teach him to read. It is better to do this in the form of a game. To develop simple mathematical operations, you can use toys. Develop a love for books; reading fairy tales is useful for developing imagination. It is recommended to organize a mini theater: paper or rag dolls made from socks are an excellent solution.

Knowledge. Raising a boy at the age of 4-5 marks the awakening of curiosity. There are endless “whys” constantly being heard. Adults should not lose patience. We must calmly answer all questions and explain anything incomprehensible. Unnecessary details, however, can be omitted.

Kindergarten. If a boy has problems adapting to a group of children, help. Find the reasons first, then carefully eliminate them. Teach your son to communicate with children.

Emotions. Raising a 4-5 year old boy is difficult due to the emergence of new emotions. The baby begins to be offended, irritated, feel ashamed, and sad. He doesn't always know how to cope with new feelings. Doesn't know how to behave. Explain to your child that in such situations it is better to use words rather than actions.

Praise, scold, punish. The baby needs approval for his actions. He will show even more effort if he sees that his parents are happy for him. Scold only to the point. Make comments in a form that your child can understand. Tell your child that you love him, even when his behavior leaves much to be desired.

Education through games

When his son turns 4 years old, mom and dad think about choosing toys. They must develop curiosity and develop personal preferences.

You can raise a 4-year-old boy by resorting to role-playing games.

Teach your son to play “construction site”, “fireman”. This will give him a basic idea of what men do. It is their role that he will play in the games.

At this age, it is important to pay attention to the development of fine motor skills:

come up with games with pencils, plasticine, scissors;
Tell your child a fairy tale where you need to put the grains on plates. Let the child play this role;
You can arrange a competition between family members. This will contribute to the development of leadership skills in the baby.

In the summer, go out to play in the sandbox more often. Build castles. The boy will develop fantasy, imagination, and imaginative thinking. Make figurines with it, give them names, different qualities, and come up with stories together with their participation.

It is necessary to raise a 4-year-old boy by shaping his logical thinking. Use children's dominoes and various puzzles for these purposes. In any store today there is enough material in the children's toy department.

The main participant in the game should be the baby. He is obliged to make a decision, think, look for a way out of the current situation.

Selection of toys for boys

No matter what the baby plays, the toy will still occupy a leading position. The question is whether it was the right choice.

As a rule, parents believe that they need to raise a four-year-old boy by buying him pistols, airplanes, and cars. Moms and dads reject any idea of dolls. When they noticed that their son was playing with a doll, a silent shock set in. Such fear is completely in vain.

At this age, the baby develops an interest in other children and learns to communicate with them. A living example of this is the doll. At first it could be a tumbler, then a fireman, a pilot, a driver, a policeman. A doll cannot interfere with the development of masculinity and courage. Quite the opposite. Remember the robots beloved by all generations of children. Their exploits delighted the kids and developed courage and bravery.

When the toy has exhausted its interest, the boy puts it on the shelf. He goes further in his development. Various construction sets appear in his life. An inquisitive mind is looking for something new.

Properly raising a 4-year-old boy means:

do not impose unreasonable restrictions on him;
participate with him in choosing toys;
quietly suggest without imposing your opinion.

The main task of parents in raising a four-year-old son is to expand his horizons. Don't stop yourself from learning new things. Teach communication with children, gratitude for help, gifts.

Help develop artistic abilities. Kids at this age enjoy singing songs, dancing, and reading poetry in public. Raising a 4-year-old boy requires a greater participation of the father in this process, however, the mother does not need to withdraw herself.

