One important area of focus in preschool children is the development of language skills. Depending on the age of the child, the level of development may vary. Exposure to simple words paired with pictures is typically utilized as a tactic for teaching. The preschool teacher will help the children learn small phrases through the introduction of word and picture pairings. Typically 2-year-olds can learn up to 50 words and are able to link two words together. They are able to communicate clear enough that some words can be understood by those close to the child, and they are able to comprehend and use simple adjectives. Two- to four-letter words are taught to children of this age. Children at the age of three typically know their first name and can speak in three- to four-word sentences. Their vocabulary is much broader than 2-year-old's, typically containing 250 to 500 words. They are also able to use pronouns, such as "I" or "we." Basic sentence formation is taught with particular focus on expressing how the child feels or what she wants. Four-year-olds can speak in complete sentences and answer rudimentary questions. By this age they can speak clearly enough that those not close to the child may understand them. By the age 5, children typically know their home address as well as the full name of their parents and themselves. They understand and can utilize much more complex sentence syntax, are able to rhyme words and have an understanding of future tense. At this point teaching focuses on preparing them for what to expect from school.
The development of social skills is crucial to the curriculum of preschool, exposing young children to interaction with peers. This is encouraged in the classroom through games developed to foster the interaction and cooperation of the children. Two-year-olds begin to develop a sense of individuality, becoming aware to the fact that they are an individual. This becomes especially important when interacting and playing with other children, which is of great interest to kids this age. The separation anxiety that comes from being away from their parents begins to dwindle by this age, and they may become more defiant, which is what prompts what is known as the "terrible twos." In the classroom, this is the point where interaction between children is encouraged and often needs to be set up. Toddlers age 3 begin to mimic the actions that they see their parents and peers doing. Separation anxiety is mostly gone at this age. The child typically can show affection openly and is able to take turns with other children. Something that is typically focused on at preschool is listening to and following directions. Four-year-olds assert their independence more freely. They can see the value of sharing and cooperating with their playmates, which may lead to them having a best friend and realize what that means for the first time. They begin to attempt to know how things work and exhibit more complex problem solving. These children may be given the responsibility to serve food to the other children. Five-year-olds acquire the desire to have alone time. They understand the concept of rules, and can adhere to them at this age. Also at this age, an understanding of the difference between genders begins to take effect. They also become self-conscious enough that they want to be liked by their friends. A general area of focus in preschool is for them to develop their social courtesy at this age.
More complex motor skills and thought processes are developed. In the classroom, children are taught toilet skills, as well as shoe tying and teeth brushing, depending on the age of the child. Two-year-olds are able to comprehend that an object doesn't disappear when it is blocked out of sight, and they are able to find such objects. They can hold writing instruments crudely and can draw scribbles. They are able to make-believe play and can place shapes in like-size holes and sort them by color. Three-year-olds begin to question everything, averaging around 20 to 50 questions per day, with "why?" being the most frequent question. They are able to apply names to the colors and are able to differentiate between things that are the same and those that are different. Their ability to draw becomes more pronounced; they are able to copy a circle that they seen drawn. This is the age that craft projects may be introduced, such as gluing cotton balls onto a snowman or cutting out and pasting shapes. They should be completely potty trained at this point, as well. A typical 4-year-old has a much more complex imagination, with more elaborate scenarios. He has a grasp on what the difference between night and morning is. His skills with a writing utensil become better at this point; he is able to draw a person as well as certain capital letters. While writing is not typically taught in preschool, the fundamentals of reading generally are. Five-year-olds can grasp the concept of things being in a particular order. They can tell time at this age and can count to at least 10. Their imagination flourishes at this stage, and they are able to create stories. Their motor skills are also much better; they are able to copy basic drawn shapes. Many preschools foster this creativity by having children draw picture stories at this age.
The physical abilities of young children are developed greatly in the preschool years. Classroom game time is especially helpful in this area. A 2-year-old can climb up and down onto furniture and can stand on tiptoes. She can walk and even begin to run unaided. She is able to stack blocks up to six high into towers. Another skill of the typical 2-year-old is the ability to dump the contents out of a container, but this can get a little messy because they haven't figured out the concept of putting things back yet. This age is generally not encouraged to engage in the more physical activities that older children in preschool may be encouraged to participate in. The average 3-year-old can run much more readily, as well as ride a tricycle. His ability to climb objects and ascend and descend stairs is heightened as well. The block towers that he builds are much taller than a 2-year-old's, getting up to nine blocks high. A 4-year-old can typically dress and undress himself. He is much more stable on his feet, able to stand on one foot for at least five seconds, and can participate in tossing and catching a ball. He can use scissors to cut out objects and shapes. By the time a child is 5, she pays more attention to personal hygiene, with teeth brushing and other basic appearance issues being addressed. She can stand on one foot for at least 10 seconds and can somersault. She has the ability to learn much more complex physical activities such as hopping and swinging on a swing set, as well as learning to swim and even learning how to ride a bicycle. Game time in the classroom becomes much more elaborate at this age, with many children-oriented physical sports being played, such as tether ball and kickball.