Child development and milestones:Your 44-month-old

Make sure your 44-month-old child is on track for their development! Check out our handy guide to know more about your little tot.

Physical Development

At this age, your child should be able to move around a lot. He’ll enjoy running around, jumping, or even spinning in circles until he gets dizzy! But it shouldn’t be anything that you need to worry about. However, it’s still a good idea to keep an eye on your child since at this age, kids love to climb and jump from high places.

Kids this age are also able to climb stairs with ease, ride a tricycle, and kick a ball. Plus, they can also move backward and forward and bend over without falling.

Your child’s motor skills are pretty well-developed at this age, so they are able to stack blocks, as well as catch a ball. Expect a lot of physical activity from your child. It’s a good way to teach him the benefits of being active early on.

Parenting Tips:

• Be sure to constantly engage your child in physical activity in order to develop his motor skills.
• Play with him as much as possible, and try to go outside to parks or any place where kids can run, jump, climb, and explore their surroundings.

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

If you notice that your child isn’t as well coordinated as other children, then you might want to check in with a doctor. But it’s important to remember that kids vary in terms of development, and there are a number of factors that can affect your child’s growth. So if your child isn’t as strong or active as the other kids, don’t be too quick to be worried about it.

It’s always a good idea to consult your doctor when it comes to these concerns.

Cognitive Development 

One of the highlights of 44 month old child development, in terms of cognitive ability, is asking a lot of questions. At this stage, your child becomes more interested in the world around him. This stage is all about your little one asking questions, so be prepared with good answers!

A 44 month old child should also be able to name colours, understand the idea of same and different, and follow simple commands. It’s also much easier for him to understand stories at this age, and he’s also able to count properly.

He can also sort things by shape and colour, and recognise objects based on their pictures alone. His imagination will also run wild at this stage, and it’s normal to see him pretending that he’s in a fantasy world.

Parenting Tips:

• A good way to boost your child’s cognitive ability would be to give him age-appropriate puzzles to help stimulate his brain.
• Ask him questions and let him tell stories to help engage his imagination and creativity.

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

If your child has problems following directions or is unable to identify and sort objects by shape or colour, then it’s a good idea to consult a paediatrician. If your child acts withdrawn or doesn’t pay much attention to his surroundings, it’s also a sign that something could potentially be wrong.

Social and Emotional Development

The great thing about having a 44 month old child is that he will start to have fewer tantrums compared to when he was younger. Leaving him at school won’t be so difficult, and he’ll be more independent than before.

He’ll also start to cooperate with their friends and classmates, and know how to take turns. He will also know the concept of “mine” and “his, hers, theirs”.

Kids start to show problem-solving skills at this age, as well as a wide range of emotions, so be prepared to deal with those things beforehand!

Parenting Tips:

• As usual, it’s a good idea to let your child play with other kids so that he can get used to having other children around.
• Encourage him to play, share, take turns, and cooperate with other kids. This helps him become more sociable and outgoing.

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

If your child seems withdrawn, doesn’t like being with other children, or ignores other children, then you might want to check in with your paediatrician.

Speech and Language Development

In terms of speech and language, your child should be able to say around 250 to 500 words. 

This means that he’s now able to answer simple questions, construct simple sentences and speak clearly. He’ll also start to tell stories at this age, and a 44 month old child can be pretty talkative!

He should also be able to follow simple commands, so you can give him simple tasks or chores to do.

Parenting Tips:

• Read some stories aloud to get him used to hearing words.
• At this stage, you can try letting him read books so that he can become familiar with letters and numbers early on.

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

If your child still has trouble speaking clearly, or starts to drool, then your child could have some development problems. It’s always a good idea to visit your doctor every month so that your paediatrician would be able to know if there are any developmental problems early on.

Health and Nutrition 

When it comes to health and nutrition, children this age should be able to eat most anything that adults can eat.

Of course, being a kid, he’ll have his own preferences, and it can sometimes be a chore to make him eat his veggies! 

For kids this age, having a balanced diet is crucial. It is an important part of child growth and development.

Your child needs roughly 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day depending on his growth and activity level. 

Your child needs 3-5 ounces of protein, 1-1 1/2 cups of fruit, 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 cups of vegetables, 4-6 ounces of grains, and 2 1/2 cups of dairy each day.

Their normal weight at this age is about 10.4 to 21.9 kg and their normal height should be about 91.0  to 110.3 cm, though it varies depending on genetics.

It’s also a good idea to consult your physician about vaccines at this stage. Paediatricians usually recommend Hepatitis B, DPT,MMR, Varicella, Pneumococcal conjugate, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and/or inactivated poliovirus vaccines for your child. Be sure to stick to your child’s immunisation schedule to keep them free from any diseases.

Common illnesses around this age include chickenpox, mumps, measles and the common flu. Be sure to always keep up-to-date with your child’s yearly flu vaccines. And stay away from places that might put your child at risk of dengue. 

Parenting Tips:

• As always, a balanced diet is always recommended. Don’t worry about introducing your child to various food so they get used to different tastes and textures.
• Don’t worry if your child seems small, since a child’s size depends on genetics as well. What’s important is that your child is healthy, active, and isn’t prone to getting sick.

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

If your child is very small for their age, seems malnourished, or isn’t eating a lot of food, then be sure to visit the doctor to have him checked. There might be some underlying problems that your child might have, and your doctor would best be able to identify these problems and help you with your concerns.