Age features of children 4-5 years: psychology

Age from four to five years is the average preschool period. It is a very important stage in the life of the child. This is a period of intensive development and growth of the child's body. At this stage, the character of the child changes significantly , cognitive and communicative abilities are being actively improved. There are specific age characteristics of children 4-5 years old by GEF, which parents simply need to know, so that the development and upbringing of the preschool child is harmonious. And this means that the child will always find a common language with his peers as he grows up.

Physical features of development

In the average preschool age, the physical capabilities of the child grow significantly: coordination improves, the movements become more confident. At the same time, there is a constant need for movement. Actively developing motor skills, in general, the average preschooler becomes more dexterous and quicker in comparison with the younger ones. It should be noted that the age features of children 4-5 years old are such that the physical load needs to be dosed, so that it is not excessive. This is due to the fact that the muscles in this period grow at least quickly, but unevenly, so the child quickly gets tired. Therefore, babies should be given time for rest.

As for the rates of physical development, from 4 to 6 years they do not change significantly. On average, the child grows up by 5-7 cm per year and collects 1.5-2 kg of weight. There are growth and development of all organs and systems of the child's body.

Mental development of the child

At the age of 4-5 years, various mental processes develop rapidly: memory, attention, perception, and others. An important feature is that they become more conscious, arbitrary: develop willed qualities, which in the future will certainly be useful.

The type of thinking that is characteristic of the child now is the visual-figurative. This means that, in the main, children's actions are practical, experienced. Visibility is very important for them. However, as we grow older, thinking becomes generalized and, to the older preschool age, gradually turns into a verbal-logical one. The amount of memory is greatly increased: he is already able to remember a small poem or an adult order. Increased arbitrariness and stability of attention: preschoolers can for a short time (15-20 minutes) to concentrate in any kind of activity.

Taking into account the above-mentioned age features of children aged 4-5 years, teachers of preschool institutions can create conditions for productive work and harmonious development of the child.

Role of the game

Gaming is still the main activity for the baby, but it is significantly more complicated in comparison with the early age. The number of children involved in communication increases. There are thematic role-playing games. Age features of children 4-5 years old are such that they are more inclined to communicate with peers of their gender. Girls are more fond of family and household topics (daughter-mother, shop). Boys prefer to play sailors, military, knights. At this stage, children begin to arrange the first competition, they are trying to achieve success.

Creative skills

Middle preschoolers with pleasure master various kinds of creative activity. The child likes to do plot modeling, applique. One of the main is visual activity. Age features of children 4-5 years according to GEF suggest that at this stage the preschooler is already mastering fine motor skills, which allows drawing in detail and paying more attention to detail. Drawing becomes one of the means of creative self-expression.

The average preschooler can compose a small fairy tale or a song, understand what rhymes are, and uses them. A bright imagination and a rich imagination allow creating whole universes in the head or on a blank sheet of paper where the child can choose for himself any role.

The development of speech

During the middle preschool period, active development of speech abilities takes place. Significantly improves the sound quality, vocabulary is actively growing, reaching about two thousand words and more. Speech age features of children 4-5 years allow you to express your thoughts more clearly and fully communicate with peers.

The child is already able to characterize this or that object, describe his emotions, retell a small artistic text, answer the questions of an adult. At this stage of development, children master the grammatical structure of the language: they understand and correctly use prepositions, learn to build complex sentences and so on. Developed a coherent speech.

Communication with peers and adults

On average, preschool age, contacts with peers are paramount. If before the child had enough toys and communication with parents, now he needs interaction with other children. There is an increased need for recognition and respect from peers. Communication, as a rule, is closely related to other activities (game, joint work). There are first friends with whom the child communicates most willingly.

