At 4 years and 3 months old, your child is going to surprise you with his never-ending questions. There’s just so much that he needs to know!
You’ll notice that he’s learning at a fast pace, and becoming much more social. He will want to know more about the world he lives in. He’ll love listening to how different people live differently, and try different kinds of food.
In this article, we’ll explore your 4-year-and-3-month-old child’s development and milestones, so you can easily keep track of them. Do remember though, that these are just guidelines. Every child is different and will do things at his own pace and time.
If you are worried in any way at all about your child’s development, it’s always best to talk to your paediatrician.
4-Year-and-3-Month-Old Development and Milestones: Is Your Child on Track?
Physical Development
Jumping, skipping, somersaulting – your child’s confidence in his physical ability is growing, so he will want to try out new things.
He also has greater hand-eye coordination now, and is able to get dressed with minimal help.
To make sure your child is on the right track, here’s the median height and weight* of kids at four years and three months.
- Boys
- Height: 104.2 cm (41 in)
- Weight: 16.9 kg (37.1 lb)
- Girls
- Height: 102.7 cm (40.4 in)
- Weight: 16.4 kg (36.2 lb)
Here are some skills your child should have by now:
- Throws, catches, bounces and kicks a ball
- Jumps over objects and climb playground ladders
- Walks easily up and down steps, one foot to a step
- Runs quite fast
- Does somersaults
- Pedals a tricycle or a bicycle with training wheels
- Can copy basic shapes like a square, a cross and a triangle
- Stacks a tower at least 10 blocks high, and can string beads to make necklaces
Parenting Tips:
- Give your child plenty of outdoor playtime. Not only is it great to hone his physical skills, it is also good for his eyesight and brain development.
- Encourage your child to play with other children. This helps him to learn the value of sharing and friendship.
- This is a good time to educate your little one on road safety and traffic rules
- Playing with modelling clay, drawing, painting, cutting with child scissors, and stringing beads are activities that can strengthen your child’s fine motor skills.
- Limit screen time for your child to no more than 1 hour per day of quality programming, at home, school, or child care.
- Make sure your child gets the recommended amount of sleep every day, which is 10-13 hours per 24 hours (including naps).
When to Talk to Your Doctor
If your child:
- Cannot jump in place
- Has trouble scribbling
- Has difficulty seeing and hearing things
- Loses skills he once had
Cognitive Development
Your 4-year-and-3-month-old is getting better at problem solving, and by now, can probably recite the alphabet and identify many shapes and colours.
He is also going to ask you tons of questions because that’s how he learns best.
“Why can’t we see God?”
“Where do babies come from?”
Mums and dads, keep those answers ready!
Here are some key highlights when it comes to cognitive development of a 4-years-and-3-month-old child:
- Identifies numbers, colours and shapes
- Is able to understand what numbers mean; for example, “There are three cars”
- Understands the idea of counting
- Can distinguish reality from fantasy
- Can understand taller and smaller, and compare two things to find out which is heavier
- Understands the concept of time
- Recognises some sight words
- Explores how things work
Parenting Tips:
- Your child will enjoy doing simple puzzles at this age. Games like Spot the Difference, Tray Game or Under the Cups, will help hone his memory skills
- Reading helps in cognitive development too. When you read with your child, pause and ask him questions about what has happened earlier on in the story, and what he thinks will happen later.
- Let your child help with simple chores like laundry and folding clothes, which can help with improving his sorting skills.
- Cooking is another enjoyable activity – it teaches your child valuable science concepts and also introduces him to maths concepts like 1/2, 3/4, and differences between teaspoons and tablespoons.
When to Talk to Your Doctor
If your child:
- Is easily distracted and unable to concentrate on any single activity for more than five minutes
- Does not use “me” and “you” correctly
- Can’t correctly give his first and last name
- If your child cannot follow two-part commands
Social and Emotional Development
Your child should have a greater control over his emotions by now. He is ready to explore the world beyond the confines of his home. He will love playing with, and making new friends.
However, he is still little, so any major life event, like a move to a new country or school, or the birth of a sibling can affect his mood and behaviour.
Here are more social and emotional milestones you can expect at this age:
- Loves making friends, may even have a “best friend”
- More readily shares and takes turns
- Plays “Mum” and “Dad”
- Able to distinguish fantasy from reality
- Wants to win every game he plays, and is likely to get very upset when he loses
- May start telling small lies to get out of trouble, even though he knows it’s wrong
Parenting Tips:
- Teach your child about private parts, and how to be safe around strangers.
- Teach your child to distinguish emotions like happy, sad, and angry. Learning to put a name to what they are feeling helps children to verbally express their feelings instead of turning to other physical methods.
- Having a proper routine will help your child feel more secure. It can also help him understand time and time management.
- It’s a good idea to send your child to preschool now, if you haven’t already. At preschool your child can make new friends, and develop skills like independence, responsibility and confidence.
- Play games with your child to demonstrate the concept of sharing and taking turns.
When to Talk to Your Doctor
If your child:
- Can’t differentiate between fantasy and reality
- Gets extremely distressed when separated from you
- Isn’t interested in any interactive or pretend play
- Refuses to respond to people in general
- Shows extremely fearful, timid or aggressive behaviour
- Still has problems eating, sleeping or using the toilet
Speech and Language Development
Your child should be speaking clearly by now, and people around him should be able to understand what he’s saying.
