The Average Physical Development of a 4-Year-Old

Many parents seem to question if their 4-year-old is doing as well as other 4-year-old kids. Maybe they wonder why their child is so short or so tall, or perhaps they see another 4-year-old doing something that their child cannot do. These things trigger questions and concerns that often need a bit of validating. While every child is different in all aspects of their development, there are certain milestones that are used to measure the progress that each child makes. These are only guidelines for the average child. One child may not be able to swerve around the driveway on his tricycle like a pro, but he may be able to wash his face, brush his hair and teeth with no help at all.

  1. Getting around

    • By age 4 most children should be able to get around pretty well. It is true that each child is different in their physical development, but by age 4 a child should be able to hop a good distance and jump using both feet. They should also be able to climb a flight of stairs without the need to place one foot on the stair and then the other foot on the same stair before proceeding. They should be able to run with coordination, roll, climb and ride a three-wheeler bike. Their arm coordination should be getting better too, so when you toss a ball to them, they no longer catch it with their arms but rather their hands.

    Coordination

    • By age 4 you should know if your child is going to be a left-hander or a right-hander and should be able to hold a pencil in his hand correctly. They should be able to use scissors with coordination, and if asked to draw a picture of a person, it should include such things as a head, arms, eyes, legs and a mouth. They should also be able to button and zip their own clothing in most instances. While a 4-year-old will seem filled with vigor, they can also run out of steam if their activities are not paced out enough. When this happens, they have a tendency to get cranky and need a nap.

    Growth &Speech

    • When a child reaches about 4 years of age, the baby look that smaller children have has disappeared but everything still is not quite proportioned yet, as the legs are getting longer and the head is getting bigger. The average 4-year-old child weighs about 40 pounds and is around 43 inches tall. Their speech is expanding and they can remember what happened yesterday and what might be planned for tomorrow. They should be speaking in sentences, although they may be very simple sentences. Words such as who, what, why and how may usually lead every sentence that the average 4-year-old says.

    Particular Physical Skills

    • The average 4-year-old should be able to use at least 10 blocks and successfully build a tower or something similar. They should also be able to string small beads and copy the shape of a square. She should have an attention span of about 30 minutes and should be able to dress and undress themselves independently with the exception of when they might be wearing something a bit difficult.

    Grooming

    • An average 4-year-old should be able to competently use a spoon, a butter knife and a fork. He should also be able to take part in much of feeding and grooming himself, such as brushing his teeth, brushing his hair, washing himself, and hanging up some clothes with no help. Four-year-olds require between 10-12 hours of sleep per night. If you ask the average 4-year-old to walk a straight line, they should be able to. If items are stacked up to six inches high, the average 4-year-old should be able to jump over it.

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