Psychologists note at this age an increase in the desire to know everything. Children's imagination expands and communication becomes more active. The baby's development occurs quickly, and the parents' task is to give him the right direction.

develop your child as a person. Explain to him what is good and bad, right and wrong, possible and impossible;
encourage the expression of emotions, explain how to express them correctly;
have patience and forbearance towards noisy actions. You should not restrain the child’s behavior (within the limits of reason), but also teach him to be restrained;
Raising a child at 4 years old involves teaching him empathy. The child must understand the feelings of other children and respond to them correctly;
keep the sequence. When they say “no”, stick to this prohibition, do not quickly change it to agreement. Otherwise, you will fall under the influence of the baby;
repeat the instructions several times. Children at this age are not attentive. They may hear it and immediately forget it. In such cases, multiple repetitions are needed;
You can't limit your imagination. The kid comes up with different stories and fantasizes. Sometimes his inventions seem stupid. You can make your own adjustments, but don’t kill your awakening imagination;
laugh together more often. Read funny stories and fairy tales to your child;
teach your child to be sociable. Introduce him to his peers. Organize their joint games. During the game, they satisfy their thirst for knowledge, their communication skills grow;
Don’t insist on doing anything for a long time. The child does not have much perseverance at this age.

Hysterics. Show the correct reaction to your baby's tantrum. Raising a 4-year-old boy is difficult; he begins to experiment on his parents, throwing false tantrums. The baby watches the reaction of adults. Wait until he calms down, then talk to him.

When a child reaches 4 years of age, the indicators of his physical and psychological development change: the baby becomes more mobile and active, the desire to understand the world around him reaches a maximum, speech becomes more coherent and meaningful. If a child attends preschool institutions, it is much easier for parents: in kindergarten, children undergo regular examinations by specialists (control of body weight, height, timely vaccinations), teachers conduct various classes with students on the development of thinking, logic, as well as physical exercises. In addition, in kindergarten, a child can communicate with peers, which has a positive effect on his development.

If a four-year-old does not attend preschool, then parents should pay special attention to him:

Conduct regular examinations with a pediatrician, ophthalmologist, ENT specialist, or surgeon. An ECG and consultation with a cardiologist will also be useful;
do a simple set of physical exercises in the morning;
do modeling and drawing with him as often as possible;
read fairy tales and discuss them together;
Ensure active communication with other children.

In order for parents to be able to navigate the correct upbringing, it is recommended to read relevant literature and manuals on raising preschool children. This article will describe the features of the physical, neuropsychic development of a 4-year-old child, and also indicate the range of abilities that he should have at this age.

Physical development

For doctors, the main features in the development of a 4-year-old child are his height, weight, chest circumference, and head circumference. In relation to these indicators, heredity plays an important role: that is, if the baby’s parents are below average height, with low body weight, then he himself will not be distinguished by high indicators in this area. There are small (height: 96.1-101.2 cm; weight: 11.5-14.9 kg), medium (height: 106.1-102.6 cm; weight: 15.4-18, 6 kg), large (height: 106.2-114.1 cm; weight: 15.5-19.6 kg) body type. If growth is sharply deviated from the norm, it is necessary to undergo a consultation and additional examination with an endocrinologist. If your body weight is significantly higher (or lower) than normal, you should see a pediatrician regularly.

However, the reasons for such deviations can be not only improper metabolism or disrupted hormonal levels, but also unbalanced nutrition, insufficient physical activity, etc. Therefore, during the period of active growth and development of the child, parents should remember that proteins, fats and carbohydrates must be present in the baby’s diet. Proteins (beef, beans, grains) are best given in the morning. In the afternoon, nutritionists recommend eating foods rich in carbohydrates (porridge, fruits, vegetables). The number of meals at this age should be 4-6 meals.

In addition, at this age the child is very active: he constantly runs, jumps, and plays active role-playing games with his peers. Therefore, purified still water is very important for a growing organism. You should not overuse sweet compote or sweet tea - the sugar they contain will not quench your thirst and will not provide the necessary energy.

In terms of physical exercise, morning exercises will be very useful. Classes should not be complicated or difficult: basic movements (bending, squats, warming up arms, neck) are enough. The duration of such charging should not exceed 15 minutes per day. If a child attends a preschool institution, then teachers will conduct such exercises with him. In addition, exercises to strengthen the musculoskeletal system (trampoline jumping, gymnastics, walking in a straight line) will be useful.

At this age, it is necessary to begin to prepare the hand for writing by strengthening the muscles of the palm. For these purposes, it is best to use clay, plasticine, dough, and coloring. The figures that the child will sculpt will not only help develop finger motor skills, but also imagination.

