Development at 44 Months
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Activity 1
Age Appropriate Cognitive Development
Appropriate Words To Categories
 I am able to reason that some words are related to each other because they belong to the same category, e.g. a shirt is not only a shirt but a piece of clothing that we can wear. So a shirt is related to other word ideas like shorts, socks, dress and cap because they all belong to the same category of clothing. Play a word game with me. I will show you that I can associate at least 3 words each to 4 separate functional categories. I can do this between 40 and 50 months (3 year 4 months and 4 year 2 months). |
Steps
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Sit down with your child to play a word game.
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Say "Let's play a game using words. Say as many words as you can. Ready? What do you think about when I say FOOD?"
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Note how many words your child can come up with.
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Repeat procedure with category of "clothing", "animals", "things we can play with".
Feedback
This skill usually develops for children between 3 year 4 months and 4 year 2 months, to help him with his concentration, make sure that the study environment is organized and physically cut off from all distractions. Do take a look at the suggested activities to help him increase his word vocabulary and word association skills for at least 4 categories.
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 Play a simple word game using rhythmic hand claps, e.g. say ""R-O-C-K, rock"", clap, clap. You call a familiar category "animals", then your child will say an example of animals. Take turns until someone calls for ""CHANGE"" where the category can be changed to another one, e.g. “fruits”.
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Introduce abstract concepts like furniture, transport. Start with abstract concepts of your child's interest, e.g. if your child enjoys cars, lorries, etc., buy a book on transport. Using the child's interest is a very powerful way of incidental learning.
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Play listening games using word associations. Ask your child to identify which word is not the same in a string of 3 words, e.g. car, lorry and paper. Draw 5 squares or place a row of 5 mats on the floor for him to jump into each time he gets the correct answer. At the end of the 5th square, place a simple prize, e.g. stickers, a small sweet, etc. This game is fun and when enjoyed, develops both listening as well as word association skills.
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If you child seems to need some additional help in this activity, you can use pictures that can be commercially bought and do an arranging exercise on the floor. Place together 3 pictures belonging to a category. Draw and explain why these pictures belong together. Do this for other categories. Walk through each of the pictures with their words and categories together with your child.
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If your child enjoys drawing or seeing you draw, use your own doodles as pictures for a particular category. Using pictures is a very good strategy for teaching children who are visual learners. This way, the picture will anchor the word in their minds, making it easier for retrieval of the words.
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Activity 2
Age Appropriate Social Development
Recognizes And Lays Claim To Own Possessions
 If someone tries to snatch my possession, I will react by tightly holding on to it or by grabbing it back aggressively. I may also say, "It’s mine, it’s mine" repeatedly. I view the toy as a part of myself and I do not feel secure when someone takes it suddenly from me. I will recognize my own possessions and lay claim on it between 42 and 48 months (3 year 6 months and 4 years). |
Steps
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Look out for any situation where your child is using his own possessions.
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Enter and take his toy/object suddenly and nonchalantly.
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Observe your child's responses.
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Naturally also observe his reactions in other situations where his peers (e.g. friends or siblings) take his things.
Feedback
It is normal for your child at his age to claim ownership of his own possessions by resisting and even grabbing them back. It is healthy for a young child to know what is his and what is not, so that he can defend himself in situations more appropriately.
Your child sees his toys as an extension of himself. So if it is taken away forcefully, he will feel angry. In the same way, you can use this situation to remind him of the effect it has on someone when he snatches their toys.
If you observe that he seems too 'generous' in allowing other children and people to take his things without resisting, then he may not know the skills needed to assert himself. He could also be too shy to approach the other person to return his possessions.
Look at the suggested activities for ideas to teach him to get back/protect his own possessions appropriately without aggression or tears.
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Teach your child various phrases to say to get his toys back without aggression or tears.
- "That is my toy, please give it back to me"
- "I want my toy back please"
- "If you want my toy, you have to ask me first. If not give it back to me"
- "You can play with it a while but you have to give it back to me ok?"
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Discuss different ways to get your child's toys back if a sibling does not want to return. E.g. instead of fighting, just ask the sibling to return it. If still unsuccessful, your child can tell an adult to talk to his sibling.
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If your child merely cries when the toy is taken, teach him to solve his problem more assertively using words and actions. Show him by role-playing these situations and getting him to practice the techniques. Video him when he practices these techniques to anchor his learning.
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Practice and model how you would appropriately ask for something back. It is not fair to expect more of him than what you can practice.
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