4 to 5 Year Olds Kids Behavior Development and Related Issues

Core Competencies and Kids Behavior

At 4-5 years of age, your child will have developed most of the gross motor skills and the shaping of kids behavior are more oriented towards discovery and knowledge of surrounding environment and interpersonal relationships. 

4 year olds and 5 year olds are pretty excited to absorb as much understanding of whatever situations that they come across and with their capability to start comprehending feelings, elucidating the value of being considerate and caring will inculcate compassion and kindness in the kids behavior. 

Inquisitive and talkative

Just as expected with their inquisitive kids behavior, our 4 year olds will be pestering us with no-ending “Whys” and “Hows”, sometimes to the point of irritating. As supportive parents, we should always be prepared for them to be clingy but when you sense they are purposefully asking questions that strings back to the first question, try mimicking this kids behavior by having them answer the questions and see the funny response in their faces. 

Corresponding to their realization of gender identification and sense of self, our 5 year olds will likely pop the sensitive questions of how and where they come from or what differentiates boys from girls and the best response of all time is telling them the truth (but not TMI). Never display embarrassment or avoidance as these will heightened their curiosity and get them excited to continue with the “amusing” kids behavior (or so they thought). 

Friendship Perceived As Companionship NOT Partnership

As they begin to assimilate into pre-school settings, our 4 year olds will enjoy the fun-filled dynamics of involving other kids into game plays and conversations although turn-taking and sharing concepts are still hard to come by in the kids behavior as they are easy to be overwhelmed by the activities. 

With gradual grasp in sense of ownership when approaching 5, they will be less egocentric and are able to establish interactive friendships. However, for the less cooperative kids, a little authority intervention may be asserted such as imposing time-outs to penalize their selfish kids behavior where a good eye-to-eye session will be effective to explain the consequences of their action with 5 year olds.

Physical Activeness

The agility in the 4 year olds and 5 year olds is not likely to decrease anywhere within next few years and extra safety precautions must be taken. To keep their vigorous kids behavior in control, try engaging them in more fun outdoor activities to channel their energies towards constructive productivity. 

Frustrations and Mood Swings

Our 4 year olds are now beginning to explore abstract feelings which pretty much explain their sudden flips of happy- and sad-mode. However, this instability in kids behavior does not come without reason. Even though they should be given some space to adjust and assert control of feelings, refrain them from taking it out on others or the exploration may go out of hand and turn into demanding and unreasonable individual personality. Instead, help them to describe feelings or difficulties being encountered in words and explain the causes and introduce ways to overcome negative experience to nurture positive kids behavior. 

Moving on to 5 year olds, kids at this age will display a more prominent personality where most will have developed a negotiable kids behavior. However, those inclined to aggression may have bred negative kids behavior from lack of directions in emotional control at earlier stage. Although their capability to talk and fight back makes it trickier to implement corrective actions, prolonging those negative kids behavior will make it more difficult to be reversed in later stages. 

Imaginary Playmates

Imaginary friend is one of the classic transition signs among 4 year olds and 5 year olds that may linger well on to elementary school. While many parents are bewildered by their kids behavior of talking to the invisible companion, experts suggest that family members should be supportive instead of discouraging them as make-believe friends help them in developing their identity. 

Despite a little awkward, playing along with your child can provide alternative channel to understand more about your kids behavior and if handled well can train them to be independent by encouraging your child to help his/her “friends” to clean up after play or do things by themselves.

Attention Seekers

Have you noticed that your 4 year olds and 5 year olds show you every little work they did in school and sharing every little achievement they attained? If you feel that their boastful kids behavior are a little off limit, in actuality, they are merely seeking your approval to reinforce their self-confidence.

In fact, their attention-seeking appetite can also be used to your advantage where negative kids behavior can likely be discouraged when you withdraw your attention to disapprove mischievous acts. Even if they may not give in immediately, the displeasure is all it takes to put a halt and give us the opportunity to point out their mistakes. 

Lies and Cheats

Generally, our 4 year olds are not telling lies to bail themselves out of mistakes. Rather, the kids behavior arise from their needs to “get in the crowd” or “go their way”. They may be picking up movie lines and take it as reality or saying they are given permission by teacher/nanny to do things they like but are restricted by us, anything that gives them the reasons to achieve their wishes. By spending more time with them, parent will be able to distinguish truth from lies as well as understanding and acknowledging their needs will eliminate their needs for manipulative kids behavior to bring their wishes to your attention.

Wrapping up

The 4 year olds and 5 year olds are little creatures who can be reasoned with provided that communications are kept at the simplest manner. However, it is their same reasoning capability that enables them to debate/disobey our instructions. Nonetheless, we should never cease this kids behavior with threats as forced-submissions will either diminish their self-esteem or breed an individual prone to contempt.

Kids Behavior Development Stages For Other Age Groups

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