Stages of Development and Risk-Taking: Preschool (Ages 3 - 5)

By preschool age, the child has mastered the tasks of infancy and is now ready to take on the world beyond the family to a greater degree. Because he has now capable of communicating his needs and toileting independently, he is ready to go to preschool. He has a great deal of intellectual curiosity including an interest in letters, numbers, colors, and shapes. He is also curious about the human body, and his gross- and fine-motor skills are developing at a rapid rate. Socially, he is learning to share, to take turns, and to follow directions, and he is beginning to understand the difference between right and wrong and to develop empathy. (Davis, 2009)

While it is still difficult to separate from the parent when she drops him off at preschool, the child at this stage is better able to tolerate the separation, in part, because his memory is better, and he can trust her to return to pick him up at a designated time (after nap or after lunch, for example). If the child is successful at mastering his separation anxiety, he can feel independent and capable. If he cannot overcome this feeling, he can be left feeling alone and frightened. (Davis, 2009)

Good risks associated with this stage include drawing a person, counting, learning the ABC song, and riding a tricycle. They also include spending the night at grandma’s house and making a new friend at preschool. Bad risks include scribbling on the wall, not participating in group activities at preschool, hitting another child, and running across the street without holding an adult’s hand. (Davis, 2009)

Throughout the period, the preschooler struggles with uncertainty. (“Will Joey play with me today?” “Can I climb to the top of the slide without falling?”) At times, he will experience the joy of success, while at other times, he will experience disappointment. (Davis, 2009) One of the parent’s jobs (and the job of the preschool teacher) is to ensure that the child’s successes far outnumber his disappointments. The more successful experience the child has with good risk-taking, the more likely he will be to take good risks in the future, and the more resilient he will become.

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References

Davis, S. and Eppler-Wolff, N. (2009). Raising Children Who Soar: A Guide to Healthy Risk-Taking in an Uncertain World. New York: Teachers College Press.