What is It Like to Be Four? A glimpse into the wonders of early childhood.
- Frédérique and the Wooden Fellows
A key hope with our blog is to raise the curiosity towards young children of anyone and everyone – parents, grandparents, educators, pediatricians, librarians, etc, but also those who may not be in daily contact with young children. After all, they hold our future, don’t they? Ensuring they get the attention and care they deserve is at the core of our mission. But what does it look like to be in a young child’s shoes? For instance, what is it like to be four? We are picking that age to start, because, as you may remember, a part of me stuck to that age. In the future, though, we will get into the shoes (loosen socks!) of infants, toddlers, raising kindergarten, etc.
Four years old is a fantastic age, a transition year during which young children start becoming less self-centered, and more talkative. Let’s follow two of our young wooden Fellows, Maurice and Petite Clothilde as they show us a few examples of what to expect from four-year-olds, and how we, grown-ups, can guide them further in their development.
Unleashing Imagination: How 4-Year-Olds Bring Their Ideas to Life
A 4-year-old’s imagination knows no bounds. Maurice, for instance, might invent a new story with just a few characters, launching them into a dragon rescue. Petite Clothilde may join and include some jungle animals, as a backup. And off they go towards incredible adventures, invading the floor for an extended period of time, mixing all kinds of toys. There is so much to learn from them by just observing them as they play. For a long time, I did not understand why Rosie’s boxes of Playmobil and Legos were always mixed up, until I realized her way of sorting was fairy vs non-fairy stuff : )
Their endless imagination also shows up in drawings, as 4-year-olds start extending their characters with more and more details, such as hair, colors, fingers, etc. Providing them with options to draw strengthen their imagination. They can enjoy all kind of materials, markers, chalk, color pencils, crayons, paints, etc. Yep, it may be messy, but you will be surprise by what they may decide to use. And to enter their brains as they draw, see our previous post.
Empathy in Action: How 4-Year-Olds Connect with Others
4-year-olds also start focusing on others, looking for people to play with, asking for their friends, and offering ways to comfort them others who may be hurt. If you ever have an off day with a four-year-old around, they have a unique way to cheer you up mixing hugs and surprising words. They may even share their “lovey” with you.
Do you remember, few months ago, when Maurice found a scarf and a pair of red glasses in our yard, and look for their owner all the way to France?! Little did he know that Mme Rigolotte was right here, waiting for him!
Talkative and Curious: The Language Explosion at Age 4
As they expand their vocabulary, they naturally share more and more about their days and interests, to anyone offering a listening ear. Hence, here comes your prime time to ask them open-ended questions to stimulate their thinking (remember some of the examples we shared as we created the game of Pouilles?). Sometimes, they are so eager to share something that their answers may not match the question you just raised, but still—what a terrific way to learn more about their lives and vision of the world. So let’s talk, talk, and talk some more!
Tiny Big Steps: the Development of Motor Skills in 4-Year-Olds
Catching a large ball, riding a tricycle, or balancing on a bike can still be tricky at that age. Learning team sports rules can be even trickier. I once witnessed a group of 4-year-olds at their first T-ball session, and seeing them trying to make sense of the concept of running around the field—rather than chasing the ball—really cracked me up! Not sure what to do to stimulate their skills? Start with just going outside, pass a ball, pretend to be a horse, and show your deep interest to their, sometimes still awkward, new emerging motor skills. First jump on one foot? First catch? First first? Celebrate!
Every child is unique, and by observing their development, we can learn so much about who they are how they see the world. Each child is unique, some may seem more imaginative than others, some may seem to enjoy sports more than others, some may talk more than others. Hopefully, our post gives you an idea of what it is like to be four, knowing that milestones can vary from one child to another.
What surprises you most about the 4-year-olds you may have in your life? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s keep the conversation going!
The post is based CDC’s Developmental Milestones, as well as stories from my experiences as an early childhood educator, researcher, and parent.