The way that a toddler thinks during the preschool years is based on the idea of "what you see is what you get," according to the University of Missouri. In other words, the reasoning of toddlers during this age is based on the way things look. For example, if a child has four quarters and their sibling has a dollar bill, the child with four quarters may think they have more money because four is greater than one. In addition, a child may become friends with another child because of a toy the child has instead of becoming friends with him because she enjoys spending time with him. Toddlers during the preschool years experience rapid intellectual expansion. They will develop the ability to think about people or objects in their mind even if they are not present, according to Prenhall.com.
The brain develops extremely rapidly during the preschool years and reaches 90 percent of its adult weight by the age of 5, according to The University of Texas at Brownsville. Eye muscles and vision also become stronger during this time period which helps eyes move slowly for deliberate reading. In addition, individuals usually learn how to run during the toddler and preschool years.
Toddlers tend to ask a lot of questions about the world around them during the preschool years as they discover the world around them. They may encounter situations where they receive outcomes they don't like. For example, they might cry significantly if they fall down. Toward the end of the preschool years toddlers tend to develop better control of their emotions and behaviors, according to Education.com.
Between the ages of four and five toddlers tend to seek out friends of the same sex, according to Education.com. In addition, children will prefer hanging out with children instead of adults and respond to both blame and praise. Toddlers are usually able to name three coins, know four colors and understand simple opposites by the time they turn five.