Most threes and four year olds are full of energy, eagerness and curiosity. During these early Preschool years, motor skills are being perfected and creativity and imagination come into everything. Children can turn a cardboard box into a pet shop, space ship or car, and they make the perfect sounds to go along with it. Their vocabulary and cognitive skills are increasing rapidly, allowing a child to express ideas, solve problems, and plan ahead. Children at these stages strive for independence, yet they need reassurance that an adult is available to give assistance, comfort, and/or to rescue, if need be. Preschool children strongly believe in their own opinions, and at the same time they are developing some sense of the needs of others, and some control over their own behavior. Threes tend to be more peaceful, relaxed and cooperative. As they grow into the four year old age group, children begin to test more limits and have more arguments with parents and other adults, as they are striving to be a “big” boy or girl.
Through positive interactions in the classroom, the children and teachers will develop a bond of trust. Through this relationship, the children will feel comfortable to express their feelings and emotions. Through age-appropriate play with toys and manipulatives throughout the day, children will also learn to interact with one another by sharing, communicating and learning from each other. In this way, each Preschooler begins to develop a stronger sense of self and independence.