Your 5-Year-Old Child
Five-year-old children are becoming very independent and this can be quite the challenge for their parents! One way that you may see this increasing independence is through their use of selective hearing. Do you have to ask your five-year-old five times to pick up their toys? On the other hand, when you suggest a trip to the park are they out the door before you are? No, usually they have nothing wrong with their ears but are exerting their own willpower. They hear you when they want to and try out ignoring you when they don’t want to. This asserting their developing independence is normal!
Most children at this age can:
- Hop and somersault.
- Balance for 3 seconds on each foot.
- Recognize most letters of the alphabet.
- Write some small and capital letters from the alphabet.
- Can count 10 or more objects.
- Know the names of at least 4 colors.
- Fix themselves a bowl of cereal – wow!
- Are more able to distinguish fantasy from reality but enjoy playing make-believe and dress-up.
- Use the toilet by themselves. They may still wet the bed, however.
- Dress and undress on their own, although they may still need help tying shoelaces.
- Eat with a fork, spoon, and possibly a flatware knife.
- Beat you at Chutes and Ladders!
Your child may be ready
to:
- Distinguish left from right.
- Walk heel-to-toe.
- Skip.
- Balance each foot 6 seconds.
- Learn their address and phone number.
- Count on their fingers.
- Identify coins.
- Understand the basic concepts of time.
- Draw a person with a head, a body, arms, and legs.
Children usually progress in a natural, predictable sequence from one developmental milestone to the next. However, each child grows and gains skills at her own pace. Some may be advanced in one area, such as language, but slower in another, such as motor development. Enjoy watching your child learn and develop, but try not to worry too much. They are their own person with unique strengths and challenges. If you are concerned about your child’s development, talk to your pediatrician at your next well-check, make a video or telephone appointment, or send an email with your questions.
Resources for Parents
American Academy of Pediatrics
My Doctor Online
About the Author
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