Developmental Milestones
3 Years
Skill Areas
Social & Emotional
- Copies adults and friends
- Shows affection for friends without prompting
- Takes turns in games
- Shows concern for crying friend
- Understands the idea of “mine” and “his” or “hers”
- Shows a wide range of emotions
- Separates easily from mom and dad
- May get upset with major changes in routine
- Dresses and undresses self
Language & Communication
- Follows instructions with 2 or 3 steps
- Can name most familiar things
- Understands words like “in,” and “on”
- Says first name, age, and sex
- Names a friend
- Says words like “I,” “me,” “we,” and “you” and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats)
- Talks well enough for strangers to understand most of the time
- Carries on a conversation using 2 to 3 sentences
Cognitive (Learning, Thinking, Problem-Solving)
- Can work toys with buttons, levers, problem-solving) and moving parts
- Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
- Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces
- Understands what “two” means
- Copies a circle with pencil or crayon
- Turns book pages one at a time
- Builds towers of more than 6 blocks
- Screws and unscrews jar lids or turns door handle
Movement/Physical Development
- Climbs well
- Runs easily
- Pedals a tricycle (3-wheel bike)
- Walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step
Red Flags
- Falls down a lot or has trouble with stairs
- Drools or has very unclear speech
- Can’t work simple toys (such as peg boards, simple puzzles, turning handle)
- Doesn’t speak in sentences
- Doesn’t understand simple instructions
- Doesn’t play pretend or make-believe
- Doesn’t want to play with other children or with toys
- Doesn’t make eye contact
- Loses skills he once had
This information is meant to be a guide and may not accurately reflect an individual child’s development in all cases. If concerned about your child’s development, please raise your concerns with your child’s doctor.
Typical Child Development
A Quick Reference Guide
PROVEN BEHAVIOR SOLUTIONS
Autism is our expertise. Changing lives is our passion.
Typical Child Development
A Quick Reference Guide
PROVEN BEHAVIOR SOLUTIONS
Autism is our expertise. Changing lives is our passion.