4 Years Old to 5 Years Old
Children between 4 and 5 years old use longer and more complex sentences that are grammatically correct. Children also enjoy connecting with stories, characters, and their own lives at this age. For example, while watching their favorite TV show, a child may notice the main character in the story is eating chocolate chip cookies and say, “Hey! I like to eat chocolate chip cookies too!”. Between 4 years old and 5 years old, children begin to tell stories using a main character and setting, use at least one irregular plural form of a word, and location words. They also begin to understand simple time concepts and follow directions to play simple games.
Literacy Skills
By the time they turn 5, children can locate the front of the book and the title. They can also imitate reading and writing from left to right, identify some rhyming words, and may begin blending words together to create compound words [cup and cake to make cupcake]. Additionally, 5-year-olds may also recognize and name 10 letters and write their name.
Playing word games is a fun and easy way to incorporate early literacy development, including rhyming words and helping them learn to build compound words.
