For parents who care deeply
Child Development Milestones (0–12 Years)
Understand what children typically learn at every age, discover important developmental milestones, and know when extra support may help.
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4 Years milestones
4-Year-Old Milestones
At 4, your child is a curious storyteller. Imagination booms, friendships deepen, and they're starting to understand rules, time, and how others feel.
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How to use: Tap any domain below to open its checklist. Tick what your child can usually do, then Save to update progress on this page.
4-Year-Old Milestones — Milestone Checklist
Communication & Language
- ☐ Uses sentences of 5+ words — e.g. ‘I want to go to the park now.’
- ☐ Speech is 100% understandable to family, 75–100% to strangers — e.g. Some sounds may still develop.
- ☐ Tells short stories — e.g. ‘Today at school we…’
- ☐ Asks ‘why’ and ‘how’ frequently — e.g. Loves to know reasons.
- ☐ Uses past and future tense — e.g. ‘Yesterday I went…’ ‘Tomorrow we will…’
- ☐ Names many colours, shapes, animals — e.g. 8+ colours, several shapes.
- ☐ Follows 3-step instructions — e.g. ‘Get socks, put them on, find shoes.’
- ☐ Uses pronouns correctly — e.g. He, she, they.
- ☐ Joins in extended conversations — e.g. 4+ turns.
- ☐ Sings several full songs — e.g. Twinkle, ABCs, Wheels on Bus.
- ☐ Knows full name and age — e.g. May know birthday.
- ☐ Recognises silly mistakes in language — e.g. Laughs at ‘dog says moo’.
Gross Motor
- ☐ Hops on one foot — e.g. 2–3 hops in a row.
- ☐ Walks down stairs alternating feet — e.g. Confidently.
- ☐ Throws a ball overhand to a target — e.g. 10ft away.
- ☐ Catches a bounced ball — e.g. With hands cupped.
- ☐ Pedals a tricycle with steering — e.g. Around obstacles.
- ☐ Balances on one foot 3–5 seconds — e.g. Without holding.
- ☐ Climbs play structures confidently — e.g. Including ladders.
- ☐ Jumps forward 1–3 feet — e.g. Two-footed take-off and landing.
- ☐ Walks heel-to-toe along a line — e.g. Short distance.
- ☐ Kicks a moving ball — e.g. Coordinated.
- ☐ Galloping or skipping (emerging) — e.g. May lead with one foot.
Fine Motor
- ☐ Draws a person with 3–4 parts — e.g. Head, body, legs, arms.
- ☐ Copies a cross and square — e.g. Recognisable shapes.
- ☐ Uses a tripod or quadruped grasp — e.g. Thumb and 2–3 fingers.
- ☐ Cuts a straight line with scissors — e.g. Approximately.
- ☐ Buttons large buttons — e.g. May still need help with small ones.
- ☐ Threads small beads — e.g. On a string.
- ☐ Writes some letters (often name) — e.g. May be reversed.
- ☐ Uses scissors to cut around shapes — e.g. Roughly.
- ☐ Manipulates play-dough into shapes — e.g. Snails, snowmen.
- ☐ Builds a 10+ block tower — e.g. Tall and intentional.
- ☐ Opens and closes a backpack zip — e.g. Independently.
Social Skills
- ☐ Plays cooperatively for long periods — e.g. 20+ minutes with friends.
- ☐ Engages in turn-taking games — e.g. Board games, group games.
- ☐ Has preferred friends — e.g. Asks to see them.
- ☐ Shows empathy and comforts others — e.g. Hugs a sad friend.
- ☐ Engages in role-play with others — e.g. Restaurants, doctors, schools.
- ☐ Negotiates simple disputes — e.g. ‘You first, then me.’
- ☐ Says please, thank you, sorry — e.g. With prompts.
- ☐ Recognises others’ emotions — e.g. ‘She looks sad.’
- ☐ Tells you about their day — e.g. ‘At school today…’
- ☐ Plays games with simple rules — e.g. Tag, hide and seek.
Emotional Regulation
- ☐ Names complex emotions — e.g. Frustrated, excited, worried.
- ☐ Recovers from upset within a few minutes — e.g. With or without help.
- ☐ Uses words to express feelings — e.g. ‘I’m sad I lost.’
- ☐ Tolerates frustration during play — e.g. Keeps trying difficult tasks.
- ☐ Shows pride and self-confidence — e.g. ‘Look what I made!’
