36-42 Months: Preschooler Discoveries -- Observation Record

How does the preschooler show his increasing knowledge of more complex situations and concepts?

Three-year-olds have been exposed to the concepts of color, shape, size, and even time in many natural ways. In everyday conversations they hear about color, bigger and smaller, round or square, and today or tomorrow.

The preschooler might do one or more of the following:

• Sort them out–sort the box of buttons, putting all the big ones in one pile and the tiny ones in another pile.
• Put ideas together–tell a friend that he is older because he is taller.
• Tell what he knows–announce at the snack table, "My mommy has a baby in her tummy."
• Finish a pattern–look all through the bead box for a green bead to complete his color pattern.
• Understand gender–tells his friend that he cannot be the mommy because he's a boy.

In what ways does this preschooler show his new knowledge? (Include dates.)

How does the preschooler show he has a plan when he starts to do something?

Three-year-olds' classroom play shows more planning than ever before. Their block play, sand play, and dramatic play all show themes and usually involve the gathering of appropriate props.

The preschooler might do one or more of the following:

• Act caring–think about his friend who is sick at home, and decide to make him a happy picture.
• Be prepared–locate all the felt figures he will need to tell the story of The Gingerbread Man at the felt board.
• Find a replacement–run over to the housekeeping area to find a cooking pot, because the sand pail is missing.
• Look for something–look all through the block and storage area for a hose so he can be a firefighter like the ones in his book.
• Scribble a note–scribble meticulously on a piece of paper, and say it's a letter to his dad.

How does this preschooler show he has a plan before he starts to do something? (Include dates.)

How does the preschooler show he can find a new way to do something when he sees a problem?

Three-year-olds have lots of ideas about how the world works. They test their ideas and use their understandings and previous experiences to solve problems. They are in transition from needing to do things the exact same way, to being able to try new ways.

The preschooler might do one or more of the following:

• Even things out–ask for another cookie because his friend has two and he wants the same number.
• Make repairs–take the cellophane tape over to an adult and ask her to help him fix the torn page in his book.
• Find his way–figure out how to climb under the chair and over the rocky boat in the obstacle course.
• Fix it–go to the carpentry bench to find a hammer to fix the wheel that is broken on the wagon.
• Help a friend–find another long block for a classmate who is building an airport.

How does this preschooler show he is beginning to think about ways to solve problems? (Include dates.)