Emma Young

January 18, 2016

Developmental Profile: Preschool
The Preschool years are an incredible period for development, exploration, and discovery.
This semester I have been placed in the Green Preschool at the CDC with 19 children in the
class. The center is modeled on Developmentally Appropriate Practices as Defined by the
National Association for the Education of Young Children. The guiding principles of the center
are based in Reggio Emilia encouraging the philosophy of a strong and rich vision of the child
where educators evolve through their experiences with them. Relationships are the foundation
for education within this approach. The role of the teacher is to foster and support each childs
relationships with other children, adults, families, society and their environment (Edwards,
2002). The center creates predictable routines for eating, sleeping, play, and exploration.

In order to support the learning and development of all the children in my placement
classroom I collected information on the typical development of abilities, skills, and milestones
observed among preschool children. Children ages three to five are typically referred to as
preschoolers. During the preschool years important development and learning occurs in all
domains: physical, social, emotional, cognitive, language, and creativity. Positive and caring
relationships with adults and other children are the foundation for learning during these years.
Children enter preschool with different developmental strengths and influences from families and
their environments. This interconnected view of child development is modeled as a
developmental system. Urie Bronfenbrenner focused on the fact that multiple factors, including
both internal and external, combine to influence a childs development. Each one of the early

childhood developmental domains fosters the development of another promoting learning for the
whole child (McDevitt, 2013)

Physical Development:
Preschoolers are very physical; they are constantly moving, running, and jumping.
Typically, they are enthusiastic about opportunities for creative movement, physical dramatic
play and being outdoors. According to Bredekamp, preschoolers should spend at least a quarter
of their school day in physical activity; at this age much learning is transmitted through the large
muscles (2009). As children grow they develop a less toddler like trunk and become less top
heavy. On average, children gain five to six pounds and two to three inches per year from ages
three to six (Bredekamp, 2009). Typically, all 20 baby teeth have emerged by around age three.
The senses of taste, sight, touch, and smell are for the most part, well developed by the preschool
age. In fact, most childrens sense of taste is actually more acute than that of adults.
When considering gross motor skills, physical growth at this age lowers the childs center
of gravity making them more steady. Most preschoolers, unless they have experienced some
developmental difficulty or delay are able to perform basic gross motor skills such as running
(Bredekamp, 2009). Younger preschoolers are just beginning to work on skills such as balancing,
jumping, and hopping. During preschool years, any specific motor difficulties will become more
apparent to parents and teachers.
In addition to significant development in gross motor abilities, preschoolers also work
towards increased fine motor abilities. Writing, drawing, and cutting with precision are activities
that can be difficult for many preschoolers. Children may experience failure and frustration if
they often are expected to perform tasks requiring precise control of the hand and muscles,

careful perceptual judgment involving eye-hand coordination, and refined movements requiring
steadiness and patience (Bredekamp, 2009). Preschoolers benefit from opportunities for open
ended activities that develop their hand muscles and fine motor skills such drawing, painting,
working with playdough or constructing with Legos. Teachers and parents can support childrens
development of physical capabilities through play as well as planned movement activities.

Social Development:
Young children from ages three to five make great advances in their relationships with
others, their self-understanding, and their ability to understand and regulate their emotions. The
preschool years are critical for establishing positive attitudes and behaviors about learning.
Approaches to learning are beginning to be established including childrens enthusiasm and
engagement towards learning. During preschool years, children come into their own as social
beings. Most preschoolers live in a wider social world than before the age of three. At this age,
children increase the complexity of their social interactions and relationships with teachers,
peers, and friends. In addition, children grow significantly through their engagement in dramatic
play. Preschool children generally begin to value their friendships and develop and show more
frequent prosocial behaviors such as caring, sharing, and helping. Children ages three to five
gain a fuller understanding of their sense of self. Their self-descriptions at this age develop into
their sense of self-esteem. Childrens social and emotional development are continuously
working together to further childrens understanding of the world.

