At 3, your child is no longer a toddler. At this time, she is busy exploring the world, imitating those around her and working on her motor skills. Your child loves to be active and use her imagination. According to Parenting and Child Health, "In this year children delight in physical activity and will love to run, jump, climb, dance, ride their three-wheeled bikes and swing." During this time in your child's development, she may be fearful of certain things and timid about trying new things. But she should be more comfortable about being away from you for longer periods of time.
Physical Development
Your child should be very active at this age. Most 3-year-olds like to swing, dance, climb, jump, run and play in the water. At this age, your child can roll, bounce and throw a ball. He can learn to cut with scissors, according to the Children's, Youth and Women's Health Service website. He should also be able to button and unbutton his clothes.
Social and Emotional Development
At 3, your child is starting to understand the concept of sharing and being nice. She has more control over her emotions, but only for short periods of time. Your child is developing a sense of humor and may laugh a lot and repeat silly words or phrases. Your child is now more independent about using the toilet but may still have accidents during the day and at night. If you give her simple choices, she is more likely to cooperate with you because she likes to help at this age.
Language
Your 3-year-old should be using simple sentences and have a lot to say. Your child may stutter or stumble over words because he has so much to say and the words do not come out fast enough. This usually goes away on its own. Most children at this age love to read books and read the same books over and over.
Understanding
At 3, your child can understand the meaning of short, little, big and tall. Your child can tell you how old she is and may understand some concepts of time. Most 3-year-olds understand that they are either a boy or a girl and can tell you if another child is a boy or a girl.
Accommodations
Give your 3-year-old enough time to get things done. Encourage her to do things on her own and give her plenty of warning before stopping an activity. Provide your child with music, songs and rhymes to encourage rhythm. Read to her often and give her lots of encouragement.
