3-5 Year Olds: Characteristics

• Active
• Curious about things and people
• Questions “how?” and “why?”
• Imaginative: may have imaginary companions; imitate adults in play
• Short attention span; able to wait for short periods; starts things but may not finish
• Sociable; younger child play alone well; beginning to play well with other children, but is self-assertive
• Developing language skills; uses short sentences; talks; tell stories; invents meaningless words of many syllables
• Establishes self-concept; wants to be included: “me, too”
• Devloping initiative; likes to help, such as run simple errands; takes some limited responsibility for staying within bounds and putting toys away
• Needs to feel safe and secure; responsive to adults; enjoys their approval
• Developing at individual rates; children of same ages may be at different stages in development of language, social skills, and cognitive ability
• Learns through all senses

3-5 Year Olds: Appropriate Concepts

Concepts About God:

• God made all things
• God made me
• God cares about me
• I can sing and talk to God

Concepts About Jesus:

• Jesus is God’s son
• Jesus was once a child, growing as other children grow

Concepts About the Bible

• The Bible is a special book
• The Bible is a book of true stories
• The Bible tells about God and Jesus

Concepts About the Church

• We talk and sing about God
• We have happy times at church

Concepts about their Church

• I can feel secure here because I can understand what is expected

Concepts About their Self:

• God loves me just the way I am
• God wants me to be kind, loving, and thankful

Concepts About Others:

• Some children may appear different, yet they are alike in some ways – all are loved by God, and we should love them too

Concepts About the World:

• God’s world is beautiful