Emotional Development:
Many researchers believe that preschoolers positive and negative emotions serve
important functions motivations every aspect of their development and learning (Bredekamp,
2009). Preschoolers are able to express more complex emotions such as pride, guilt, or shame.
In addition, most preschool children are increasingly able to describe or label their feelings. The
preschool years are a crucial time for children to develop qualities such as consideration for
others, conscience, and a sense of right and wrong (Bredekamp, 2009). As children develop
their relationships with others and their understanding of emotions they become aware of others
feelings and more concerned about them. Teachers who intentionally promote positive social and
emotional development are making a significant investment in childrens overall development
and learning (Bredekamp, 2009).

Cognitive Development:
Important cognitive changes occur during preschool years particularly in terms of mental
representation. In spite of their many advances, preschoolers can be illogical, egocentric, and
one-dimensional in their thinking. Piaget refereed to these years as a preoperational stage of
development. During this stage, children typically show centration or one-way thinking. In
addition, children develop semiotic functions; the ability to represent an object or action with
signs or symbols, such as language, imagery, drawing, symbolic games, and deferred imitation
(Bohlin, 2012). Mental reasoning and the use of concepts also increases during this stage. During
the preschool years, the brains cerebral cortex and the functions that ultimately regulate
childrens attention and memory are not fully developed (Bredekamp, 2009). During the years
from age three through five, children gradually develop their mental representation capacities,

reasoning skills, classification abilities, attention, memory, and other cognitive capabilities.
Teachers can support cognitive development through cues, questions, and modeling. In addition,
creating engaging learning environments, fostering curiosity, and providing opportunities for
problem solving are ways teachers can support cognitive development at this age.

Language and Literacy Development:

In the preschool years, childrens language and communication skills grow tremendously.
Language is integral to emotional, social, and cognitive development for young children.
Acquisition of language and communicative competence (the ability to use the full array of
language skills for expression and interpretation) is strongly shaped by childrens experiences
and environment (Bredekamp, 2009). Teachers can promote language and literacy through
attentive listening, extended conversation, reading and discussing books, creating a literacy rich
classroom, and providing literacy materials such as writing supplies.

Creative Development:
The preschool years can be one of the most creative times in a childs life. While
preschool children are still developing their imagination activities such as drama, music, dance
and visual arts foster creativity, help children express feelings and learn communication skills,
improve coordination and motor skills, and provide opportunities for problem solving and
creative thinking. According to the New Hampshire Early Learning Standards preschoolers
typically create elaborate three dimensional structures, songs, rhymes, and dances with a
combination of materials. In addition, they typically enjoy showing adults and peers what they
can do or have created, including short individual performances or artistic creations. We know

preschoolers are developing when they act out elaborate pretend play scenarios, create
representational and abstract art, play with musical instruments individually and with peers, and
display or perform for and with others. It is typical for some children to feel anxious about these
activities. Teachers can support creative development by providing access to diverse materials,
music, and movement. In addition, teachers can provide props and areas for dramatic play.
Development across all domains during the preschool years is supported by caring
relationships, rich environments, and endless opportunities for movement, discovery and
learning. While developmental profiles are useful for a general understanding of childrens
development; each child develops at their own pace and in their own way and needs to be
supported and understood as an individual.

References
Bohlin, L., Durwin, C. & Weber, M. (2012) EdPsych: Modules (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw
Hill
Bredekamp, S. & Copple, C. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood
programs (3rd ed.). Washington DC: NAEYC.
Edwards, C. (2002). Three Approaches from Europe: Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia.
Lincoln: University of Nebraska.
McDevitt, T. M., & Ormrod, J. E. (2013).Child development and education (5th ed.). Boston:
Pearson
Wheatley, E.C., Cantor, P., & Carver, J. (2015). New Hampshire Early Learning Standards Birth
Through Five. Concord, NH: NH Department of Health and Human Services.