Neuropsychic development

By the age of 4, a child’s vocabulary increases to 1.5 thousand words, and the size of the brain is almost equal to the size of an adult’s brain. However, the left and right hemispheres are not equally developed: the right hemisphere (and it is known to be responsible for emotions and feelings) predominates at this age. This explains the behavior of children at this age: they are very emotional, open, kind, always tell the truth, and get offended very easily. It is at the age of 4 that a child develops the concept of good and evil, which is why it is so important to read various fairy tales for them, discuss the main characters, ask the child who he likes and why.

What should a child of 4 years old be able to do?

According to experts, in terms of physical development, a 4-year-old child should be able to perform the following actions:

stand on one leg for at least 5 seconds;
jump on one leg;
jump on two legs (in place, in length);
go down/ascend stairs, evenly moving your feet. When going up/down the stairs, you can count the steps with your baby - this will help him remember the numbers better;
catch the ball with both hands, without pressing the latter to your chest;
run, with a minimum number of falls.

In terms of psychological development, 4-year-old children should be able to:

distinguish between left and right sides, top and bottom;
recognize the difference between quantities (small/large, one/many);
navigate the color spectrum (recognize 7 primary colors);
be able to count from 0 to 9;
know the basic geometric shapes and be able to recognize them (circle, square, rectangle, triangle);
be able to put together construction sets and puzzles (for appropriate ages);
retell heard texts (fairy tales, articles from children's magazines);
describe the picture you saw in 2-3 sentences;
know the main professions (doctor, teacher, builder), and what people do in a particular profession (teacher teaches, doctor treats);
distinguish between types of domestic animals, name the babies of each species;
know the name of the trees that grow in the area where the child lives; several types of flowers;
know his last name, first name, age, names of parents, grandparents, city in which he lives.

In everyday life, a child of this age needs to be able to:

eat on your own;
get dressed/undressed;
comb;
put your things away;
fasten the zipper, untie the laces;
wash your hands with soap and dry them with a towel;
brush your teeth.

At this age, to better master the world around you and develop the necessary set of skills, you can try taking your child to the theater or circus. You should not choose seats in the front rows for the first time - your child may get scared and refuse to attend events of this kind in the future. Excursions to the sights of your hometown (open-air museums, parks, public gardens) will also be useful for your overall development.

A 4-year-old child should be able to catch a ball, walk on his heels and stand on one leg.

Your baby is growing by leaps and bounds, and now he is already 4 years old. For you, of course, he is the best: he can do and know everything. Let's find out what a 4-year-old child should be able to do and know in order to keep up with his peers. And if he is lagging behind in any way, pull your baby up, especially if you are going to send him to kindergarten.

Development of motor abilities

To determine the level of development of motor abilities of a 4-year-old child, do a short warm-up for him. This way you can find out whether the baby has mastered all the necessary skills. A child needs these gross motor skills to develop properly.

So baby At the age of 4 he should learn to walk on his heels. catch the ball for a normally developed four-year-old child will not be difficult, just like jump on one leg. On two legs, the baby had to learn to jump at the age of 3, as well as master riding a bicycle.

Now the child can stand on one leg much longer - almost 10 seconds. Although at 3 years old he could only stand like that for one second.

Independence and other skills of a child at 4 years old

Your 4 year old should already distinguish primary colors(white, black, green, red, blue, yellow).

It’s not scary if a child confuses, for example, pink and orange. In addition, a child at this age should confidently name shapes - circle, square, rectangle, triangle.

Also, for a 4-year-old child it will no longer be difficult arrange objects by height and size: from high to low, from large to small and vice versa.

A 4-year-old child is already quite knows how to fulfill adult requests. It can be argued that at 4 years old a child can become a real assistant for parents.

It can already help to wash the floor, hammer a nail, water the flowers, and wash the dishes. Of course, not everything will work out perfectly, but the main thing is that the child tries with all his heart, and that the parents have the patience to teach their daughter or son all this.

The child is already happy plays role-playing games: extinguishes fires, swims in the seas, lays down and feeds a doll, or plays mother-daughter with other children on the playground.

