Preschool Stage

Definition:-
It is the stage where child is 3
to 6 years of age. The growth
during this period is relatively
slow.
 Growth and Development

Physical growth:-
Weight: The preschooler gains approximately
1.8- 2 kg/year.

Height: height gain is minimal during

this period, only 2- 3.5 inches a
year on average.
 Growth and Development

Physical growth:
Limbs
The arms and legs of the child will grow longer and will be
proportionate to the torso as well as the head, will appear much
slimmer and distinctively thinner.
Muscle Growth
Muscle growth will be faster in order to aid the child’s movement. The
muscles of the arms and legs, which are known to be larger, will grow
faster than the muscles in the toes or fingers, which are smaller.

❑ Ectomorphic – slim
❑ Endomorphic – large
 Growth and Development
Teeth – 20 deciduous
 Growth and Development

Physiologic changes: Systems

❑ Pulse: 85 beats/min.
❑ Respiration: 20–30 breaths/min.
❑ Blood Pressure: 100/60 mmHg
❑ Physiologic splitting of heart sounds
❑ Urinary : Bladder – easily palpable above
symphysis pubis
❑ Lymphatic tissue – begins to increase in
size, particularly the tonsils
❑ Immunologic: lgG and IgA antibodies increase.
 Growth and Development

Fine Motor: Older Toddler

• 3 year old: copy a circle and a cross –
• build using small blocks

• 4 year old: use scissors, color within

• the borders

• 5 year old: write some letters and draw

a person with body parts
 Growth and Development

Fine Motor: Older Toddler

❑ Buttoning clothing
❑ Holding a pencil
❑ Building with small blocks
❑ Using scissors
❑ Playing a board game
❑ Have child draw picture of himself
 Summary of Preschool
Growth & Development
AGE FINE MOTOR GROSS MOTOR LANGUAGE PLAY

3 Undress self, stacks Runs, alternates feet Vocabulary of 900 Able to take
tower of blocks on stairs, rides words turns; very
tricycle: stands on imaginative
one feet

4 Can do simple Constantly in 1500 words Pretending is

buttons motion; jumps, skips major activity

5 Draws a six (6) part Throws overhand 2300 words Likes games with
man, can lace shoes numbers or
letters
 Developmental Milestones

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

❑ 3 year old - 900 words

- Used to ask questions up to 400 a day
- “How” and “Why” questions
❑ 4 and 5 years old - continue to ask many questions
- imitate language
- Egocentric – define object in relation to
themselves.
example:
- key is not a metal object but “what I
use to open a door”
- a car is not a means of transportation but
“ what Mom uses to take me to school”
 Developmental Milestones

PLAY- preschooler do not need many toys. Their

imagination are keener than they will be at any other
time in their lives.

❑ Enjoy imitation games- pretending to be teachers,

cowboys, doctors, astronauts.
❑ 4 and 5 years old- rough housing and imitative play
❑ 5 years old- group games and songs they have
learned in kindergarten
 Developmental Milestones
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Developmental Task: Initiative vs Guilt

According to Erikson;
❑ A child with a well-developed sense of initiative - earning new
things is fun.
❑ If children are criticized or punished for attempts at initiative -
they will develop a sense of guilt for wanting to try new activities
or new experiences.
❑ Gain sense of initiative - need exposure to variety of experiences.
❑ Active imagination - e.g. smear both hands into clay or finger
paint.
❑ Fantasy - believe in cartoon characters or children in books
are real.
 Developmental Milestones
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

OEDIPUS And ELECTRA COMPLEXES

❑ Oedipus – boy to mother strong attachment “ mama’s boy”
❑ Electra – girl to father strong attachment “ papa’s girl”
Each child competes with the same-sex parent for the love and
attention of the other parent. Parents who are not prepared for this
behavior may feel hurt or rejected.

GENDER ROLES
❑ Pre-school teacher

❑ Male Nurse
 Developmental Milestones
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

SOCIALIZATION

❑3 Year old- capable of sharing, play with

other children and easier time learning to
relate to other people.
❑4 year old- involve in arguments
❑5 year old- develop “best” friendship
 Developmental Milestones
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

❑ Fears the dark

❑ Tends to be impatient and selfish
❑ Expresses aggression through physical
and verbal behaviors.
❑ Shows signs of jealousy of siblings.
 Developmental Milestones
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Red flags: preschool

❑ Inability to perform self-care tasks, hand
washing simple dressing, daytime toileting
❑ Lack of socialization
❑ Unable to play with other children
❑ Unable to follow directions during exam
 Developmental Milestones
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
❑ 3 YEAR OLD- Preoperational
According to Piaget, at 3 year old is still preoperational, however,
during this period do enter a second phase called
Intuitional thought-they lack the insight to view themselves as
others see them or put themselves in another’s
place termed as centering.
Centering- put themselves in another place- preschoolers cannot
make this kind of mental substitution, they
feel they are always right.
Preschooler are not aware of;
Property conservation – two balls of equal size…..

