Feeding Your Preschooler

• Your preschooler will learn healthy food habits from other family members. Try to eat meals as a family. It is an important social time.
• Set a good example by eating a variety of foods such as:
  • whole-grain breads, muffins and crackers
  • fresh vegetables, fruits and natural fruit juice
  • fish, poultry and peanut butter
  • skim or low-fat milk
• Let your child help with meals by choosing foods, preparing food and setting the table.
• Your child likes to eat foods he helps to choose or prepare.
• Your preschooler may not be interested in food or eating.
• Trust your child to eat when she is hungry.
• Your child's food likes and dislikes will change many times.
• If a food is refused, do not make a fuss or force him to eat it--just try the food again at a later time.
• If your child does not eat during meals, do not allow junk foods or snacks.
• Make your child comfortable by providing child-sized silverware and dishes.
• Use booster seats to get her up to table level.
• Have your child sit while eating--discourage eating while running or playing, to prevent choking.
• Do not use food as a bribe or reward.

Dental Care

Children should get regular checkups after age 3 or when all 20 baby teeth have come in.

Toileting

Three-year-old children may still require diapers during the day and night and some 4-year-olds may need them at night. Avoid putting too many demands on the child or shaming her about wearing diapers. Let your child know how proud and happy you are as toilet training progresses.

Safety

Your 3- or 4-year-old is perfecting his physical skills as well as his social skills. He can run faster, jump higher and climb better. He remains very curious and continues to investigate his world. As parents you must allow him to investigate as safely as possible.

Prevent Accidents and Falls

• Provide constant supervision on playground equipment.
• Use a skid-proof mat in the bathtub.
• Be sure all windows are screened properly.
• Check the play yard for nails, trash, and other harmful equipment.
• Continue to buckle up every time for safety in the car.
• Your child may be large enough to use a booster seat now. Booster seats should be used for children between 40-60 lbs.
• Keep car doors locked when the car is moving.
• It is best not to have guns in the house.
  • If you have hunting guns, keep them unassembled in a locked cabinet.
  • Store ammunition in a separate place.
• Teach your child how to cross the street safely, but do not let them cross alone.
• Caution your child about unsafe hiding places such as refrigerators, car trunks, clothes dryer, etc.

Prevent Fires and Burns

• Teach your child the danger of playing with fire and matches.
• Have an organized plan of escape for the entire family in case of fire.
• Teach your child how to respond if her clothes catch on fire: Stop Drop and Roll.
• Check your smoke alarm when you change the time of your clocks and replace batteries every year.
• Keep matches out of reach.

Prevent Poisoning

• Medicines should be kept in a locked cabinet out of your child's reach.
• Don't refer to medicine as candy and keep all medicines out of reach.
• Have your poison control number by the phone. The Poison Control Number is: 1-800-222-1222.

Water Safety

• Supervise your child whenever he is in the water.
• Have your child wear a well-fitting life jacket when she is in a boat or near water.
• Empty the back yard pool after use.
• Consider starting swimming lessons.

Physical Development

Every child develops at his own rate and with his own style. This is not a strict timetable, but rather, a guideline of things to expect between now and the 5-year visit.

What Your Preschooler Is Learning to Do

• Walk and run well--may be slightly knock-kneed (when knees point in toward each other)
• Swing arms
• Balance on one foot
• Walk up stairs using one foot on a step at a time
• Jump in place
• Begin to pedal a tricycle
• Open doors
• Build towers using nine blocks
• Make objects from blocks or toys
• Draw and recognize circles
• Know what a triangle and square are
• Begin to know colors
• Able to use scissors and pencils

Using Play to Help Your Preschooler Learn

• Play with sand and water.
• Fingerpaint and color.
• Make shapes with play dough and clay.
• Help set the table.
• Draw, paste, and cut to make something special.
• Use acting and pretending games.
• Name colors and shapes to objects.
• Use toys that can be taken apart and put back together.
• Answer questions in simple terms.
• Blow bubbles and drink through a straw.
• Plan special outings.
• Teach him how to pedal a tricycle.

Language Development

What Your Preschooler Is Learning to Do

• Knows what "cold," "tired," and "hungry" mean.
• Knows what "on" and "under" mean.
• Can say most words clearly.
• Shows imagination when she talks.

Using Play to Help Your Preschooler Learn

• Assist child in learning new words.
• Be patient as child's knowledge or words expand.
• Read stories.
• Use action pictures to read books.
• Limit TV viewing to education programs.

Social Development

What You Can Expect for Your Preschooler

• Learning to say her age, sex, and full name.
• Plays well with otehr children, but won't always share.
• Likes to have secrets with other children.
• Able to overcome some of his fears to be less fearful of new places and people.
• Likes to do things the same as other children.
• May begin to attend preschool or neighborhood play groups.
• Is curious about his body.
• Still requires naps or quiet times.

What You Can Do

• Provide play time with other children.
• Provide times to explore and go to new places.
• Allow to meet new friends and people.
• Allow to develop own identity.

Discipline

• Be consistent with limits and rules that have been set.
• Tell your child what you want her to do.
• Praise desired behavior.
• When behavior is corrected explain why behavior is not desired.
• Discipline using short time outs (use one minute per age of child).
• Comfort child after disciplining.

Next Visit

A five-year check up is recommended. Before starting school your child will need more vaccinations.

Credits:
American Academy of Pediatrics; Pediatric Behavioral Health Advisor; www.aap.org; Health Infomatics