By the time your toddler is between 4 and 5 years old, you’re already sending them off to kindergarten.
From here on out they will no longer be exploring the world on their own but with their peers. Other children who are also on the journey of growing up.
Now that many of their physical and cognitive milestones are achieved, they can focus more on building relationships.
Between the ages of 4 and 5 years old, your toddler is learning more and more about their social and interpersonal realms.
As they grow towards their primary school phase, they become calmer and more in control of themselves.
However, with age comes the need to be a ‘grown-up’, with all the skills and independence that come with it.
Here’s the full breakdown of what you can expect from your child at this phase of childhood.
Physical Development
Your child should be gaining around 1 to 2 kilograms per year by now. By the time they turn 5 years old, they should be around 15 to 20 kilograms (and counting).
They should also be growing at about 5 to 6 centimetres per year by the time they reach 5 years old and up.
Before they reach primary school age, they should be between 106 and 116 centimetres tall.
Previously their arms may be longer than their legs, or their heads may be too big for their bodies. But now their bodies are also much more proportional now, looking more ‘adult-like’.
Your little one is now more coordinated than they’ve ever been.
They can walk in a straight line and climb objects and stairs proficiently. They can even skilfully move around obstacles when running.
Their eyesight also improves greatly during this stage.
As a result, when throwing a ball, your toddler can shoot at greater distances and with greater precision.
Before they turn 6, they would already start losing their baby teeth as new teeth come through.
They are still picky or fussy eaters at this point, preferring certain foods over others and outright rejecting unfamiliar or unknown foods.
Before they turn 5, they would have been properly toilet trained (depending on how soon you start teaching them). They may even be able to independently take care of their bowel movements and hygiene on their own.
Some parents will start teaching their kids simple chores at this age if not earlier. Things like putting away their toys, folding clothes, or tidying up their room.
If they’d like to help out in the kitchen, you can ask them to wash vegetables or set the table.
Cognitive Development
Between 4 and 5 years old, your little one should have a rudimentary foundation for language.
They can speak in more or less full sentences, usually around five to seven words.
Their speech will be about 80 to 90 per cent understandable to adults at this point.
More advanced children should already be able to recognise letters and numbers.
They may attempt to read, although they will not be proficient at it.
By the time they reach primary school age, they should be able to count from 0 to 20 (or more) and to list down the alphabet (both upper and lower cases). Your guidance will determine how far they advance in these skills.
When asked to draw certain shapes or write letters and numbers, your toddler is able to do so with varying degrees of competency.
They can name about 6 to 10 colours and shapes. When asked to group similar objects together, your toddler can pretty much do so without much difficulty.
Colouring within the lines and using scissors to cut out shapes improves. Their hand dominance is well established at this point.
They may also start learning how to tell the time and how to read calendars.
Their imagination grows, and you will often see them telling stories or crafting fantastical worlds using toys, drawings, and when roleplaying with peers or siblings.
More likely than not, the basis of their creativity will come from the books you read to them and the television programmes they watch. You may find that they copy or imitate certain characters this way (for better or for worse).
Children are extremely impressionable at these ages, so be sure to only expose them to educational and wholesome content (on the phone or the TV screen).
Your child’s curiosity is still pretty strong at this point.
With their growing strength, they have greater control over what they touch and where they go (which means you can easily lose sight of them if you’re not paying attention).
It is important to be much more vigilant at this stage as a parent to prevent them from reaching out for anything dangerous (like a boiling kettle) or going somewhere they’re not supposed to (like on an open road).
Emotional Development
Your little one will start making many friends at their preschool or kindergarten between the ages of 4 and 6 years old.
Through their interactions with you and other close loved ones, they will have formed a proficient foundation of social interaction.
Important interpersonal etiquette like reciprocity, respect, sharing, cooperation and empathy will guide them on how to create new relationships with their peers.
However, do not expect things to go smoothly all the time.
Your child may still be very possessive of their belongings.
More reserved children will often play by themselves or have an ‘imaginary friend(s)’ instead of playing with others.
Those who are more outgoing may appear a bit selfish and domineering, preferring to take charge when playing with others. For example, dictating which toys they should play with.
In sports, games or other activities, they will usually look to adults for approval.
Between the ages of 4 and 6, your child is beginning to understand feelings like ‘pride’ and ‘accomplishment’
Their emotions are slowly becoming more and more complex, mimicking those of adults.
However, in terms of their emotional maturity, your toddler may still cry or hit things out of frustration. They may go through several mood swings depending on the situation.
But in most cases, they will usually verbalise their discontent instead of throwing tantrums or yelling. Those will usually be the last resort when ignored by a parent or carer.
Growing Up Day by Day
It may seem only yesterday that your little one was just a bundle in your arms.
Now, they are running around and talking like small adults.
Most children will want to be ‘grown-ups’ so bad. They look up to their parents and to other older children.
Your toddler may even start to imitate your behaviour and mannerisms even more now. Which is why it is crucial that you become good role models for them.
Before you know it, they’ll be off to school, then to college, and towards the next stage of where their life will take them.
So, cherish these tender moments with your little ones, mums. But for now, celebrate all the milestones that they have achieved, no matter how small.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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