While the ages of both 3 & 4 year olds are in the process of developing control of their large muscles, at this point tin their young lives, they still lack good coordination, so that their use of small muscles is undependable. So... do not expect kids these ages to be accurate about the way they cut with scissors, or color, for example. (Or anything else that reqires good coordination!)
These ages of these kids are constantly on the move, in other words they can't sit still! They're always running, jumping, walking, climbing, etc. So to expect these kids to sit down for very long is crazy. In fact there is a rule that both applies here and everytime that you deal with kids! It's called the Attention Span Rule. It says that basicaaly, a kid has 1 minute of attention span for every year they are old. An example is that for a kid 5 years old, they generally have a 5 minute attention span. So you need to give them an attention rester of some type every 5 minutes. That might mean a change of activities, or it might mean the same activity, like a craft, but have a time after 5 minutes where they can stand up and shake all over! Something that slight makes all the differnce in the world! So anyway, have only as many
furnishings for these ages classroom as you can get by with, because extensive ones will only get broken. And use the attention span principle either by changing activites, like we talked about, or another way, which we also talked about!
Make sure that you have a fenced, out-of-doors speace for climbing, use of all sorts of "big wheel, and other wheel toys," digging, and running, etc., because these are the types of things that kids these ages can excell at. Make sure that all of your stuff doesn't have sharp edges, or loose pieces!
Kids these ages play hard, and then they tire extremely easily! So, alternate periods of active and quiet play. And always be aware of the kid that may become one who seems to be "bouncing off the walls," because they have become overstimulated. Tiredness often results in challeninging, even percieved as "bad" behavior! If this "rears it's ugly head," then guide the kid to a quiet activity, like reading a book, or listening to a story.
Design activities to adhere to the rule.
Alternate periods of active, and quiet play.
In designing your program, make times when kids are free to move around.
About E.T.I.& friends
our homepage
Questions and answers1
Characteristics of Prekindergarteners, part 2
