Skip to main content

Preschool Development & Education

Speech and Language Milestones in Preschool

When a child is preschool age, you will notice that their language development increases along with the complexity of their sentences. At this age, they will learn and understand the way things work in the world and their place in it. Children should be able to share their ideas and observations with the people around them.

During preschool, children will also realize the world is filled with letters and words. This is a wonderful time to help them become eager to learn, read, and write. Teach your child by reading with them, talking, and pointing out details in everyday activities.

Before preschool, children will have developed around 900 to 1,000 words and 90% of what they say can be understood. They can easily make three-word sentences by this age. By the age of four, children should be speaking in about 5 to 6 word sentences fairly consistently. During this stage, children may make grammatical errors, which is completely normal for this age. They tend to have trouble with irregular verbs during this age, but they will grow out of this as their language matures.

Please use our DEVELOPMENTAL CHECKLISTS to see if your child is meeting their milestones.

Choosing a Preschool

When you choose a preschool, you will want to look at academics, curriculum, length of day, cost, teacher training, and structure.

There are many different philosophies that preschools follow. Listed below are 6 main philosophies of education and their brief overviews:

1. Montessori – This hands on learning style focuses on nature and creativity. There is gentle guidance provided by the teachers.
2. Waldorf – Focuses on nurturing the child’s spirit, soul, and body to find the child’s interests. The goal is to generate a strong inner enthusiasm for learning.
3. Reggio Emilia – This philosophy focuses on the importance of the community and self-expression. The activities are child led and reflect their ideas and interests.
4. High Scope – This philosophy uses a design called active participatory. Children learn through hands on activities. They have consistent daily routines and the classrooms are well- organized. The curriculum has an academic slant.
5. Bank Street – The focus is on the child’s mental, social, emotional, and physical growth. The children set the learning pace and the teachers guide them. This philosophy is comparable to play- based learning.
6. Parent Co-ops – This philosophy involves parents to be directly involved. The parents are involved daily and interact with other parents. This allows for parents and children to learn together in a nurturing environment. The focus is on solving conflicts and working together.

If you feel your child may be struggling with their speech and language skills, please feel free to give us a call. We would love to talk and help guide you and your family.