Developmental Skills

• Imitates adults and playmates
• Spontaneously shows affection for familiar playmates
• Understands concept of "mine" and "his/hers"
• Expresses affection openly
• Expresses a wide range of emotions
• By 3, separates easily from parents
• Objects to major changes in routine

Supporting Activities

• Provide a safe, peaceful, supervised environment.
• Set up cooperative play situations (kicking a ball back and forth; working with another child to "cook" and serve an imaginary meal to dolls or adults).
• Help child solve social problems ("Tell him you don't like....).
• Describe desired behavior and have consistent expectations for behavior. ("Please walk next to me when we are in the store.")
• Respond joyfully to child's jokes.
• Give child enough time to dress, toilet, and eat independently.

Developmental Skills

• Understands consequences of an event
• Begins to understand time concepts
• Recognizes and matches colors
• Begins to classify and group objects (by size, shape, color)
• Talks in short sentences and joins some sentences together
• Sings, learns finger plays
• Makes mechanical toys work
• Matches an object in her hand or room to a picture in a book
• Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
• Sorts objects by shape and color
• Completes puzzles with three or four pieces
• Understands concept of "two"
• Follows a two- or three-part command
• Recognizes and identifies almost all common objects and pictures
• Understands most sentences
• Understands placement in space ("on," "in," "under")
• Can say name, age, and sex
• Uses pronouns (I, you, me, we, they) and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats)
• Strangers can understand most of her words

Supporting Activities

• Set limits on behavior and explain why they are necessary. (Running into the street is not safe.")
• Use appropriate words to describe past or future events (today, tomorrow, before, after, next).
• During story-time ask child simple questions about the story.
• Encourage child to sort and match objects during routine tasks. ("Which things do we need to take a bath?" "Where do the forks go?" "What other things could you wear on your feet?")
• Teach songs and finger plays.
• Talk about sequence of events, tell what comes next.
• Provide access to a computer with appropriate children's software. Use it together.

Developmental Skills

• Begins to draw people and animals, including head and some other body parts
• Manipulates nontoxic modeling clay (making snakes and balls)
• Stacks small blocks and names structure
• Cuts with scissors
• Completes simple puzzle (6 to 8 pieces)
• Makes up-and-down, side-to-side, and circular lines with pencil or crayon
• Turns book pages one at a time
• Screws and unscrews jar lids, nuts, and bolts
• Turns rotating handles

Supporting Activities

• Provide table toys (puzzles, beads, blocks).
• Provide large sheets of blank, unlined paper.
• Allow child to paint driveway with water colors or plain water.
• Offer a variety of writing utensils (Paint brushes, markers, colored pencils, crayons).
• Allow child to use materials independently-do not push child to "make" something.
• Provide material for child to manipulate (nontoxic modeling clay, finger paint, shaving cream, sand).

Developmental Skills

• Walks on a line
• Balances on one foot for several seconds
• Begins to hop on one foot
• Throws a ball a few feet with one hand
• Catches a bounced ball with two hands
• Rides a tricycle independently
• Uses a slide independently
• Climbs well
• Kicks ball
• Bends over easily without falling

Supporting Activities

• Make obstacle course for child to maneuver through (over chairs, under table).
• Play catch with a soft ball, increasing the distance gradually.
• Play catch with balls and beanbags of various sizes.
• Create a tricycle path with props such as stop signs and drive-through windows.
• Play Follow the Leader, including challenging movements
• Play music for dancing.