Preschoolers are children between the ages of 3-6 years old. Preschoolers are active children and they become more independent from their parents and begin to focus on other children and adults that are outside of their family. If your child attends preschool, you will hear a lot about their teacher and the things they are learning from them. Preschoolers are known for asking a lot of questions because they are curious about the world around them and they want to learn more about anything and everything.

Preschoolers learn how to ride tricycles; some even learn how to ride a bike without the use of training wheels. They will be able to dress and undress themselves and they will understand their gender. Preschoolers understand how to use safety scissors and their cognitive development helps them to recall past information. They will be able to play well with other children and can recite songs or stories without having to look at a book. It is critical to read to your preschooler, as they are beginning to understand words and may be able to read some words without your help. Take your child to the library often and let them pick out new books they are interested in.

During the ages of 3-6 years old, children are learning how to form complete sentences. The language their parents have had to interpret for others will fade and they will start to carry on complete conversations using proper sentences. As your child is expanding their vocabulary, go ahead and correct them if they use improper words or phrases. Your guidance will help them understand sentences and they will be able to build upon their skills. Many preschoolers will struggle with stuttering because they are unable to vocalize their ideas that are coming to them. Usually stuttering happens when the child is excited or stressed. Do not point out your child's stutter to them, as this causes feelings of embarrassment. Instead, give your child your full attention and try to correct some of the words they are saying. Generally the stutter will cease by age 4 and it normally only lasts for 6 months or less. If your child has been stuttering for over 6 months, take them to a speech therapist to help them work on their speaking skills.

Preschoolers need to spend time with other children their age, this helps them to understand how to share and it promotes friendship. Be clear and consistent with your discipline and be a good example to them, as they will learn from your behavior. You may see behaviors of dominance from your child or from one of the other preschoolers. This is a normal behavior for preschoolers. Many children will comply to the dominant child and they will all follow this child in a "pack". As long as your child is still able to express their opinion, there is no need to be concerned if they are following the dominant child. If your child is too bossy, talk to them about their behavior. Teach them about the importance of sharing and why they need to listen to the needs of other children. Teach them how to take turns playing games with other children by doing a game they like and then doing a game the other child likes. Their ability to work with other children is critical for their social development.

Preschoolers need to spend time with other children their age, this helps them to understand how to share and it promotes friendship. Be clear and consistent with your discipline and be a good example to them, as they will learn from your behavior. You may see behaviors of dominance from your child or from one of the other preschoolers. This is a normal behavior for preschoolers. Many children will comply to the dominant child and they will all follow this child in a "pack". As long as your child is still able to express their opinion, there is no need to be concerned if they are following the dominant child. If your child is too bossy, talk to them about their behavior. Teach them about the importance of sharing and why they need to listen to the needs of other children. Teach them how to take turns playing games with other children by doing a game they like and then doing a game the other child likes. Their ability to work with other children is critical for their social development.

Since preschoolers are naturally independent, you need to start making them responsible for things. Give them some household chores and place value on completing the chore properly. Remember to praise them for their hard work after they have completed the chores, as this will motivate them to do it again.

Many preschoolers get into dangerous situations because they are unaware of the rules. Since your child is becoming more independent, you need to sit down and explain several things to them. Teach them fire safety, street safety, electrical safety, water safety, and many other things. Preschoolers tend to spend a lot of time outside riding tricycles and tossing balls. You must tell your children why they need to stay out of the road and to never run after a stray ball. Stay outside with your children while they are playing and teach them to stay on the driveway and the sidewalk.

Preschoolers are at a perfect age to learn how to swim. They will be able to hold their breath and they can swim underwater for a few seconds. Enroll your preschooler in swimming lessons so they can learn proper water safety skills. You can also teach your child how to snow ski and how to ride a bike. The older preschoolers will be able to learn these skills faster because their muscles are stronger. If you take your child to a park to play, check the outdoor playground equipment. Look for sharp edges or wooden structures that cause slivers. Most playgrounds are new and have plastic equipment that won't scald a child's skin during the hot summer months. Always keep a watch over your child when they are playing outside, kidnappers and pedophiles frequently visit areas where children are and they can take them without their parents noticing. If your child is playing at a neighbor's house, make sure you are comfortable with the parents and that they watch over your child when they are outside.

Preschoolers need to be taught about strangers. They are vulnerable to strangers because they usually are outgoing and friendly to adults. This is why you should keep an eye on your child at all times. If you are unable to, your child should know what to do if they are approached by a stranger. Another thing you need to teach your child about is heights and falling. Preschoolers love to climb things and often end up with fractured or broken bones. Preschoolers will fall off playground equipment, trees, bikes, roofs, and out windows. Take safety measures to protect your child. You should lock all the windows so your child cannot jump or climb out of them. You also need to cut off tree branches that hang over the roof. Children can climb trees and jump onto the roof. This is why it is important to tell your child about the dangers of heights and the rules of climbing. You should have strict rules against getting on the roof and from climbing too high on a tree. Lock doors that access dangerous areas in your home, such as the attic door or the doorway to steep staircases.

3-6 year olds are able to learn several new things. They will be able to understand team sports and may participate in them. They can run, jump, throw, catch, and kick. By the age of 4, they should have mastered the tricycle and should be able to steer it properly. Their balancing skills are becoming better and they will be able to balance on a single foot for 5 seconds or longer. Preschoolers love to draw and paint. You need to provide plenty of paper and drawing materials for your child. Many children end up drawing on walls and other places, teach your child the importance of a clean home and why the walls, carpet, and other areas are not to be drawn on. Preschoolers should be able to draw a person, with at least 3 parts. Stick figures are often the common drawing for preschoolers. By age 4, they will be able to draw squares and circles. By age 5, they should be able to draw a triangle and they can cut straight lines using safety scissors.

Provide a safe environment for your child to play in. Preschoolers are curious and they love to explore things without feeling guilty for doing so. You need to set limitations on your child, but still give them room to face challenges and explore the world around them. Since preschoolers often attend formal schooling for a few hours a week, they begin to have a desire to please their parents. They strive to receive positive attention from their parents, often called the "good boy" or "good girl" behavior.

One developmental skill you need to pay attention to is their ability to lie. Many preschoolers will tell elaborate stories and begin to lie. If you do not address lying with your preschooler, they could have problems lying throughout their entire life. Preschoolers often lie to get attention from their parents or from other children. Teach your child the importance of telling the truth and how to get attention using other methods. Many preschoolers will learn how to mouth-off or backtalk to their parents. They can learn this skill from other children their age, as this is an effective tool for getting attention. When a child is mouthing-off, they are given a reaction almost immediately. As a parent, you need to teach your child proper behavior and punish them when they are mouthing-off or back-talking. This is also a warning sign to parents that you are not paying enough attention to your child. Make sure you spend some alone time with your preschooler each day and listen to what they have to say. Sit down a read a book together and give them the attention, love, and support that they crave.