- ☐ Asks for help when needed — e.g. ‘I can’t open this.’
- ☐ Begins to use breathing or counting — e.g. To calm with adult support.
- ☐ Adapts to small changes — e.g. Different route, different plate.
- ☐ Anticipates emotional events — e.g. ‘I might miss you.’
- ☐ Begins to understand fairness — e.g. ‘That’s not fair!’
Play Skills
- ☐ Engages in detailed pretend play — e.g. Stories, characters, voices.
- ☐ Builds elaborate creations — e.g. Block forts, magnetic-tile castles.
- ☐ Plays games with rules — e.g. Hide and seek, simple board games.
- ☐ Creates art with intent — e.g. Paints a picture of the family.
- ☐ Tells stories during play — e.g. ‘And then the dragon came!’
- ☐ Engages in cooperative pretend play — e.g. With multiple kids.
- ☐ Loves outdoor adventure — e.g. Scooters, climbing, exploring.
- ☐ Mixes play themes — e.g. Doctor cooking food for monsters.
- ☐ Builds dens or hideouts — e.g. Sofa cushions, blankets.
- ☐ Engages in pretend reading — e.g. Tells stories from pictures.
Learning & Thinking
- ☐ Counts to 10 by rote — e.g. Sometimes higher.
- ☐ Counts up to 5 objects accurately — e.g. Touches each one.
- ☐ Recognises many letters — e.g. Especially familiar ones.
- ☐ Identifies same/different patterns — e.g. Picks the odd one out.
- ☐ Understands today, tomorrow, yesterday — e.g. Often mixes up.
- ☐ Sorts by 2 attributes — e.g. Big blue blocks vs small red blocks.
- ☐ Remembers parts of stories and retells — e.g. Acts out key events.
- ☐ Recognises own written name — e.g. On a coat or drawing.
- ☐ Asks questions about how things work — e.g. Why does the sun go down?
- ☐ Predicts events in stories — e.g. ‘He’s going to find the dog!’
Daily Living Skills
- ☐ Uses the toilet independently most of the time — e.g. Day-trained.
- ☐ Washes and dries hands alone — e.g. Knows the steps.
- ☐ Brushes teeth with supervision — e.g. Adult finishes.
- ☐ Dresses with minimal help — e.g. Some shirts on backwards.
- ☐ Uses fork and spoon well — e.g. Knife emerging.
- ☐ Pours from a small jug — e.g. Some spills.
- ☐ Helps set table or carry items — e.g. Plates, cutlery.
- ☐ Carries a backpack at preschool — e.g. Knows where it goes.
- ☐ Recognises hunger and thirst — e.g. Asks for snacks/drinks.
- ☐ Sleeps independently most nights — e.g. May still need a routine.
Attention & Self-Regulation
- ☐ Focuses on a task for 10–15 minutes — e.g. When interested.
- ☐ Follows 2–3 step directions — e.g. Without repetition.
- ☐ Waits 3–5 minutes for a turn — e.g. With small reminders.
- ☐ Sits for short group activities — e.g. Story time, circle time.
- ☐ Transitions with warnings — e.g. ‘2 minutes till tidy up.’
- ☐ Persists with challenging tasks — e.g. Tries a puzzle multiple times.
- ☐ Listens to a 10-page book — e.g. Engages with story.
- ☐ Stops on cue — e.g. ‘Freeze!’ during games.
- ☐ Begins to self-monitor — e.g. Notices when off-task.
- ☐ Plans simple steps — e.g. ‘First we get glue, then paper.’
Sensory Processing
- ☐ Tolerates most common foods — e.g. Some preferences and dislikes remain.
- ☐ Accepts haircuts and dental visits — e.g. May need preparation.
- ☐ Adjusts to noisy environments — e.g. Recovers quickly.
- ☐ Engages in messy crafts — e.g. Glue, paint, glitter.
- ☐ Tolerates many clothing types — e.g. Tags and seams less bothersome.
- ☐ Uses sensory tools instinctively — e.g. Squeezes a stress toy.
- ☐ Notices subtle smells and tastes — e.g. Spicy vs sweet.
- ☐ Adjusts force when handling items — e.g. Doesn’t always crush toys.
- ☐ Manages temperature comfort — e.g. Asks for jumper if cold.
- ☐ Responds appropriately to pain — e.g. Tells you when hurt.