So much growth takes place between the sweet newborn stage through age two! It seems that babies, ones, and twos are able to do something new each day as they develop at such a rapid pace. Preschoolers in this age group are a delight to watch as they grow in each area of development. Though each child is individual, we give some highlights of development at this stage. 

Physically 

• Uses the body and voice to communicate 
• Moves by rolling over, sitting, crawling, pulling up, walking, running, jumping, and climbing 
• Goes through teething 
• Learns to drink from a cup and begins to feed self 
• Begins to pick up objects with thumb and index finger, and then uses hands and fingers to hold objects 
• Develops in large motor growth first (trunk, legs, arms), then in fine motor activity (hands, fingers) 
• Twos become ready for toilet training 

Mentally 

• Explores his environment with his senses 
• Imitates simple actions and sounds 
• Understands some words, then repeats names of objects, and develops a vocabulary of 200-300 words 
• Has a very limited attention span 
• Knows familiar people 
• Thinks in terms of the present 
• Literal-minded 
• Experiences separation anxiety 

Emotionally 

• Shows positive and negative responses related to her feelings, such as crying or smiling 
• Shows emotions of happiness, sadness, anger, and excitement 
• Develops strong attachments 
• Quickly changes emotions 
• Senses that she is loved 
• Comes to recognize the emotions of others 

Socially 

• Senses when people meet his needs and love him 
• Makes eye contact and begins to make social interchanges with others 
• Responds when others talk to him 
• Recognizes parents and caregivers 
• Becomes aware that he is a separate person and can get upset in separating from parents or caregivers 
• Progresses to parallel play next to friends with little interaction 
• Lacks the maturity to take turns and share 
• Is prone to hit, push, poke, and sometime bite others when he does not have the words to express his needs 
• Begins to recognize friends 

Spiritually 

• Develops trust when physical and emotional needs are met 
• Senses loving attitudes of caregivers 
• Learns to associate God and Jesus with love and trust 
• Feels that she is important to and loved by people at church 
• Responds to Bible thoughts and songs 
• Repeats words she hears about God, Jesus, the Bible, and church 
• Literal-minded; thinks in concrete terms 
• Begins to learn what is right and wrong 
• Senses the importance associated with Jesus and the Bible 

---

Joye Smith served as the WMU preschool ministry consultant for over 26 years.