Three Year Olds - GA Decal Bright from the Start

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Georgia Early Learning Standards

Three Year Olds

Physical Development

Physical development is rapid in the first few years of life. Infants lose their "baby fat." Their brains, muscles, and bones grow in spurts. By the age of two, children grow about half of their adult height and show dramatic increases in strength, coordination, and balance. Parents and teachers are often surprised at how fast skills develop and how much energy it takes to keep up with growing youngsters.

Children quickly gain control over their movements. This typically follows a

Children learn as they play and need to be able to move freely in their environment to grow to their full

them up for themselves. Each new skill builds a child's physical competence and ability to do things independently.

Physical development supports development in other areas. For example, social development occurs as children move about and interact with others. Cognitive development is supported as they explore and respond to the different objects they encounter.

Children learn as they play and need to be able to move freely in their envi-

natural sequence. Babies creep and crawl potential.

ronment to grow to their full potential.

before they stand, walk, and run. They

They are filled with energy and should

swipe at objects first and then reach and grab. They be encouraged to use their arms, legs, fingers, and

grasp objects placed in their hands before they pick hands to explore the world around them.

Georgia Early Learning Standards: THREE YEAR OLDS

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The Physical Development section of the GELS includes four standards for three year olds. Below is a brief summary of each standard and the indicators and sample behaviors that contribute to them:

1. Gross motor skills, which describes ways a three year old controls body movements, demonstrates coordination and balance, and expresses creativity through movement;

2. Fine motor skills, which details ways a three year old controls hands and fingers and shows eye-hand coordination;

3. Self-help skills, which describes ways a three year old acquires abilities such as dressing, feeding, attending to personal hygiene and other routine tasks; and

4. Health and safety skills, which describes ways a child pays attention to safety instructions, attends to personal health needs, identifies healthy food choices, and relates personal identification information.

"Physical Development" encompasses a wide range of skills and behaviors. The standards, indicators, and sample behaviors included in the Three Year Olds section of the GELS are only a few that could have been chosen. They should be considered representative of the numerous physical accomplishments demonstrated by three year olds.

Georgia Early Learning Standards: THREE YEAR OLDS

111 Physical Development: 36 to 48 months--3 year olds

Standard: The child will begin to develop gross motor skills. P3G*

Controls body movements P3G1

Demonstrates coordination and balance P3G2

Tynisa lifts and carries large hollow blocks.

P3G1a

Danny climbs on the low outdoor equipment with ease. P3G1b

Serena jumps down into the sandbox from the short ledge. P3G1c

Emily hops in place. P3G1d

Joseph goes upstairs and downstairs; sometimes he holds onto the handrail. P3G1e

Aida pedals her tricycle and goes forward. P3G1f

Jonathan walks around the room wearing his leg braces and crutches. P3G1g

Sherry walks on a low balance beam a few steps, watching her feet as she goes. P3G2a

Antonio stands with both feet together and jumps forward. P3G2b

Tim moves all around the living room without bumping into the furniture. P3G2c

Samantha stands in place and kicks a soccer ball a few feet. P3G2d

Alexander throws a ball a short distance.

P3G2e

Skyler catches a large ball against her body when her sister bounces it to her. P3G2f

continued...

* Each entry in the chart is followed by a series of letters and numbers for reference purposes. The first character refers to the domain; the second, to the age group; the third, to the standard; the fourth, to the indicator; and the fifth, to the sample behavior.

Georgia Early Learning Standards: THREE YEAR OLDS

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Physical Development: 36 to 48 months--3 year olds

Standard: The child will begin to develop gross motor skills. P3G

(continued)

Expresses creativity through movement P3G3

Joshua and Chico sit on the floor with their feet together, holding hands, and rocking back and forth pretending they are in a boat. P3G3a

Indira makes creative body movements, waving a scarf in each hand as she moves around the room. P3G3b

Whenever music is playing, Jos? dances. P3G3c

Brianna moves like an elephant swaying its trunk. P3G3d

Georgia Early Learning Standards: THREE YEAR OLDS

113 Physical Development: 36 to 48 months--3 year olds

Standard: The child will begin to develop fine motor skills. P3F

Controls hands and fingers P3F1

Shows eye-hand coordination P3F2

Carl holds markers and crayons with his thumb and fingers instead of his fist. P3F1a

Mae uses scissors to snip pieces of paper.

P3F1b

Sal copies lines and circles. P3F1c

Charice squeezes the turkey baster while playing at the water table. P3F1d

Miles turns each page of the paper book his babysitter is reading to him. P3F1e

Adam puts together and pulls apart small interconnecting blocks. P3F2a

Kathleen threads the laces in and out of the holes in a sewing card. P3F2b

Marcus puts a puzzle together with several connecting pieces. P3F2c

Sukja builds a bridge out of wooden blocks.

P3F2d

Georgia Early Learning Standards: THREE YEAR OLDS

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