Cognitive Motor Skills of a 3-Year-Old

Cognitive-motor skills combine a child's conceptual skills -- their ability to learn and solve problems, explore and interpret the environment -- with physical development and learned sequences of movement. The development and control of large muscle groups improve walking, running and throwing, while small muscle groups benefit hand-eye coordination needed for drawing and picking up small objects. Children learn these skills during predictable time periods, though some variation is normal.

  1. Agility

    • According to studies of childhood development, by the age of 3, a child walks and marches well and attempts to runs, though often awkwardly and without control. He readily kicks, throws and often successfully catches a large ball with arms straight. A 3-year-old alternates his feet when climbing up and down stairs without support, rides a tricycle and jumps in place and off a step. He attempts standing on one leg briefly and nearing the age of 4, hops and stands on one leg for up to 5 seconds.

    Organization of Environment

    • A 3-year-old begins organizing her environment by grouping and ordering objects based on physical properties, such as size and color. She identifies parts of a whole, such as a slice of pie, and builds towers of four to 10 blocks. Nearing the age of 4, a child shows awareness of the past and present, follows three-part commands and uses terms, such as "me" and "you," appropriately. She shows an interest in her environment by observing and imitating more complex adult actions, such as housekeeping play or cooperative block-stacking games with other children.

    Drawing

    • A 3-year-old's cognitive-motor skills develop to where he can grasp a crayon between thumb and finger as he becomes more interested in scribbling and tracing images that are recognizable to him. He copies lines first, then circles and eventually squares as he improves his pencil control when approaching the age of 4. He progresses to drawing simple shapes and people with two to four body parts, and can usually name and briefly explain why they are meaningful to him. At this age, his drawing of imaginary characters reflects his growing interest in fantasy play.

    Feeding and Dressing

    • A child develops basic self-feeding and dressing skills by age 3, if not earlier. She can feed herself with a spoon and fork and drink from a cup with both hands without spilling. At this age, a child typically attains bowel control, completes toilet training and no longer requires the use of diapers. Aside from buttons, lace and other fasteners in awkward places, she begins dressing herself without assistance. Closer to the age of 4, she succeeds with buttoning and unbuttoning her clothes and puts on stockings and shoes without laces.

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