Do you ever wonder why two-year olds have trouble playing with each other? Do you question the reason some three-year-olds talk continuously while others hardly talk at all? As a 2s and 3s teacher, you will gain valuable knowledge from becoming familiar with your students’ age characteristics. Observe your students and think about their characteristics while they are playing and cleaning up and during other moments when you are not directly instructing them.
Stages of growth
In spite of differences in children, there are some commonalities. They go through similar stages of mental, social, and physical growth. Age distinctions mark these stages of growth, but it is important to remember that each child is on his or her own developmental timetable.
Here is a summary of common characteristics that you will observe as twos and threes move their bodies, work with their hands, communicate, think, and relate to other people.
Motion
Do you see little bodies ricocheting off walls in your classroom? Likely they are your two-year-old students! Children at this age are constantly in motion. Three-year-olds are also energetic, but their activity is more purposeful. They stay with physical tasks for longer periods of time.
From 2 to 3 years old, a child learns to
- climb easily
- kick objects
- walk up and down stairs
- ride a tricycle
- bend over without losing his balance
From 3 to 4 years old, a child learns to
- hop
- kick a ball forward
- catch a bouncing ball
- throw a ball overhand
- move backward and forward easily
Dexterity
Two- and three-year-olds have various degrees of dexterity. By providing opportunities for your students to participate in art and manipulate objects through play, you are helping them develop their small muscles. Good toys that advance children’s fine motor skills are blocks, play dough, stacking cups, shape sorting activities, simple puzzles, and wooden beads to thread.
From 2 to 3 years old, a child learns to
- turn pages in books
- stack six or more blocks
- screw jar lids and nuts and bolts
- make different strokes with crayons
- open doors with handles
From 3 to 4 years old, a child learns to
- use scissors
- draw circles and squares
- copy some of the alphabet
- draw a body with 2 to 4 parts
- put together simple puzzles
Communication
Twos and threes will grow in their communication skills as you talk with them. Casual discussions should accompany almost every classroom activity. Use complete sentences and expand upon the child’s thoughts. For instance, you could ask a child who is pushing a dump truck where the truck is going and what the truck is carrying. If the child does not respond, offer suggestions. When you describe the details of the activities the child is doing, you are helping develop the child’s intelligence. Talking also helps the child develop social skills.
From 2 to 3 years old, a child learns to
- identify common objects
- understand conversation
- say 4- or 5-word sentences
- follow 2-step directions
- use pronouns
From 3 to 4 years old, a child learns to
- speak, using rules of grammar
- tell stories
- say 5- or 6-word sentences
- use a 300- to 1,000-word vocabulary
- identify “same” and “different”
Thought Processes
Two-year-olds begin to understand relationships between objects. They can solve simple puzzles and match shapes. They understand simple time concepts;
e.g., “We will have snack time after you put your toys away.” At age three, children ask a multitude of “why” questions. The best responses are short answers, such as “it’s good for you” or “so you won’t fall.” Children’s reasoning at age three is quite simplistic. They have difficulty thinking about more than one thing at a time. Your older students will have a clearer sense of time. They will learn your classroom routines and anticipate the order of activities.
From 2 to 3 years old, a child learns to
- sort shapes and colors
- work 3- or 4-piece puzzles
- play make-believe
- operate mechanical toys
- sequence activities
From 3 to 4 years old, a child learns to
- name some colors
- retell part of a story
- engage in fantasy play
- count and know a few numbers
- ask “why” questions
Relationships
Teaching two-year-olds to play together is almost impossible! At their young age, they see the world only through their own needs and desires. They have little comprehension of sharing or of their classmates’ feelings. By the time your students turn three years old, they are able to give and take with each other. They begin playing together, not just alongside each other. If you can patiently endure your two year-olds’ selfish and competitive behavior, you will find they are much more cooperative with one another at age three.
From 2 to 3 years old, a child learns to
- show affection
- take turns
- mimic adults
- claim objects as “mine”
From 3 to 4 years old, a child learns to
- play with other children
- negotiate
- exert independence
- try new experiences
What does all this mean to a teacher?
By becoming familiar with children’s characteristics, you will be able to choose the methods and activities that best fit the needs of your students. RBP Sunday School curriculum assists you in choosing ageappropriate learning activities. Included in each lesson are opportunities for the children to move, sing, and participate in hands-on projects. The Bible story and theme match the level of understanding of this age group. The teacher’s guide gives you many options that are Biblically accurate and developmentally appropriate. You have the freedom to use RBP material in a way that best suits the needs of your class.
Think about Your Classroom
- The second and third years are active ages. You can give the children opportunities to move by including more activity in their song time or during their learning activities. Think about ways to incorporate movement, and select a new activity for next Sunday.
- Reflect on the play choices of your students. What types of conversations could you have with your students to expand their knowledge of the world around them? List some specific ideas for using students’ play preferences as springboards for conversations with them.
- Read again the lists of two-year-olds’ and three-year-olds’ characteristics. Are your expectations for your students appropriate for their stage of development? How can you adjust your teaching to better match your students’ maturity?
