Reply to What should my older 3 year old know and be able to do?

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[quote=Anonymous]For most of this stuff, it's just a question of making sure there are opportunities and then letting the kid move at his own pace.

If he won't pedal a trike, does he still have a balance pike or pedal-less trike he likes to scoot around on? Or a scooter, for that matter. Whatever appeals to him most. At this age it's more about encouraging gross motor skills in general, rather than trying to teach specific movements. But it's not a big deal if he can't propel himself along by pedaling yet.

Same with the fist grip and the scribbling. Just let him enjoy drawing, don't worry about how he's doing it right now. But you can get him some different implements which will naturally encourage him to experiment. If he only uses the fat markers, get him some colored pencils. Kids will naturally start shifting into a pencil grip as they discover it offers more control.

The shoe thing takes forever -- there are lots of grade school kids who still mix up their shoes. Label all his shoes with a R and L in big letters on the inside. Let him put his shoes on as often as you can. When he gets it wrong, just give him a gentle reminder.

I would also encourage other clothing skills. He should be getting pretty comfortable pulling shirts on and off as well as pulling pants up and down (though needing help at this age is totally normal). You can start introducing buttons and zippers and having him help you with those (or get him a busy board that lets him practice on his own).

Having him help in the kitchen is great at this age, too. Have him help you pour ingredient in bowls and stir them up. Let it be a little messy. This is also a could way to reinforce number skills as kids can help you count eggs, portions, etc.

You can also set up a snack shelf so he can get his own snacks. You can teach him how to put snacks in a bowl and carry the bowl to the table. I also taught mine to clear their place at the table after each meal at that age, and would sometimes have them help put things in the dishwasher.[/quote]

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