4-year-old Writing Milestones

Important Milestones: Your Child By Four Years

How your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves offers important clues about your child's development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age.

Check the milestones your child has reached by the end of 4 years by completing a checklist with CDC's free Milestone Tracker mobile app, for iOSexternal icon and Androidexternal icon devices, or by printing the checklist pdf icon [302 KB, 2 Pages, Print Only] below. Take the checklist with you and talk with your child's doctor at every visit about the milestones your child has reached and what to expect next.

What most children do by this age:

Social and Emotional

Enjoys doing new things
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Plays "Mom" and "Dad"
Is more and more creative with make-believe play
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Would rather play with other children than by himself
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Cooperates with other children
Often can't tell what's real and what's make-believe
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Talks about what she likes and what she is interested in
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Language/Communication

Knows some basic rules of grammar, such as correctly using "he" and "she"
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Sings a song or says a poem from memory such as the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" or the "Wheels on the Bus"
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Tells stories
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Can say first and last name

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

Names some colors and some numbers
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Understands the idea of counting
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Starts to understand time
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Remembers parts of a story
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Understands the idea of "same" and "different"
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Draws a person with 2 to 4 body parts
Uses scissors
Starts to copy some capital letters
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Plays board or card games
Tells you what he thinks is going to happen next in a book
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Movement/Physical Development

Can't jump in place
Has trouble scribbling
Shows no interest in interactive games or make-believe
Ignores other children or doesn't respond to people outside the family
Resists dressing, sleeping, and using the toilet
Can't retell a favorite story
Doesn't follow 3-part commands
Doesn't understand "same" and "different"
Doesn't use "me" and "you" correctly
Speaks unclearly
Loses skills he once had

Tell your child's doctor or nurse if you notice any of these signs of possible developmental delay for this age and ask for a developmental screening. Talk with someone in your community who is familiar with services for young children in your area. For more information, visit our "If You're Concerned" web page or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children be screened for general development using standardized, validated tools at 9, 18, and 30 months and for autism at 18 and 24 months or whenever a parent or provider has a concern. Ask your child's doctor about your child's developmental screening.

"Learn the Signs. Act Early." materials are not a substitute for standardized, validated developmental screening tools pdf icon [918 KB, 115 Pages, Print Only] external icon.

Adapted from CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD: BIRTH TO AGE 5, Fifth Edition, edited by Steven Shelov and Tanya Remer Altmann © 1991, 1993, 1998, 2004, 2009 by the American Academy of Pediatrics and BRIGHT FUTURES: GUIDELINES FOR HEALTH SUPERVISION OF INFANTS, CHILDREN, AND ADOLESCENTS, Third Edition, edited by Joseph Hagan, Jr., Judith S. Shaw, and Paula M. Duncan, 2008, Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.