Your Child at 4 Years
Child’s Name Child’s Age Today’s Date
How your child plays, learns, speaks, acts and moves offers important clues about your
child’s development. Developmental milestones are the things most children can do by a certain age. Check the
milestones your child has reached by his or her 4th birthday. Take this with you and talk with your child’s doctor at
every visit about the milestones your child has reached and what to expect next.
What Most Children Do at This Age: Act Early by Talking to Your
Social/Emotional Child’s Doctor if Your Child:
o Enjoys doing new things
o Plays “Mom” and “Dad” o Can’t jump in place
o Is more and more creative with make-believe play o Has trouble scribbling
o Would rather play with other children than by himself o Shows no interest in interactive games or make
o Cooperates with other children believe
o Often can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe o Ignores other children or doesn’t respond to
o Talks about what she likes and what she is interested in people outside the family
o Resists dressing, sleeping and using the toilet
Language/Communication o Can’t retell a favorite story
o Knows some basic rules of grammar, such as correctly o Doesn’t follow 3-part commands
using “he” and “she” o Doesn’t understand “same” and “different”
o Sings a song or says a poem from memory such as the o Doesn’t use “me” and “you” correctly
“Itsy Bitsy Spider” or the “Wheels on the Bus” o Speaks unclearly
o Tells stories o Loses skills he once had
o Can say first and last name
Tell your child’s doctor or nurse if you notice any of
Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
these signs of possible developmental delay for this
age, and talk with someone in your community who is
o Names some colors and some numbers familiar with services for young children in your area,
o Understands the idea of counting such as your local public school. For more information,
o Starts to understand time go to www.cdc.gov/concerned or call 1-800-CDC-INFO
o Remembers parts of a story (1-800-232-4636).
o Understands the idea of “same” and “different”
o Draws a person with 2 to 4 body parts
Adapted from CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD: BIRTH TO AGE
o Uses scissors 5, Fifth Edition, edited by Steven Shelov and Tanya Remer Altmann © 1991,
1993, 1998, 2004, 2009 by the American Academy of Pediatrics and BRIGHT
o Starts to copy some capital letters FUTURES: GUIDELINES FOR HEALTH SUPERVISION OF INFANTS, CHILDREN, AND
o Plays board or card games ADOLESCENTS, Third Edition, edited by Joseph Hagan, Jr., Judith S. Shaw, and
Paula M. Duncan, 2008, Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.
o Tells you what he thinks is going to happen next in a book This milestone checklist is not a substitute for a standardized, validated
developmental screening tool.
Movement/Physical Development
o Hops and stands on one foot up to 2 seconds
o Catches a bounced ball most of the time
o Pours, cuts with supervision, and mashes own food
www.cdc.gov/ActEarly | 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
Learn the Signs. Act Early.
Help Your Child Learn and Grow
You can help your child learn and grow. Talk, read, sing and play together every day.
Below are some activities to enjoy with your 4-year-old child today.
What You Can Do for Your 4-Year-Old:
o Play make-believe with your child. Let her be o Use words like “first,” “second” and “finally”
the leader and copy what she is doing. when talking about everyday activities. This
will help your child learn about sequence of
o Suggest your child pretend play an events.
upcoming event that might make him
nervous, like going to preschool or staying o Take time to answer your child’s “why”
overnight at a grandparent’s house. questions. If you don’t know the answer, say “I
don’t know,” or help your child find the
o Give your child simple choices whenever you answer in a book, on the Internet or from
can. Let your child choose what to wear, play another adult.
or eat for a snack. Limit choices to 2 or 3.
o When you read with your child, ask him to
o During play dates, let your child solve her tell you what happened in the story as you go.
own problems with friends, but be nearby to
help out if needed. o Say colors in books, pictures and things at
home. Count common items, like the
o Encourage your child to use words, share number of snack crackers, stairs or toy trains.
toys and take turns playing games of one
another’s choice. o Teach your child to play outdoor games like
tag, follow the leader and duck, duck, goose.
o Give your child toys to build imagination, like
dress-up clothes, kitchen sets and blocks. o Play your child’s favorite music and dance
with your child. Take turns copying each
o Use good grammar when speaking to your other’s moves.
child. Instead of “Mommy wants you to come
here,” say, “I want you to come here.”
www.cdc.gov/ActEarly | 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
Learn the Signs. Act Early.