7
 Developmental Milestones
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Preschooler are not aware of:

Property conservation –
example: two balls of equal
size…..
Conservation, in child
development, is a logical thinking
ability. In short, being able to
conserve means knowing that a
quantity doesn't change if it's
been altered (by being
stretched, cut, elongated,
spread out, shrunk, poured, etc).
 Developmental Milestones
MORAL AND SPITUAL DEVELOPMENT

❑ Determine right from wrong

❑ Have an elemental concept about God
❑ Prayer
❑ Grace before meals
 Health Promotion for
Preschooler and Family
PROMOTING PRE-SCHOOL SAFETY

❑ Independence - 4 years old

❑ Pseudo-independence - supervision
❑ Common safety measures to prevent accidents:
1. Look before crossing driveways: do not cross streets
2. Teach child to always hold hands with a grown up before
crossing a street.
3. Do not run behind cars that are backing up.
4. Supervise preschoolers at playgrounds.
5. Do not allow child to approach strange dogs.
 Health Promotion for
Preschooler and Family

6. Supervise child’s play with family pets.

7. Never take medication in front of the child.
8. Warning a child never to talk with or accept ride from a stranger.
9. Teaching a child how to call for help in an emergency.
10. Describing what police officer look like and explaining that
police officers can help in emergency situation.
11. Explain that bullying behavior from other children is not to be
tolerated and should be reported so they can receive help
managing it.
MOTOR VEHICLE AND BICYCLE SAFETY
❑ Role of seat belt – rule- car does not move until seat belts are
fastened.
❑ Bicycle- use helmet
 Promoting Nutritional
Health of the Preschooler
Preschooler year are not a time of fast growth, so they are not
likely to have raving appetite. Parents need to check;

❑ No frequent snacks- so as not to miss out on plan meals

❑ Offer fruit, cheese or milk- rather cookies and soft drink
❑ Teach parents- make a happy meal time and enjoyable.
❑ Allow child to prepare simple foods- eg. sandwich or spreading
jelly on toast
❑ Food pyramid group
❑ Vegetarian diet
 Promoting Nutritional
Health of the Preschooler
 Promoting Nutritional
Health of the Preschooler
 Promoting Development of the
Preschooler in Daily Activities
DRESSING
❑ Dress themselves except for difficult buttons
❑ Bright colors or print clothes
SLEEP
❑ Aware of their needs
❑ Fear of the dark - need night light
EXERCISE
❑ Rough-housing
❑ Ring around the rosy
❑ London bridge
 Promoting Development of the
Preschooler in Daily Activities
HYGIENE
❑ Can wash and dry their hands adequately
❑ Water heater turn to 120 o F
❑ Clean ears during bath time
❑ Not be left unsupervised at bath time
❑ Bubble bath - vulvar irritation or bladder infection
CARE OF TEETH
❑ Independent brushing of teeth
❑ Electric toothbrush
❑ Encourage apples, carrots, celery, chicken, cheese -
rather than candy, sweets
❑ Bruxism (grinding teeth at night)
 Promoting Healthy Family
Functioning
DISCIPLINE
❑ What they want to eat
❑ Where they want to go - Opposition with parents
❑ What they want to wear
COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS
❑ Minor illness- colds, ear infections (otitis media), flu symptoms,
vomiting, diarrhea
COMMON FEAR OF PRESCHOOLER
➢ Fear of the dark- vivid imaginations, nightmares
➢ Fear of mutilation
➢ Fear of Separation or abandonment
 Promoting Healthy Family
Functioning
BEHAVIOR VARIATIONS
❑ Telling tall tales
❑ Imaginary friends
❑ Difficulty sharing
❑ Regression
❑ Sibling rivalry
SEX EDUCATION - teaching them to avoid sexual
abuse by not allowing anyone to touch their body.

15
 Preparing a Child for School

1. Parents are urge to discuss their concern with

officials to determine whether their child should
be registered for kindergarten.

2. Prepare preschoolers not only physically by

being certain their immunizations are up to date
but emotionally as well.

3. Change child daily routine a few months in advance

of beginning school to accustom a child to waking
earlier or going to bed earlier.
 Preparing a Child for School

4. If a child is to ride a bus, a parent might take a child

on a municipal bus as an introduction to this form of
transportation. If a child is to walk, a trial walk is in
order.

5. If the child will be required to take a lunch to school,

parents prepare a bagged lunch at home.

6. For children to do well in a formal school setting,

they must be able to follow instructions and sit at a
table and chair for a short work period.