Developmental Milestones for 3-Year-Olds

Plays next to other children and sometimes plays with them

Social/Emotional

Shows you what they can do by saying 'Look at me!'

Social/Emotional

Follows simple routines when told, like helping to pick up toys when you say 'It's clean-up time'

Social/Emotional

Calms down within 10 minutes after you leave them, like at a childcare drop-off

Social/Emotional

Notices other children and joins them to play

Social/Emotional

Says about 50 words

Language/Communication

Says two or more words together, with one action word, like 'Doggie run'

Language/Communication

Names things in a book when you point and ask 'What is this?'

Language/Communication

Says words like 'I,' 'me,' or 'we'

Language/Communication

Talks with you in conversation using at least two back-and-forth exchanges

Language/Communication

Asks 'who,' 'what,' 'where,' or 'why' questions, like 'Where is mommy/daddy?'

Language/Communication

Says what action is happening in a picture or book when asked, like 'running,' 'eating,' or 'playing'

Language/Communication

Says first name, when asked

Language/Communication

Talks well enough for others to understand, most of the time

Language/Communication

Uses things to pretend, like feeding a block to a doll as if it were food

Cognitive (Learning, Thinking, Problem-Solving)

Shows simple problem-solving skills, like standing on a small stool to reach something

Cognitive (Learning, Thinking, Problem-Solving)

Follows two-step instructions, like 'Put the toy down and close the door'

Cognitive (Learning, Thinking, Problem-Solving)

Shows they know at least one color, like pointing to a red crayon when you ask 'Which one is red?'

Cognitive (Learning, Thinking, Problem-Solving)

Draws a circle when you show them how

Cognitive (Learning, Thinking, Problem-Solving)

Avoids touching hot objects, like a stove, when you warn them

Cognitive (Learning, Thinking, Problem-Solving)

Uses hands to twist things, like turning doorknobs or unscrewing lids

Movement/Physical Development

Takes some clothes off by self, like loose pants or an open jacket

Movement/Physical Development

Jumps off the ground with both feet

Movement/Physical Development

Turns book pages, one at a time

Movement/Physical Development

Strings items together, like large beads or macaroni

Movement/Physical Development

Puts on some clothes by self, like loose pants or a jacket

Movement/Physical Development

Uses a fork

Movement/Physical Development

Uses sentences of 3+ words

Communication

Tells you about things using 3-4 word sentences

Communication

Answers simple questions (who, what, where)

Communication

Jumps forward with both feet

Gross Motor

Pedals a tricycle

Gross Motor

Hops on one foot

Gross Motor

Strings large beads on a string

Fine Motor

Cuts paper with child scissors

Fine Motor

Draws a person with 3+ parts

Fine Motor

Sorts objects by color or shape

Problem Solving

Draws or copies a circle

Problem Solving

Counts 3 objects correctly

Problem Solving

Washes and dries hands with some help

Personal-Social

Puts on a coat or jacket independently

Personal-Social

Takes turns with other children

Personal-Social

Follows a predictable sequence in self-care routines — uses order to develop independence

Order

Sorts and classifies objects by attribute — extends internal drive for order to intellectual work

Order

Explosion of vocabulary — rapid word acquisition through naming and conversation

Language

Interest in letters and sounds — sensitivity to written symbols and phonetic awareness

Language

Interest in reading and writing — child begins encoding and decoding written language

Language

Matches and grades sensory qualities — classifying by size, color, weight, texture, sound

Sensory Refinement

Discriminates fine sensory differences — distinguishing subtle variations in sensory input

Sensory Refinement

Refinement of hand movements — driven to use hands purposefully: pouring, threading, folding

Movement

Coordination of complex movements — integrating fine and gross motor for purposeful tasks

Movement

Transferring and sorting tiny items — uses small objects for purposeful work and categorization

Small Objects

Imitates social behaviors — learns greetings, 'please' and 'thank you', table manners through modeling

Social Behavior

Interest in group activities and rules — wants to participate, take turns, and understand group norms

Social Behavior

Grace and courtesy — developing awareness of how to act in social situations, self-regulation in groups

Social Behavior

Developing empathy and conflict resolution — understanding others' feelings and working through disagreements

Social Behavior

Uses objects to represent other things during play — a block becomes a phone, a stick becomes a spoon

Hundred Languages of Expression

Creates recognizable representations in drawings or clay — begins to depict people, animals, or objects with intentional features

Hundred Languages of Expression

Uses body movement and gesture to express ideas — acts out stories, uses dance or mime to communicate meaning

Hundred Languages of Expression

Combines multiple media in a single project — uses drawing plus collage, or clay plus found materials to express an idea

Hundred Languages of Expression

Narrates or explains own artwork — describes what they made and why, connecting visual expression to verbal language

Hundred Languages of Expression

Engages in parallel play alongside peers — works on similar activities near other children with occasional interaction

Social Collaboration & Community

Contributes ideas in a small group — offers suggestions, shares observations, or adds to a group discussion during a project

Social Collaboration & Community

Negotiates roles or materials with peers — takes turns, trades materials, or agrees on who does what in group work

Social Collaboration & Community

Builds on another child's idea — extends, modifies, or responds to a peer's contribution during collaborative work

Social Collaboration & Community

Asks 'why' or 'how' questions about the world — expresses curiosity verbally about causes, processes, or reasons

Investigation & Inquiry

Makes predictions before trying something — says what they think will happen before testing an idea

Investigation & Inquiry

Sustains investigation over multiple sessions — returns to a topic or project across days, building on prior discoveries

Investigation & Inquiry

Selects own materials from accessible shelves — chooses what to work with from an organized, inviting display

Environment as Third Teacher

Returns materials to their designated places — participates in caring for the shared environment after use

Environment as Third Teacher

Responds to aesthetic provocations — pauses to examine a beautiful arrangement, light display, or natural collection set out by teachers

Environment as Third Teacher

Rearranges or contributes to the environment — moves furniture, adds found objects, or helps set up a display

Environment as Third Teacher

Uses outdoor spaces for intentional exploration — collects natural materials, observes weather patterns, or tends a garden

Environment as Third Teacher

Points to or talks about own work on display — shows awareness that their creations are valued and preserved

Documentation & Reflection

Describes what they did in a previous activity when prompted — recalls and verbalizes a learning experience using documentation as a prompt

Documentation & Reflection

Revisits earlier work and makes changes — returns to a drawing, construction, or story to add details or modifications

Documentation & Reflection

Helps create documentation of a project — contributes drawings, dictates descriptions, or selects photos to represent their learning

Documentation & Reflection