Play for Four-Year-Olds

Fasten your seat belt and get ready for a new surge of independence![1] You will probably have no problem remembering when your child was two. The word “no!”—spoken by both parent and child—was likely a popular one in homes of two-year-olds.

Guess what. Here it comes again, with a bigger vocabulary wrapped around it and more capacity for the child to argue her case.

Four-year-olds are reaching for independence once again and they have a seemingly endless reserve of energy, growing self-confidence, tons of questions (perhaps “why?” will replace “no!” as your least-favorite word!) and constant chatter. Did we mention that much of that chatter may be silly or whiney or belligerent? But to listen carefully to your four-year-olds…you won’t want to miss the charming, magical flights of imagination and creativity so characteristic of this age.

Here are types of play four-year-olds enjoy:[2]

Activities that use their imagination. Dressing up and making up stories or shows are popular pastimes.
Play that involves grouping and sorting objects by size, color, or shape, or identifying missing items in a group or series
Science and math play, especially investigations into what happens when conditions change. Let them play in the dirt and experience changes in consistency when more water is added to the mud. Experiment with the senses by identifying hidden objects by smell or feel.
Playing around with language by making up rhymes, acting out stories, telling stories and drawing pictures to illustrate stories.
Vigorous outdoor activity like playing ball, water play, tumbling, climbing, and dancing.

[1] Resources consulted include: (1) By the Ages: Behavior & Development of Children Pre-Birth through Eight by K. Eileen Allen and Lynn R. Marotz. Published by Delmar, a division of Thompson Learning, Albany, New York: 2000; (2) The American Academy of Pediatrics: Caring for Your Baby and Young Child Birth to Age 5: The Complete and Authoritative Guide, by S.P. Shelov and R. E. Hannemann. Published by Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishers, New York: 1994.

[2] Adapted from Helping Your Preschool Child, by Nancy Paulu in 1993 with revisions by Fran Lehr and Jean Osborn in 2002, is published by the Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs of the United States Department of Education, Washington, D.C.

Provided By Susan J. Oliver, Tropomedia
This information is provided on behalf of the toy experts at your neighborhood toy store.