Snapshot of the four year old
Children develop many skills while they are four and progress signifi cantly in thinking,
ability and understanding. It is obvious that they speak more clearly and fl uently, and
follow directions well. They have become better coordinated and take on many new
physical tasks. They can remember longer rhymes, raps, songs and can accompany
these with actions.
They begin to manage larger groups and become more capable in playing in small
groups in a cooperative manner. They still engage in independent play and parallel
play, however their awareness of others and their ability to play in cooperation begins to
increase. This is referred to as complementary play. They often think out aloud as they
play, and can be heard speaking in character voices as their make-believe characters
engage with other toys. This external thinking helps guide the young child’s action
until they develop silent thinking later on.
Four year olds are capable of using their imagination and think about things they
haven’t experienced. They enjoy open-ended questions that require more than a single
word answer as they usually understand many more words than they currently use. It is
easier for the four year old to answer what, who, when questions than how questions as
it can require higher order thinking. Why questions can also be diffi cult as it demands
reason and cause and effect. They begin to demand and use a wider vocabulary as they need words to understand
and process what others are saying, and to express their feelings and ideas in various
ways. Although their cognitive ability is increasing, as is their vocabulary, they need
clear verbal instructions matched with appropriate actions. For example the teacher
may say and demonstrate how she wants things put away before the art session begins:
‘See, I’m washing my paint brush under cold water until the water runs clear then
wiping it with this towel and putting it back in this container.’ This matches their
thinking-aloud stage and enables them to complete a process with less frustration.
Needs of the four year old
This age level still needs and enjoys choosing its activities and working in small groups.
They can come together in a large group once or twice a day—perhaps to listen to a
story, sing or recite raps and rhymes but usually for no longer than twenty minutes.
Four year olds respond well to structure and need to learn to predict and anticipate
when an activity is about to end. This can be done by giving a gentle, clear countdown,
such as: ‘Looks like you are doing a great job with that activity, but it’s nearly time to
pack that up.’ Whenever possible allow the child to complete the task they are doing
and then move on to the next activity to avoid unnecessary frustration.
Although four year olds are out of the stage of throwing tantrums they certainly
still get upset and frustrated. They need adult support to help them listen to the point
of view of others, be aware of the feelings of others, and begin to learn how their
behaviour has an affect on those around them. To diffuse this and to enable the child
to see that their behaviour is socially unacceptable, remove the child from the group
and find a quiet safe place to calmly and simply talk through their upset. When the
child feels calm help them rejoin the group without making a fuss. Remember to
reinforce their positive behaviour by giving eye contact and words of praise as soon as
you see them playing in an acceptable manner.
Above all the four year old is in need of support to prepare for school. This is not
achieved by pushing them to read, write, add up and complete worksheets—although
many parents may be impressed by this. The child thrives best by being in a safe
structured, predictable environment that has a healthy balance between self-directed
and teacher-directed activities and exposure to stories, drama, music, singing and
movement.