As a parent, you can help him develop his speech and language skills by talking to him a lot more, and asking questions about his day and what he has been doing.
Here is what most children can do by this age:
- Knows how to use “me” and “you” properly
- Speaks clearly, but may still have trouble with “s”, “w” and “r” sounds
- Can retell a favourite story
- Asks “Why”, “When” and “How” questions, and asks what words mean
- Speaks sentences of more than five words
- Can say first and last name
Parenting Tips:
- Read to your child. Nurture his love for books by taking him to the library or bookstore. Let your child choose what he wants to read. While reading with your child, stop and ask your child to guess what will happen next. Help him think, by asking questions about what’s happening in the story.
- Help your child develop good language skills by speaking to him in complete sentences and using “grown up” words. Teach him to use the correct words and phrases.
- Your child will enjoy books with rhyming songs and riddles at this age.
When to Talk to Your Doctor
If your child:
- Does not speak clearly
- Does not use “me” and “you” correctly
- Is unable to say his first name and last name
- Doesn’t use sentences of more than three words.
Health and Nutrition
Depending on his age, size, and activity level, a 4-year-and-3-month-old child will need a specific amount of calorie intake but on average it should be like this:
- Boys: 1,599 calories
- Girls: 1,495 calories
Your child’s daily food intake should ideally consist of:
As your child grows, it’s important that your child eats protein to gain muscles and eating food groups that are rich in protein will help your kid do just that! Apart from it, protein also helps repair tissues and helps heal wounds faster. Good sources of protein are eggs, lean meat, poultry, and beans.
Make your child’s mealtime more fun by mixing up different fruits in a big bowl! Different fruits help protect the body in different ways so it’s essential to choose from your greens (kiwi, green apples, etc), oranges (orange, peaches, etc), red (strawberries, red apples), yellows (bananas, mangoes), and purple (grapes, and blueberries).
This food group should be a big part of your child’s daily food intake. Eating vegetables can help prevent diseased and excessive weight gain. Since children at this age can become picky with food, it’s good to be creative in preparing your cabbages, broccoli, peas, and mushrooms.
Food groups that are rich in fibre helps your child’s digestive system. Aside from this, grains are also rich in carbohydrates and protein that supports normal growth and development. Wholegrain foods are the much better option than white grains since it still contains the bran which is where most of the nutrients are stored.
For your child to grow up strong and healthy, he or she would need a healthy amount of calcium. This helps your child to have strong bones and teeth. Good sources of these are milk, cheese, and yogurt. Some alternatives are soy and rice or almond milk. You can also get calcium from ice cream or custards but they are more likely to have high sugar content so it’s better to take it in moderate amounts.
In a nutshell, here’s what your kid’s daily intake should look like:
- Protein: 28.8g
- Fruits: 3 cups
- Vegetables: 2 cups
- Grains: 4 ounces
- Milk/dairy: 20 ounces
Parenting Tips:
- Be careful with foods that may cause choking like whole grapes, small, hard foods such as nuts and popcorn, and sticky foods such as marshmallows.
- Plan regular meals and snacks and give kids enough time to eat. Minimise distractions by turning off digital devices.
- One way to deal with picky eaters is to involve them in meal preparation. Kids are more likely to eat food they made themselves.
Vaccinations and Common Illnesses
At this stage, there are no vaccinations due but if you want to see a complete list of your child’s immunisation, you can click here.
However, having a complete vaccination record doesn’t exempt your child from common illnesses such as cold, cough, and fever.
Treating Common Illnesses
At this time, your child will be exposed to viruses at preschool so it’s quite common for him or her to catch a runny nose or infection. But, it’s important to take note that once your child’s temperature reaches above 38°C, it’s best to take them to the doctor.
If you detect symptoms of fever, it’s important to make your kid intake a lot of fluids. You can also apply lukewarm compresses on areas such as the forehead, groin area, and armpits to help bring the temperature down. Make sure your child gets a lot of rest as well. If his or her fever rises up to 39°C, it’s important to take a visit to the doctor immediately.
For persistent coughs, there are some home remedies you can perform. For example, mixing ginger and honey with lukewarm water can help reduce the itching. Make sure to monitor if his or her cough becomes accompanied by a runny nose or if the phlegm becomes yellowish. It might be a sign of infection.
This are often caused by a virus and might not be solved with antibiotics. Watch out for body aches and high fever as this might be a symptom of influenza. To prevent worsening, make your child drink lots of water.
Although it’s acceptable to experience these common illnesses, it’s important to teach your child the importance of proper hygiene as it helps fight bad germs and strengthens your child’s immune system.
When to Talk to Your Doctor
If your child is underweight or small for his age, or if he is falling sick far too often, consult a paediatrician to know if this is a normal phase he will outgrow, or if it’s signalling a deeper issue.
We hope this article on 4-year-and-3-month-old child development is useful in keeping track of your little one’s milestones!
Like we said, all children grow and develop at their own pace. If you have any concerns regarding your little one’s growth, do not hesitate to consult your paediatrician.
Source: CDC, WebMD
(*Disclaimer: This is the median height and weight according to WHO standards)
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