Developmental milestones: 4 - 5 years

4-5 YEARS

Fine Motor

• Builds block towers in indefinite heights
• Uses glue and scissors
• Cuts simple shapes with scissors
• Holds utensils with fingers rather than fist

Gross Motor

• Skips or hops
• Somersaults
• Challenges self on playground equipment
• Stands on one foot for 5-10 seconds
• Catches small (tennis) ball

Receptive Language

• Follows series of three unrelated commands
• Identifies 2-3 primary colors
• Understands concepts: heavy/light; loud/soft; day/night
• Understands directional concepts: above/below; top/bottom

Expressive Language

• Combines 4-8 words in a sentence
• Describes objects according to size, shape, color
• Enjoys retelling stories
• Enjoys asking the meaning of new words

5+ YEARS

Fine Motors

• Colors within the lines
• Copies words/numbers
• Draws a person with at least eight body parts (two arms counts as one part)
• Feeds self

Receptive Language

• Identifies all primary colors
• Understands concepts; same/different; first/middle/last
• Understands more time-related concepts: before/after; yesterday/tomorrow

Expressive Language

• Retells a brief story
• Asks meaning of words
• Can tell home address
• Talks about events in the future using "will"
• Uses pronouns: "himself;" "herself"