In the group of children, competition and the first leaders begin to emerge. Communication with peers is, as a rule, situational. Interaction with adults, by contrast, goes beyond the specific situation and becomes more abstract. The child regards his parents as an inexhaustible and authoritative source of new information, so he asks them a lot of various questions. It is during this period that preschoolers experience a special need for encouragement and resent remarks and if their efforts go unnoticed. Sometimes adult members of the family do not notice these age characteristics of children 4-5 years old. Memo for parents, compiled by educators and psychologists of preschool institutions, will help to properly and fruitfully build communication with the child.

Emotional features

At this age, there is a significant development of the sphere of emotions. This is the time of the first sympathies and attachments, deeper and meaningful feelings. A child can understand the emotional state of an adult close to him, learns to empathize.

Children are very emotionally treated both for praise and for remarks, they become very sensitive and vulnerable. By the age of 5, the child is beginning to be interested in gender and gender issues.

As already mentioned, one of the distinctive features of this age is a bright imagination, imagination. It should be borne in mind that this can give rise to a variety of fears. A child can be afraid of a fairy-tale character or imaginary monsters. Parents do not need to worry too much: this is not a problem, but only the age features of children 4-5 years old.

Psychology knows many ways to deal with such fears, but it is important to remember that these are just temporary difficulties that will go away with time if the parents do not focus on them or use them against the child for educational purposes.

Teaching children 4-5 years

Employees of preschool institutions take into account the psychological and age characteristics of children aged 4-5. Under the program "From birth to school", used at present, the emphasis is on the formation and comprehensive development of the individual.

At the same time, they hold thematic classes with children, explaining the rules of behavior in the team, at home and in public places, the basics of safety, developing speech, improving hygiene skills, and so on. In this case, the learning process is built on the game. Thus, educators introduce the child to new concepts and rules through an accessible and attractive type of activity, taking into account the age features of children 4-5 years old. According to the SDA, for example, gaming can be held, where traffic rules are given in a poetic form, easy to understand and memorize. Also at this age it is necessary to expand the outlook of the child and his knowledge about the world around him.

Education

Speaking about the upbringing of children of this age, it must be remembered that at this stage the character is changing significantly. The crisis of three years passes safely, and the child becomes much more obedient and complaisant than before. It is at this time that children need a full contact with their parents. Strictly speaking, this is the basis of education. The main function of adults now - to explain as much as possible and show on a personal example. The child absorbs everything like a sponge, with the curiosity of the discoverer, reaches out to new knowledge. Parents should listen attentively to numerous questions and answer them, because in the family, children derive their first knowledge of the surrounding world and their place in it.

It is now necessary to lay down moral qualities, develop in the child kindness, politeness, responsiveness, responsibility, love of work. At this stage, the child has first friends, so it is very important to teach to communicate with peers: to concede, defend their interests, share.

The role of preschool institutions

It is worth noting that the best success in education can be achieved in the case of close and trusting cooperation between the family and the preschool institution, since the employees of the kindergartens take into account the age features of children aged 4-5. Consultation for parents is one of the ways of such interaction. Adult members of the family must have at least a minimum of training in psychology in order to better understand their child. Another way to characterize the age features of children 4-5 years is the parent meeting. On it, educators and a child psychologist together with adult family members can outline the basic principles of education and discuss all the issues of interest and controversy.

Family is the most important

According to the practice of children's psychologists, the family plays a crucial role in the development of the child's personality. Relations between parents are the first thing that a growing kid sees, this is the standard that he believes is the only true one. Therefore it is very important that the child has a worthy example in the face of adults.

Parents should remember that it is at the preschool age that such traits of character as kindness, justice, truthfulness develop, life values and ideals are laid down. Therefore, it is so important to take into account the age features of children 4-5 years old. Assistance in the upbringing of certain traits should also be carried out in accordance with the preschooler's gender and the roles of adults in the family. So, the mother teaches the child to find a common language, to seek a compromise, from it comes affection, care and love. The father is the personification of order, protection, this is the first life teacher who helps to be strong and purposeful. Relations within the family are the most important factor that influences the upbringing of the child and his entire subsequent life.