It is at the age of 4 that it is best to send your child to kindergarten. Especially if he previously passed a psychological test for readiness for a children's team. After all, at the age of 4, a child already knows how to eat, dress and go to the toilet on his own.

Speech development in 4 year old children

As a rule, children at 4 years old can already speak well. The child constructs sentences correctly, and not only simple, but also complex.

According to the observations of psychologists, A 4 year old child asks approximately 400 questions a day! That is, this is one question per minute and a half.

The baby not only asks many difficult questions for parents, but also knows how to answer various tricky questions from adults.

And it is better to write down answers that amuse and delight everyone around in a separate notebook, and on their coming of age day they will become the best gift for the child himself.

If at 4 years old the child still does not clearly pronounce the letters “r” and “l”, this is not a speech disorder. It is important that correct speech is formed by the age of 6-7, when the child needs to go to school.

A child of 4 years old will already confidently recite poetry himself., but don’t worry if the baby isn’t too eager to tell them. Perhaps he's just shy.

Of course, all of the above indicators are average; as a rule, the baby knows how to share some things better and others worse.

If most of the above is not particularly difficult for your 4-year-old child, then he is developing normally. We can talk about any violations only if the baby lacks most of the skills.

What should a 4 year old child be able to do?

Each baby is unique and develops at its own individual pace. This can be noticed from birth. Attentive parents watch their baby and record his every new achievement. To make it easier for moms and dads to navigate, psychologists together with pediatricians have compiled a list of skills that a child of 4 years should have.

Development of fine motor skills

Fine motor skills are extremely important for a baby, as they form the basis for speech development. A four-year-old child can easily:

string large beads onto a ribbon, braid or cord;
show your own fingers one by one;
make shapes from fingers;
tie lacing;
fasten the zipper, buttons and hooks.

The world

Exploring the world around him is an important task for a child, which is based on an integral character trait of all children - curiosity. At 4 years old children are able to:

state your name, age;
answer the question about place of residence;
talk about your parents;
distinguish edible fruits - berries, vegetables, fruits - from each other by taste and appearance;
select 3-4 trees or shrubs from the rest;
show in the images and name animals, insects, birds and name their distinctive features;
understand different categories of things (dishes, furniture, clothes, shoes);
show and label body parts on yourself;
name professions;
distinguish winter from summer and other seasons.

Mathematical ability

The capabilities of a four-year-old child are not limited to knowledge of objects around him. At this age, children should be capable of many things, including:

count from 1 to 5 and vice versa;
correlate the named figure with the number of items;
compare objects;
distinguish geometric shapes (circle, triangle, square);
understand the difference between length, height, width;
indicate sides (right, left);
indicate quantity (more, less);
compare 2 images, see the differences;
collect puzzles;
remove unnecessary items, motivate your choice;
choose paired items.

Productive activity

Psychologists believe that productive activity is the key to creative abilities. A 4 year old child can:

hold a pencil confidently and correctly;
use different types of paints;
depict an object, conveying its characteristics;
paint over the intended outline;
create a pattern;
depict a plot by drawing several objects;
draw with or without the original image;
use various techniques for applying paint with a brush;
sculpt from plasticine;
use a stack;
construct from cardboard according to a model and without it;
use scissors;
transform the cut out shapes (make a circle from a square);
glue elements onto the sheet;
bend sheets in different directions;
name the details.

Logical thinking

Experts advise paying special attention to it. Developing logic skills will allow your child to succeed in intellectual activities in the future. At 4 years old a child can:

look for differences between two similar images;
design according to a model;
collect a drawing divided into 4 parts;
fold the pyramid yourself;
engage in one activity continuously for 5 minutes;
fill in the gaps in the pictures with suitable elements;
name several similar objects in one word;
exclude unnecessary items;
answer logical questions correctly (why wear a hat in winter?);
select antonym words (cold - hot);
remember and repeat associatively related words (cat - dog);
motivated to remove unnecessary items.

You should not panic if your child has not fully mastered all of the listed skills at the age of 4, but it is important to pay special attention to this area of development. Together with a psychologist, you can select developmental activities that will benefit and bring pleasure to both the baby and his parents.