What to expect at age three

Question:

I’m worried about my grandson. Both his parents are deaf and he uses a pacifier. I’ve decided to home school for 1 year to bring his language up by more one on one. One of my concerns is he doesn’t know his colors. Should he know his colors by age 3?

Response:

Whether he knows his colors at age 3 depends on when his birthday is… if he is almost 3.5 years old – yes, he should be able to at least point to things that are of a certain color. For example, you say, “show me the green grass” and he should be able to do that if he has been introduced to colors. If he hasn’t been introduced, you need to start now. Most children have the ability to name colors and find objects of a particular color by age 4 and many by age 3.

Don’t worry… just make it a priority. Here is why… language depends upon oral (receptive) understandings and directions. You describe things for others to internalize. However, think about it, if you ask your grandson to get you his blue shoes – would he be able to participate in your conversation and meet your expectations? Not if he doesn’t know what BLUE looks like. He needs to hear and use descriptive vocabulary as much as possible. We would expect him to be a little delayed due to his environment with both parents being deaf. However, that is not an internal developmental delay – it is an external environmental delay, which sounds like to me, you are ready to change by homeschooling him. You are right to homeschool him but don’t get caught up in the “workbook” and “coloring book” craze. Coloring is great and necessary but workbooks at his age are unacceptable.

Think about it… what did you ever fill out a worksheet to learn? Did you fill out a worksheet to learn to bake a cake, drive a car, ride a bike, spell your name, or anything else? NO… worksheets don’t build dendrites in the brain. Experiences and rich environments build brain power. Your grandson needs to see and hear lots of nursery rhymes right now. He needs to EXPLORE the environment to learn colors and shapes (another thing that most 3.5 year olds know) and he needs to be counting to 10 orally each day. Hang the alphabet in your house and get excited about reading it yourself. Play with magnetic letters and numbers. By age four, he should be able to recognize his name when he sees it – and really your name, mom’s name and dad’s name.

He needs to hear 30,000 words or more a day. He needs to be read to at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in total a day. He needs to listen to and follow at least one direction independently and he needs to begin dressing and undressing himself at first with help and then alone by age 4 1/2.

Sincerely,

Tracey Bryant Stuckey

Chief Creative Learning Officer

www.wigglegigglelearn.com

http://traceybryantstuckey.com